Mr Kartner, where would you like to be with F/Yachting in ten years' time?
I believe that overall projects with a sustainable approach tend to happen in the 30 to 80 metre range. Where the customer is heavily involved. In ten years' time, we would like our brand to stand for a holistic approach. That designers, architects, shipyards, partners and customers as well as our network know what we do and what added value we offer on the market with our business model. Of course, we also want to grow. We already have a resource of around 200 people who work exclusively for yachts. We need the yacht sector to train our people. The craftsmen are best trained there - not in the aircraft sector.
At what point do you get involved when it comes to the interior design?
We already have projects that we are working on in the new business model where we were involved at the time when the designer was advising the customer. And that's when our Future Lab really came into play, the materials were specified and the technologies finalised. The rendering was then created on this basis. In the past, we have always been involved very late in the process via the main client.
Does that mean you would be responsible for all areas of the yacht?
It's about the entire lifecycle. A ship like this runs for 30 or 40 years, and there are up to 10, 15 or 20 refits. Some rooms are used for other purposes, the carpets are replaced, the wood is refurbished or the surfaces are changed. We are very strong in this respect with our network. Our goal is the entire interior, but also the exterior.
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Are you the main person responsible and do you bring in companies?
Exactly. But we're not going to do a subcontractor model, we're going to take on partners who have exactly the same approach as us and the project. And yes, it's about the whole thing, from developing the right materials and design support to crew training. How to set something up correctly, repair it, clean the exterior surfaces. That's all part of it.
What would you say: aviation and yachting, who influences whom more?
In the beginning, Aviation learnt a lot from the yacht sector, we took the resources from the yacht and residential sector and also trained people for the aircraft. And now we are utilising these 20 years of experience and especially the experience in materiality and innovation for the yacht sector and our network.
What is special about yacht interiors compared to aeroplanes?
In the aircraft sector, a project is developed and then runs for 10 or 15 years. Sometimes the interior is upgraded, but the aircraft remains the same. With yachts, each one is different. We already want to grow there, but more through scalable services. We develop things that not only we have to install. There are many shipyards that have joineries and also capacities. I wouldn't fight them, but support them, because they can work with more specialised materials. We are then not alone on board, but together with a partner and not with a subcontractor. That's the big difference.
Which shipyard would you be particularly pleased about?
The big names from the Netherlands do a lot of things themselves. The Dutch shipyards have a history, they are proud of doing things themselves and are good at business. They are growing and also realise that they need partners for this. And we would certainly be suitable because we see our own resources as equals and not as competition. I would rather welcome that, because there is an advantage to having the expertise. We are interested in anyone who is prepared to change and who will accept us as equals. People who enter into this co-creation process with us. I wouldn't develop something with designers or customers that looks good in the interior but is difficult for the shipyard to install.
What about Italian shipyards, the German addresses?
Yes, everyone who is prepared to get involved in this process. They say, there's a professional there, and even if we can do parts of it ourselves, we'll give it to someone who can do the whole package for us. As you can see, the larger the projects are, the more duplicate resources are built up. I set up a project manager who makes sure that your project manager works, who makes sure that the subcontractor works. Nobody pays for that, it wastes margins, and in the end it gets cut. Ideally, there should be someone in charge who talks to the right people in the right place. That really saves money. We want everyone who is significantly involved in the project to discuss it as equals. That it's about what's best for the project and not what's best for me. And what can be done effectively within the time budget.
Uske Berndt
Editor News & Panorama
