John Leek IV, General Manager of the New Viking Mullica Plant, says the company is looking to hire Electricians, machinists, carpenters, fiberglass workers and other trade professionals.
MULLICA TOWNSHIP — The Vikings have conquered the Mullica River. Now, they’re looking for help.
The
owners of Viking Yachts, the high-end boatbuilders based in New Gretna,
on the Bass River in Burlington County, recently closed on the
purchase, for an officially reported $999,999, of the property and
production lines of the former Ocean Yachts.
Those
80 or so acres and 88,000 square feet of buildings are off the Mullica
River in the Weekstown section of Mullica Township, about 12 miles by
road from Viking’s headquarters.
The owners call their latest addition Viking Mullica, but the Ocean Yachts name hasn’t disappeared from the water. In February, Egg Harbor Yachts announced the Egg Harbor City-based builder had bought Ocean Yachts’ trade name, engineering and most of its molds.
But Viking did get one model and mold based on an Ocean Yachts design as part of its property purchase. And in August, Viking started to build its first 37-foot Billfish models at Viking Mullica.
The owners call their latest addition Viking Mullica, but the Ocean Yachts name hasn’t disappeared from the water. In February, Egg Harbor Yachts announced the Egg Harbor City-based builder had bought Ocean Yachts’ trade name, engineering and most of its molds.
But Viking did get one model and mold based on an Ocean Yachts design as part of its property purchase. And in August, Viking started to build its first 37-foot Billfish models at Viking Mullica.
“We redesigned a
number of things, changed some of the lines and the cockpit,” says
Peter Frederiksen, a Viking spokesman. “We wanted to make sure people …
knew right away it was a Viking.”
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/viking-yachts-to-build-smaller-boats-bigger-payroll-in-mullica/article_41e73c43-4602-5dc5-8923-1b1bee5997d1.html
Related posts at
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2015/12/ocean-yachts-boatyard-sale-being.html
John Leek IV is general manager of the
new Viking Mullica plant. He’s also the grandson of the late John Leek
Jr., or Jack, who founded Ocean Yachts in 1977 near his home overlooking
the Mullica River.
The
36-year-old general manager, who started working at Ocean Yachts as a
kid, says he was closely involved in the family’s planning of the
Billfish.
“I had a lot of pride
in what (Ocean) did” with the boat, Leek says, standing in a production
building where about 25 workers are now building those early Billfish
models, on schedule for a February unveiling in Miami. “But I can
honestly say that I’m really pleased with the changes they made. … We
did it the Viking way.”
He’s also happy to say that many more
workers are about to join that early crew, which includes the last 12
workers left at Ocean Yachts before the sale. As the first 37-footers
get near the finish line, he expects to have 50 workers at Viking
Mullica by December.
Plus, the
company plans to start a second Mullica production line in January, to
shift work on three more Viking models — in lengths of 42, 48 and 52
feet — to its new plant. Leek says they’ll need 90 more workers in all
sorts of trades then, so they’re looking to hire now.
“Electricians, machinists, carpenters,” fiberglass workers and more are on his needs list, Leek says. And the company’s website, vikingyachts.com — its preferred route to get job applications — says Viking has openings in almost two dozen more boat-building specialties.
The company always prefers skilled workers, but Leek says Viking will train people to do things the company’s way.
“Electricians, machinists, carpenters,” fiberglass workers and more are on his needs list, Leek says. And the company’s website, vikingyachts.com — its preferred route to get job applications — says Viking has openings in almost two dozen more boat-building specialties.
The company always prefers skilled workers, but Leek says Viking will train people to do things the company’s way.
“There
absolutely is experience around,” Leek agrees, because the national
recession and other economic troubles have put many local boatbuilders
out of work.
Now, with the
closing last week of Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, South Jersey has
lost an additional 2,800 jobs. And more than 10,000 casino jobs have
disappeared since 2014.
At
times, ”Viking and others in the (boat) business struggled because we
lost out to what were perceived to be better jobs in the casinos,” Leek
said. “But people who have been learning and doing trades in Atlantic
City could be a good fit” at building boats, he adds.
One more good fit is that by buying Viking Mullica and shifting work on some of its smaller models to the new boatyard, Leek says the company gives itself more room in New Gretna to focus on bigger boats.
They now include several models up to 92 feet long, which normally retail for $10 million to $12 million, a spokesman says.
One more good fit is that by buying Viking Mullica and shifting work on some of its smaller models to the new boatyard, Leek says the company gives itself more room in New Gretna to focus on bigger boats.
They now include several models up to 92 feet long, which normally retail for $10 million to $12 million, a spokesman says.
For more job details, see vikingyachts.com or call the company at 609-296-6000.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/viking-yachts-to-build-smaller-boats-bigger-payroll-in-mullica/article_41e73c43-4602-5dc5-8923-1b1bee5997d1.html
Related posts at
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2015/12/ocean-yachts-boatyard-sale-being.html
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