For a small/medium sized company like Jo Bird, it can prove quite difficult to engage directly with our end user customers who are often major offshore energy or maritime companies. Organisations far larger than ourselves.
Working with the Royal fleet auxiliary along with A&P Falmouth a few years ago on new equipment cabinets for the RFA fleet was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. We were able to meet and talk to the key stakeholders directly including visits to the Jo Bird factory and vise-versa. We were all working to achieve the same aim of providing cabinets that exactly fitted the size and layout requirements with the usual Jo Bird benefits of durability and ease of use.
We are enjoying a similar experience working with Varivane industries in Devizes UK, who are working with many of the prime contractors to various Navies in Europe and further afield. With the current uncertainty and the rapid changes in technology, countries are having to reconsider their Naval requirements and the Type31 Frigate is proving to be a highly versatile and cost effective solution.
Varivane are supplying quite a range of internal components for the Type 31 and part of this is an expanding line up of Jo Bird cabinets. These are for first aid, damage control and emergency evacuation.
It makes sense for Babcock international to deal directly with Varivane rather than Jo Bird, to limit the number of suppliers. With such close collaboration, Jo Bird are being kept up to speed on progress with various projects and this is built on a high level of trust. In just the way we like to work with the offshore wind and energy industry too. By having an understanding of likely future requirements, we can plan the factory production effectively.
Jo Bird would also like to acknowledge the other distributors who are also supplying Navies with Jo Bird cabinets and in some cases, have helped to secure NATO stock codes.
