Ribcraft Australia partners with Edencraft International
Tie-up to see commercial rigid-hull inflatable boats manufactured in GeelongThe deal will see Ribcraft Australia leverage Edencraft’s boat-building expertise to enter local production, making RHIBs for defence, government and commercial applications.
Australia is set to welcome a new name in locally produced commercial boats, with a partnership between Ribcraft Australia and Edencraft International seeing rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) produced in Geelong.
The move also marks Ribraft Australia’s entry into local manufacturing, drawing on British brand Ribcraft’s 30 years of designing and producing bespoke RHIBs.
Produced to meet AMSA’s National Standard for Commercial Vessels, the RHIBs will be produced at Edencraft’s Moolap production facility in Geelong, Victoria. Edencraft says it has invested heavily in technology to build the robust craft, including a robotic five-axis automated machining centre that specializes in plug and mould making.
The boats will serve in a variety of commercial applications, including defence, law enforcement, and search and rescue, among others, and will be sold locally with the potential for export to the wider Australia-Pacific region.
The Ribcraft range spans open, micro-cabin and cabin/wheelhouse formats and lengths from 4.8m to 12.5m. Each model offers a high degree of customisation to suit each boat's application.
Featuring a deep-vee hull designed to withstand rough seas, the custom-built RHIBs feature a durable construction, excellent stability and buoyancy, and low maintenance.
“The partnership with Edencraft not only allows us to build world-class rigid inflatable boats here in Australia but also strengthens our nation’s sovereign maritime capabilities,” said Ribcraft Australia’s Managing Director, Adelina Florescu.
According to Josie Eastman, Edencraft’s General Manager, the tie-up also sees it too push into new waters. “The partnership with Ribcraft Australia marks a defining moment for Edencraft as we extend our manufacturing expertise into the defence and government sectors,” she said.
“By combining Ribcraft’s globally trusted RHIB designs with Edencraft’s legacy of crafting boats built to excel in the most challenging maritime conditions, and keeping innovation at the heart of all we do, we’re delivering world-class vessels proudly made in Australia.”
Photo (from left): Grant Maher, owner at Edencraft International; Paul Liddiatt, Sales and Marketing Manager at Ribcraft Australia & Asia Pacific; Adelina Florescu, Managing Director at Ribcraft Australia & Asia Pacific; Josie Eastman-Maher, General Manager at Edencraft International; Tom Kelly, Operations and Business Development Manager at Edencraft Creative
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
