8-1-2003
Seattle Marine Construction:
One Step Short of a Shipyard
(Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles on industry clusters in Kitsap County. In June, we presented Premier Propellers, a Bremerton company that tunes and sells propellers that make your boat move. In July we continued with the marine cluster as we interviewed W-H Autopilots, a firm that manufactures and sells the product that guides your boat in the right direction. This month we focus on Seattle Marine Construction, a company that completes the boat with welding, painting, cabinetry and more.)
Submitted by the Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council’s Business Assistance Committee

Seattle Marine Construction, a primary business located at the Port Orchard Airport on Sidney Road, is one of four businesses conceived and owned there by Shannon Wagner. Wagner selected Kitsap County as his business location because of the lifestyle and workforce – the same reasons many businesses are here.

Wagner started in residential construction, but found marine repair and customization more challenging. Seattle Marine Construction’s work is spread among 88 marine transport vessels, fishing vessels, cruise ships and Coast Guard ships.

Wagner and staff are just one phone call away to meet the needs of their clients. Much of the work is done at the Port Orchard facility, but large amounts of assembly and repair are done on the ships. Wagner likens this approach to being one step short of a shipyard.

He and his crew have been around the world to perform duties ranging from the installation of a cabinet built entirely of Corian to building an entire bridge on board. Designing for maximum usage in a limited space is the challenge that keeps Wagner happily engaged in the business.

Custom bridges are the product of Global Ship Consoles, a spin-off of Seattle Marine Construction. Going to ships anywhere to build the custom bridges offer endless opportunities for this enterprising entrepreneur. Wagner hopes to expand his facility next year to meet the needs of his growing companies.
  Wagner’s enthusiasm, pride in a job well done and respect for clients and staff drive his success. That respect is reflected in the zero percent turnover in his core staff. Wagner recently sponsored four holes in a charity golf tournament to support the organization and to market his business. Word of mouth and referrals are the true marketing drivers for this company.

Wagner notes he prefers to do business in Kitsap County whenever possible, with the exception of a product that must be imported from Norway. He has nothing but praise for local suppliers like Bremerton Upholstery, Kitsap Lumber and Port Orchard Glass. Wagner notes that knowing a few select suppliers who work hard to fill his orders and fit his needs is more important than making price the driver in selecting suppliers.

Using suppliers in Kitsap County or the region is what we’ve talked about in two previous articles on clustering – making the linkages local. Purchasing office supplies, web design services and employment services in addition to the upholstery, glass and lumber suppliers mentioned earlier are only a few of the potential linkages for this marine cluster company. The businesses that provide the daily lunch service and weekly massage therapy for Seattle Marine Construction are also included as linked companies.

The lesson here is that your company may have potential to link to the marine industry. Linkages in the marine industry are more than those companies that have something to do with boats or the water – linkages touch on all components of a business.

Does your company offer services or products that would contribute to the administration, operations, personnel or marketing of a marine industry company?.