The country’s 800 suppliers of marine equipment and services are the lynchpins of the Netherlands as a maritime nation.
A concentration of ports, shipyards and ship repair industries has created a nucleus for the industrial suppliers of marine products. The annual production value of the Dutch equipment industry is €3.9 billion. Marine-supply industries cover every possible area of shipping and offshore technology. A wide range of marine activities can be found in the Netherlands, particularly in the west and the north of the country. Here, shipowners are surrounded by retailers, producers, engineering services, the repair industry and co-producers of marine equipment. The international and maritime nature of the country has also encouraged many foreign equipment suppliers to open local offices in the Netherlands. Just-In-Time deliveries and co-production have streamlined production and services to the industry. In this context, suppliers act as partners, not merely as salesmen. Their competitive edge is found in quality, innovation, know-how and customer service. And the international nature of business has encouraged suppliers to reduce their prices to a very competitive level.