Boomeranger Boats of Finland has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birdon Pty Ltd to collaborate on Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) capabilities in Australia.
Boomeranger and Birdon have agreed to collaborate on the assembly, RHIB fitout as well as trials and acceptance for the OPV RHIBs in Australia. The companies are exploring the transfer of more work to Birdon for the OPV RHIBs in the future.
The MoU further specifies that Boomeranger and Birdon will work together on other RHIB and Sea Boat opportunities in the Australian region.
This agreement concludes almost a year of discussions between Boomeranger and Birdon and reflects Boomeranger’s commitment to Australian industry.
Boomeranger is a specialist manufacturer of advanced composite and aluminium marine vessels which it makes in its purpose-built factory in Finland. Birdon is a diversified engineering and services business offering innovative solutions to the military and marine industries. With its head office in Port Macquarie, NSW, Birdon has operations across Australia, as well as in the US, UK, Europe and Asia.
“One of the key benefits of the arrangement,” says Miika Tammi, CEO of Boomeranger Boats, “is the ability of Boomeranger to leverage Birdon’s Australia-wide capability to deliver and support the RHIBs according to the Royal Australian Navy’s specifications and requirements. We are looking to establish a RHIB Centre of Excellence (RCOE) which will provide support for the supply-chain management, assembly, testing, commissioning, and ongoing sustainment and maintenance of RHIBs”.
Mr Jamie Bruce, CEO of Birdon, says “Birdon is keen to support Boomeranger in this key program and bring Birdon’s expertise developed through our current work with the Australian Defence Force, the US Army, US Navy and US Coast Guard. We look forward to building and delivering real capability in the RCOE to provide and support RHIBs in the Australasian region”.