Germany

GL Spezialverglasung

Beginning with 126-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/270" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Octopus126.2m (414'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2003">Octopus</a> in the 1990s, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6772" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="GL Yachtverglasung (Company)">GL Yachtverglasung</a> near Hamburg has developed, designed, delivered and installed glass on board some of the world’s most recognisable superyachts, including <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4450" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sailing Yacht A142.81m (468'6&quot;)Nobiskrug2017">Sailing Yacht&nbsp;A</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6282" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Artefact80.0m (262'6&quot;)Nobiskrug2020">Artefact</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6355" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="REV Ocean194.9m (639'5&quot;)Vard Group AS2027">REV Ocean</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6847" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Solaris139.7m (458'4&quot;)Lloyd Werft2021">Solaris</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6404" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Excellence80.0m (262'6&quot;)Abeking & Rasmussen2019">Excellence</a>, and more. CEO Lars Engel discusses the challenges posed by sanctions, and how a passion for complex and spectacular projects has driven business success to date.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/377697/image/large-6f9aa5111cfd1d1af20746b5657674a0.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/377697"> What drives you to succeed in business? Passion. You need passion to work in such a niche industry, and also to have an understanding of what happens every day behind the doors of a construction hangar. The outcome at the end is something exceptional. Passion is necessary because without it you won’t be driven to follow through in such a complex business. When we first worked on <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/270" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Octopus126.2m (414'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2003">Octopus</a>, it was so enjoyable that I decided that we needed to start a whole new company specialising in glass for spectacular yachts. The element of fun is very important to me and the team as a whole. We’re not interested in delivering a set number of projects per year, but in rising to the extraordinary challenges posed by individual projects. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/377693/image/large-0b568ae4c4a351ba3d0088c5fbc202a6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/377693">Are there any specific strategies you’re planning to tackle future challenges and ensure continued growth?We specialise in larger superyachts – the minimum is 70 metres, occasionally a little less, but only when it involves very complex glazing. The current major obstacle is overcoming the sanctions, which are a showstopper for our niche market. The relevant question isn’t one of growth, but the justification for the future of an entire industry. To combat this and in response to requests, we have been motivated to identify and create a new niche, which is a work in progress. Because yachting is a project-based business, we know and accept that our results will go up and down. We can mitigate this because our main business, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8516" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="GL Spezialverglasung (Company)">GL Spezialverglasung</a>, provides special glazing for public and private transport companies as a supplier, repair and spare parts service provider. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/377695/image/large-22abf4050b0cc963a30efa36ea4661ab.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/377695">What proportion of your work is in-house?&nbsp;There is a very limited number of companies – not more than about five – we partner with to source the glass we need for our projects. The market simply doesn’t offer the quality of people and knowledge we require, so we basically only work with our own employees. When taking on projects, we are very careful about the resources we use and managing our capacities sensibly. To this end, we offer support for designers and engineers from various industries, the execution of installation works on new build projects, and overall after-sales and services, so our clients get 360-degree project management. This provides both them and us with a greater degree of security.&nbsp;How important is staff training?Training is very important to us: all our technicians are extremely well qualified. Once they start with us, they receive training to become bonding specialists. It takes around 18-30 months to get them to the point where they can deliver the workmanship we expect. Between both our companies, we employ nearly 200 people and around 150 technicians who need to be retrained every year, so it is a huge investment for us. Thanks to the experience and expertise of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8516" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="GL Spezialverglasung (Company)">GL Spezialverglasung</a> and close collaboration with renowned research institutes, we are the first company worldwide with DIN 2304 certification, the quality assurance for adhesive bonding processes.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/377696/image/large-39a476e96c9652242d4b79151de8a71c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/377696">You installed the longest curved glass panel ever made onto&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nobiskrug (Company)">Nobiskrug’s</a>&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4450" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sailing Yacht A142.81m (468'6&quot;)Nobiskrug2017">Sailing Yacht A</a>. What are the complexities of working at that scale?&nbsp;As with many of our projects, this required us to think beyond the existing limitations of what is perceived to be possible. On <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4450" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sailing Yacht A142.81m (468'6&quot;)Nobiskrug2017">Sailing Yacht&nbsp;A</a>, it wasn’t just building and installing the world’s longest curved glass panel of 15 metres, but also creating and installing the underwater windows, which presented unprecedented complexity. This is why we’re continuously identifying new methods, equipment and engineering to make ‘mission impossible’ possible.&nbsp;There’s also the question of logistics. On <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6847" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Solaris139.7m (458'4&quot;)Lloyd Werft2021">Solaris</a>, for example, the largest glass pane was 12-metres by three-metres and weighed 5.2 tonnes. Everything was over the limits for the transport of the glass, so we had to develop and find new solutions. When we first sign our projects, we don’t always know what will be possible, but we always make it happen, thanks also to our strong R&amp;D department.&nbsp;What are you currently working on?&nbsp;As a company, we love intricate and challenging builds. Our latest 114-metre project has a special arrangement on one of the decks that has never been realised in glass until now. It’s a yacht that doesn’t look like a yacht, so you will either love it or hate it!&nbsp;

GL Yachtverglasung CEO Lars Engel

SuperYacht Times talks to GL Yachtverglasung CEO Lars Engel on breaking boundaries in superyacht glazing.