In an industry as finite as yachting, competition in every sector is rife, but it is within large yacht construction that the competition is fiercest. Within this select field, the top companies from every sector; be it integration, stabilisation, joinery, or upholstery, pitch for their position to win the commission. So what is it that makes these world-class businesses stand out from one another? All companies within this upper band have earned their place with proven capabilities and a solid track record, so it is more than the offering alone that makes a company stand out from the competition.
ONE-XP was founded in 2015 by Arjan Kleinveld, who had worked alongside the founder of YachtCloud (ONE’s sister company) Andre Klepper in a previous role. Kleinveld had the drive and ambition to create something new; an integrator that was better for the client and which operated more efficiently and to a higher standard than what was out there in the industry. Kleinveld could see that the yacht owners' expectations for the onboard technology to meet or even surpass what they had in their homes, were very rarely met, and the founding goal of ONE was to close that gap and deliver a world class service.
From the earliest days of the company, Kleinveld has worked to employ a team of individuals that bring unique perspectives and outside experiences to the business. Bas Nuijten has been with ONE from the start, joining the company as Chief Technical Officer in 2015 and helping to grow the team over the past eight years. We asked Bas what he thought about his time with ONE-XP and, most importantly, why he had stayed with the business for such a tenure; “For a start I have a bit of AV/IT in my heart, and ONE-XP is the company where you can do the most beautiful things. From a technical perspective the company also works with the best possible equipment available on the market, constantly updating to align with the latest innovations and newest tools. That is incredibly unique and is an asset to both our clients, and our team.”
Looking back on the early days of the business, Andre Klepper explained that from its foundation ONE-XP and YachtCloud were built on the question "What can we do better?" It is this core thought that the entire ethos of business is built upon, as he explains, "We expect our team to work hard and we strive to find the things that trigger people to perform at the best of their ability. The question, 'what can we do better?', applies both to the service we provide to our clients, and to our own individual performance. The team we have built share our values of excellence and the strive to provide the best service possible, and this is one of the things that make the company exciting to work for, and with."
Edske Smit has been working alongside ONE on projects at Oceanco since 2017; “The team at ONE-XP have a significant amount of expertise and they dedicate that expertise to a small number of projects at a time. That is important because they give a huge amount of attention to the details and are always forthcoming when it comes to possible new technologies and ideas. The team is hands-on, proactive and very cooperative with other contractors which makes working with them an enjoyable and successful experience.”
The team at ONE-XP takes ownership of their work and as members of a boutique integrator, every member of the team recognises the need for excellence. As Bas said: “our clients expect the best, which makes us challenge what is possible, and challenge one another, it is probably one of the most exciting things about working at ONE.”
While Bas is an ‘old hand’ when it comes to the maritime industry, having prior AV/IT experience on yachts for seven years, there are many members of the team who come from entirely different backgrounds. Stefan, Project Manager, joined ONE-XP straight from University with a deep understanding and unifying passion for the AV/IT industry.
Stefan is currently managing two of the company's 140m+ yacht builds, managing around 16 people between installers and AV/IT technicians. For him, ONE’s greatest strength is its flexibility, both in the approach it offers its clients, and in the way it works with its team. “It’s a cool company to work for because there is a big opportunity for teams, as well as individuals in each project to grow, develop and gain new skills …. If someone is really interested and motivated in doing a special project such as a cinema wall, we give them the opportunity to learn from the experts and become one themselves.”
While this approach is excellent from an employees perspective, the final result is that team members are given an opportunity to develop on projects and prove their capabilities by demonstrating the strength of their work. The result is that every project is delivered to the very highest standards, with that sense of individual ownership being so important to both the employee, and the wider team. “On the other side of that mentality is the knowledge base that exists within the company,” adds Stefan. ”We are encouraged to use every resource at our disposal, and you’ll always notice over the lunch table that we are talking about how to do things even better, sharing expertise and ideas.”
For Dirk Kloosterman, Owner’s Representative, that flexible mentality means that they are guaranteed to deliver on their promises, and they make time for their clients. “Whether the owner is onboard or not, no matter how tight the schedule, and no matter the timing, they find time to assist and send engineers or parts to the boat. In my experience, that is an unusual asset. They understand how important it is for an owner to have the best onboard experience and they go out of their way to deliver it.”
The base of each yacht’s system is an easy-to-maintain, reliable, and consistent IT infrastructure. Christian Poortvliet, a long-term IT enthusiast with years of experience on yachts explains that next to the base of AV/IT, cyber security has also now become a hot topic. “Just like personal and physical security, digital security is not less important. ONE offers various packages and assessments to make your yacht or residence resilient against cyber-attacks. The crew also plays a big role in that. They need to operate and work in a cyber secure AV/IT environment, and have the proper education to ensure the security at all times.” 
For the superyacht owner, this internal environment of challenging one another, pushing the boundaries and innovating, has massive benefits. With every superyacht contract comes a delineated technical specification; defining how the system works, how it performs and how it feels. At ONE, even when the project is on spec and delivering on every point, ONE often continues to follow up if they believe they can deliver something even better than what was originally stipulated. “That is certainly one of the biggest strengths of the company; not only ticking the boxes, but also delivering a finished product that includes all those features that could never have been described at the start.” explains Stefan.
Leon Osseweijer has been with ONE for over five years and is now heading up the services and after sales departments, meaning that he has a close relationship with many of the clients (the crew) for years after the project comes to a close. A ‘truly personal approach’ is how Leon would describe the ONE-XP perspective on after sales care. “While many companies claim to have a personal approach, when the crew phones they still end up at a call centre service desk. We don't take that stand at ONE, and between this and our technical approach we stand out from our competitors,” explains Leon.
The retention of the existing fleet is as important to the company as the winning of new projects, and it's because of this that the entire team goes above and beyond to deliver the best service they can to the client. “We have worked with many of these crew members for years, and it's important to me and my team to build a personal relationship with them so that they know when they need us, we are there,” adds Leon. “We’ve had occasions when members of the team have jumped onto planes straight from the office to deliver new parts to yachts before the owner ever knows that something went wrong. That is what we offer and I don't think many other companies in our sector can say that they truly offer this approach.”
Jerry Verbij, like Bas, was one of the early members of the team, joining the company as Project Manager and now heading up the sales team. For Jerry the secret to the company's success is the transparency that has always been part of the recipe; “My goal is that during every stage of a project, everyone involved can sleep soundly at night. We focus on having each element under control and on being transparent and honest with our client so that they know what to expect during every step.”
Reiterating Stefan’s earlier point, Jerry adds, “The fact that the team is encouraged to take ownership, means that they care enough to ensure the work they do is excellent. From the sales perspective, I am given the freedom and responsibility to do what I believe is best for the client.
AJ Anderson, CEO of WMG Wright Maritime Group, has been working with ONE since the very beginning as one of the first client references, and he had worked with Arjan Kleinveld long before the foundation of the company. When asked to sum up the strengths and impressions of ONE he commented, “The most important thing to WMG is integrity and an organisation’s culture, and ONE-XP has both in bounds. The second most important thing is the organisational team experience, knowledge and dedication; ONE’s culture reaches a higher standard, while listening carefully to their clients and client representatives. Every experience with the company has been positive and I have always been impressed by the skill and dedication of the entire team.”
Part of the internal sense of dedication comes from the standards set by the founder Arjan Kleinveld and Andre Klepper, who have populated the business with experts who are passionate about their field. Jerry explains, “While we all have a different background and different DNA, we all have this spark that pushes us to take an extra step for the client. Part of that comes from a real enthusiasm and passion for technology, and part from the collective sense of pride that we all take in our own and one another's work. I think it is that slightly nutty dedication that translates to world-class professionalism and projects that innovate every step of the way.” 
ONE-XP is a true boutique technology integrator, one that cultivates true passion and expertise at its fingertips and which works hard to provide excellence to its clients. With a ‘above and beyond’ mentality, the company’s workforce are motivated to provide the best service to shipyards and owners and the clients themselves reap the benefits. 