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With endless innovations and advancements across the technology sector, it is no surprise that the superyacht industry takes note and follows suit. Steve Puckering and Ian Dixon have carved out successful careers in technology consulting for superyachts with their company <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART Technology Advisers</a>. Their pioneering approach to deliver both transparency and innovation within the superyacht technology sector, has seen <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a> elevate standards and consistently deliver innovative solutions and in most cases with cost neutral projects for their growing portfolio of happy owners over the past 10 years.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/280131/image/large-728da8008126e5f7a67059a04ede51ef.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/280131">SuperYacht Times sat down with Ian and Steve for a series of three editorials, to learn more about how they have harnessed their careers together at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a> and how their journeys into the world of superyacht technology began.How did you get introduced to the yachting industry?Steve: In the 1980s I was working as a specialist electronics engineer for the German company, Grundig. In those days electronics engineers like me were trained to fault find right down to component level, and it was a time when the first satellite televisions were being introduced.. We were initially commissioned by P&amp;O to assist them with an issue they were having with their satellite systems, and I was sent in as the specialist to resolve the problem. Over time we became the service partner of choice for P&amp;O globally. Then in 1997 we became involved with the design and development of the technology systems onboard the 49.9-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/18" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amels (Company)">Amels</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jaz50.0m (164'1&quot;)Amels1997">Tigre D’or</a> (now <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jaz50.0m (164'1&quot;)Amels1997">Jaz</a>), which led onto a myriad of other projects such as <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/852" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Faribana V54.4m (178'6&quot;)Amels1998">Sarafsa</a> (now <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/852" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Faribana V54.4m (178'6&quot;)Amels1998">Faribana V</a>) and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/326" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marla49.99m (164'0&quot;)Amels1999">Thunder Gulch</a> (now <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/326" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marla49.99m (164'0&quot;)Amels1999">Marla</a>) and many more besides. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/72571/image/large-0b9e37de1a9d58455ae8358dbf9c72f7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/72571">By the early 2000s my company ANT (Advanced New Technologies) was the largest marine electronics company in the industry, with 126 employees, €13 million in annual revenue and offices in the UK, France, Holland and the US. Some of the largest projects in the superyacht world fleet were completed by ANT, in yards ranging from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/18" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amels (Company)">Amels</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Blohm & Voss GmbH (Company)">Blohm &amp; Voss</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> to name but a few. Then came the crash of 2008 and we lost a third of our in build projects almost overnight. Against the advice of many, I was determined to save the business and brought Ian in to assist with turning it around, which we did. The business was eventually sold to a large USA based conglomerate. I stepped away in 2011 as the offer of a “VP” position did not appeal to me (as I am an engineer).Ian: Unlike Steve, my background is as a chartered accountant. I trained at KPMG and later worked for the marine paint company <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6101" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jotun (Company)">Jotun</a>, where I got my first taste of the yachting world. I received a call one day from a colleague at KPMG who asked if I'd be interested in talking to his client - ANT - who needed some urgent financial management. As Steve explained, I was parachuted in to help and we spent two years turning the business around before we were able to sell it in 2010, without having lost a single job in the process and making sure all our suppliers were paid in full.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/56134/image/large-45779bec54c61ebdb35ca13fc85c53b1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/56134">So, you went from supplier to owner’s technology advisers, how did that transition occur and what was the catalyst for&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>?Steve: After leaving the business I semi-retired and was convinced I’d left yachting behind. I then received a call from a representative who had a big issue with a new build. There were contractual and financial issues within the proposed specification as well as numerous technical problems and they needed someone with expert knowledge of prices, timelines and technology to help resolve them. That project was Jubilee, now known worldwide as <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4796" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kaos110.1m (361'3&quot;)Oceanco2017">Kaos</a>. About a month into the project Ian came to visit and I explained what I was working on – like me Ian had sworn he’d never work on the supplier / integrator side again but working on the owner’s side had an immediate appeal.&nbsp;We decided to do the project together and run it as ethically and transparently as possible, taking it back to basics and stripping out the non-tangible costs that were running up budgets and timelines without any improvement in the technology being offered. The owner was extremely happy with the outcome, as was the broker who asked us to work on another new project and that was really the beginning of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/193085/image/large-41efbf8cd5251ec5383375d1f614db29.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/193085"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>&nbsp;was seen as a bit of a disruptor in those early days, with its open book mentality and focus on ethics, can you explain a bit more about this?Steve: I suppose that in a way we were disruptive, but it wasn’t our intention to be so. When we founded <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>, a lot of the players in the sector were what we’d call a ‘consultant-plus’, i.e., they were both consultants and suppliers, consultants and integrators, consultants and investors. They had two priorities; one to the project’s owner and one to themselves, as they derived income elsewhere on the project to supplement their fees. We saw the opportunity to position <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a> as the independent technology experts the owners and their representative were looking for.It was a hard sell in those early days, as no one in the industry believed we would commit to it. However, we have, and owners and their representatives return to us because they know we are open, honest and ethical in how we run our business, as well as being experts in technology.One of the key benefits this approach has is that we have been able to have unequalled access to manufacturers and regularly talk to them about their future developments, as we pose no commercial risk to them. We can say that because we have no partnerships or affiliations with any product or supplier, which means that we can approach every player in the sector (and a growing number now outside of superyachts where we’ve been able to bring their expertise into the sector for the first time) and they know they have the opportunity to present their best work to us.Ian: This ethical practice has been so ingrained in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a> from the very beginning. So much so that at the end of every year every member of staff has to declare that they have not received any additional benefits from working on any of our projects. Transparency is absolutely essential to our business and our staff are held to a very high standard.&nbsp;How do you stay at the forefront of technical innovation and development?Steve: As we mentioned above, because we don’t have any bias when it comes to technology, it enables us to approach any business in the sector and to have a candid discussion about future developments. We are often aware of R&amp;D years before a project becomes a reality, and this enables us to specify an onboard infrastructure commonly as far ahead as four years (or more), for products that may not even commercially exist yet!We also have a highly passionate team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>. Individuals like our first employee Tom, who along with the rest of the team have unequalled knowledge and understanding of the technology itself, and of future innovation. This often far outweighs both ours, the shipyard’s and our owner’s knowledge combined. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/70029/image/large-e0424d85fd889f8dc9d0fa00020f9196.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/70029">Ian: In a sense, we are able to future proof our projects from the very earliest stage. We don't have to have a difficult conversation in the final year of a build that the displays, audio system, control systems or a cinema are now outdated and need to be upgraded. In addition to providing the coolest and best solution to the owner, it also saves costs and enables us to virtually guarantee the end cost from the moment the contract is signed.What would you put the company’s success down to?Ian: Hard work, honesty, and a dedicated team with a genuine passion for technology. We expect everyone who comes to work for us to have these attributes. The ability to take a concept and / or a dream and turn it into reality for an owner is where we thrive. We get a lot of challenging projects, so employing people who are ready for a challenge, including the complexities that need to be delivered, keeps things exciting. An example is the 93-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6204" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lady S93.0m (305'1&quot;)Feadship2019">Lady S</a>, where we were asked to help create the first ever IMAX accredited cinema to be placed on a private superyacht. Tom worked closely with the owners, their own specialist and with Dolby and IMAX themselves to design the initial concept with pen and paper and turn it into reality.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/274170/image/large-39da51c0e06c1077fc0311fcf9516e26.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/274170">In what ways do you work well together as a team at&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>?Ian: There are two parts; as co-founders we are each from different backgrounds, but we have a lot of respect for each other and value our opinions. We have a lot of trust. We used our past experiences of working together in the yachting industry to forge a company that was innovative from the very beginning which promotes an engaging and ever growing culture.Steve: As one owner succinctly put it, we have a great mix of “grey hairs” looking after the projects commercial and financial interests and a young hungry bunch of technology gurus that are driving the technology forward. It’s a great combination!Our ethos is driven by the idea that within the broader team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>, we succeed and fail together. There is no blame culture or politics; just championing.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/211602/image/large-23919f38f88be24db9e16f86a59e6558.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/211602">What are the plans for the future at&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">SMART</a>?Steve: Overall, we want to innovate, and continuously improve. We want to remain the best choice for and continue to maintain standards and push boundaries in the interests of our owners; being trusted to deliver on their wishes is important to us.With a team of 10 and a highly boutique outlook, <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/companies/smart-technology-advisers" target="_blank">SMART</a> only works on a select number of projects at any one time, ensuring every owner receives the same, high levels of service they have come to expect.Over the decade, the team have been responsible for some of the most impressive and iconic projects in the global superyacht fleet and have consistently delivered world-class technological solutions. In the next article with S<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7185" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Smart Technology Advisers (Company)">MART</a>, we will take a closer look at some of those projects. If you are interested in speaking to the team, get in touch with them now;

Interview with SMART Advisors

SMART Advisors, the superyacht technology consultancy, is celebrating 10 years. We sat down with the founders to find out more.

Meet the founders: 10 Years of SMART

The Netherlands are well known for building high quality superyachts, but since last year we also have a specialized superyacht refit shipyard, Balk Shipyard in Urk. Although already established back in 1786 (!), it wasn’t until they moved from Elburg to Urk before they were noticed within the superyacht industry. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126080/image/large-7f4b129db10dad8716da72257b6b4879.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126080"><img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126081/image/large-e8cb97f2c02351de8f166412de07e9ff.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126081">This can of course be explained by the fact that Elburg is not easily accessible for superyachts, but as Daan Balk explains they have worked on some large yachts there in the past as well. “In Elburg we did a lot of work for the Dutch government, but we also had many yachts there like the 29m Viking Legacy, the recently restored Blue Bird and the Van Dam Nordia Cornelia to name a few”. It was Daan Balk who assisted the Dutch owner of <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2248">Blue Bird</a> when selling the yacht to her present owners. They opted to do the refit of Blue Bird at Balk Shipyard, however this was premature, as they had just unveiled their plans to move Elburg to Urk and couldn’t cope with such a restoration at this stage. However things changed rapidly. Although the shipyard was officially opened in September 2007, they had already completed two successful superyacht projects in Urk. The first project being <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1356">Berzinc</a>. Berzinc was purchased by her owner as a wreck in 2004 and soon after, she was towed to The Netherlands were she was completely stripped and work started from scratch. Her length was increased by a few meters and after all the exterior and engineering work was done at Balk, the yacht left to Turkey for completion of the interior. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126082/image/large-347c64f5e70a7d61449963ca62a64b6a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126082"> <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126083/image/large-72928a61ae8095669640cc41fb0c2a01.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126083">Their second large project was the refit of the 46m <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/138">Putty VI</a>. Initiated by Vripack Brokers, Balk Shipyard was responsible for the refit and re-launched her in July 2007. Work included the complete rebuild of the sun deck and the owner’s quarters, as well as the installation of a new air-conditioning system. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126084/image/large-e1fc5c7713ba034ef18427bd63b6002d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126084">Currently occupying the large refit shed is the 50m Amels <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546">Tzarina</a>. To date she is the largest project for Balk. “Work on Tzarina started in June 2006 and since the start, work has already tripled than originally planned” says Daan Balk. “Her new spectacular interior is designed by Ken Freivokh and will make an impact when finished”. Other notable yachts which visited Balk over the years are <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1512">Grace</a> (a complete new clipper stern was built), <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/701">Anakena</a>, <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/137">Dardanella</a>, Viking Legacy, <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1521">African Queen</a>, <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1813">Thalia</a> and many others. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126085/image/large-3cdcf5e88768148d1d69c348f6a276ca.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126085">The first projects for this winter are already in place. First to arrive is <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1431">Cornelia</a>, who will be back for some maintenance work and the “small” Feadship Lucia will arrive for a major refit. Besides doing refit work on superyachts, Balk also works on new yacht construction projects for other leading shipyards. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/126086/image/large-587311ce44b24edbe3d1dc6992f79a9e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/126086">Balk Shipyard can handle superyachts up to approx 60 meters. Contact Daan Balk for more information: Daan Balk / <a href="mailto:d.balk@balkshipyard.com?subject=Balk%20Shipyard%20-%20Article%20SuperYachtTimes.com">d.balk@balkshipyard.com</a> / +31 (0)527 681741 / <a target="_blank" href="http://www.balkshipyard.com">www.balkshipyard.com</a>

Balk Shipyard – The superyacht refit specialist from Holland

Scheepswerf Balk, the Urk based refit and repair shipyard, just opened their new premises. Capable to do all kinds of work, they are well underway to become one of the key players on the refit and repair market. Currently the shipyard is working on three superyachts and have finished two other superyachts. Just Finished During our visit to Scheepswerf Balk in June, the 34m <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1431">Cornelia</a> was moored along the shipyard in Balk. By now work has finished on <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1431">Cornelia</a>, which was built by RMK Marine in Turkey to a design of De Vries-Lentsch. Part of the work carried out by Balk was to bring her under full Lloyds and MCA classifications. After leaving the shipyard <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1431">Cornelia</a> set sail to the Baltic where she will spend the summer season. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122814/image/large-8650200b8ffb7fa53300e22c3b81a972.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122814">Scheepswerf Balk also just finished the refit of <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1512">Grace</a> (photo below). <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1512">Grace</a> is a classic 40m motoryacht, built in 2003 by Sijperda. Together with her original designer, Jaron Ginton, Balk removed the old bow and replaced it with a schooner styled bow. The rebuilding of her bow increased her overall length to 48.27m (46.34m excluding the bowsprit). <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122815/image/large-759d9307d89475914f51acd5f2a1dd1b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122815">Current Projects The 46m Palmer Johnson <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/138">Putty VI</a> (formerly Turmoil) is currently in the new shed of Balk and her refit should be finished soon. Her owner brought her to Urk to be refitted to his personal wishes before taking his new yacht on a summer cruise. <div align="center"><img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122816/image/large-f4d9ea8f527969508b255248b1b16c7b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122816"></div><div align="left">
 The work included complete re-painting of the exterior, rebuilding of the dining room, library, main salon, owner’s stateroom, 2 guest staterooms and pilot cabin. A sundeck with Jacuzzi and barbeque were installed and the air-conditioning, zero speed stabilisers, bilgeboy and shorepower converter have all been replaced. More small replacements and repairs have been undertaken to bring <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/138">Putty VI</a> up to today’s standards and she looks brand new again!
</div>One of the biggest project in the history of Scheepswerf Balk is the refit of the 50m <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546">Tzarina</a> (photo below). <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546">Tzarina</a> was build in 1997 by the Amels Shipyard and her new owners appointed Balk to install a new interior on the yacht. The refit should be finished before the summer of 2008. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122817/image/large-1df56c6e561b24838f288327a2ced450.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122817"> The latest project for Scheepswerf Balk is the 38m sailing yacht Marflow. Marflow was rebuilt in 2005/2006 and currently under repairs at Balk.

Balk set to become key player in superyacht repair and refit business

<a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1431">Cornelia</a>, <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/546">Tzarina</a>, <a href="#managed-by-application" data-legacy="true" data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/138">Putty VI</a>, Nickeline, Judith, Harmonie. Magnificent yachts adorn the standing of an even more magnificent shipyard in the harbour of Urk. On Friday the 8th of June, Balk Shipyard opened the door to a future that will put the company on the global map, if it is not already on there as one of the refit specialists. <div align="center">
<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122716/image/large-c3104d9e2ea8bfd0b77d635972670f41.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122716">
The names of the vessels also represent the diversity of the shipyard. From cutter and tugboat to super yacht: Balk shipyard in Urk can handle them all. Three years ago, the Urk fishing yard was taken over by Balk. Elburg no longer was able to offer the space required, and Urk provided a solution. Initially, Balk was to carry out its refitting activities in both Elburg and Urk. Elburg would be home to the maintenance and refitting of smaller pleasure yachts, while Urk would take care of the larger luxurious yachts that come to the yard from all over the world. Soon it emerged this was not the best solution. The construction plans for a new hall in Urk were still being drawn up when it was decided to move the Elburg activities to Urk as well. No need for Elburg to lament this for that matter, because the Balk family is doing everything it can to preserve the historic yard for the former fishing community. The objective is to revive history in the form of a museum yard. 
<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122717/image/large-3a9b3f883f2a4615313d0e614d92f719.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122717"> 
</div>In his introduction, director Daan Balk clearly expressed his pride of the performance. ‘The customers showed their trust, despite the fact that we forgot about an appointment or telephone call here and there in all the commotion. But most of all I would like to thank my staff for the trust they have in us, and the fact I can still count on them, every day of the week. Everyone worked extremely hard and if it weren’t for that commitment, this entire yard would not exist. A very beautiful new yard. I think we are now complete and ready for the future. We’re ready to show people that this yard is in the right location with the right team of people.’ <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/122718/image/large-bf3bc8a70f138437b1ec61adcedfe6e8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/122718"> Attention then focused on Jaap Kroon, the mayor of the municipality of Urk. He expressed the importance of a company such as Balk settling on Urk. The mayor said to be proud of the history of this yard, and he is glad that it will be continued. He did not hide his confidence in the fishing industry, but also pointed out the expansion of the economy of Urk. An economy that could see Balk in a leading role. In the old days, shipbuilding on Urk only involved cutters, but it is so much more than that now. Balk will bring the most beautiful yachts from all over the world to Urk. It also shows that Urk has potential. “I therefore sincerely welcome Balk to Urk and congratulate you on behalf of the entire community of Urk. We’re proud of this performance. Family traditions are continued, respecting the town’s history’, said mayor Kroon, who then wished the family success with its business operations, and, with the help of the youngest Balk offspring, opened the door of the new hall, the door to the future. Many of those present later toasted to a flourishing future for the family business, of which Daan Balk represents the sixth generation.