VIKING IN PLACE FOR LIVERPOOL REVIVAL

While the Port of Liverpool may never return to the position it once held as one of the world’s most important ports, recent developments have seen a welcome revival in shipping activity in the area, marked by increased cruise line activity and a flood of investment in new dock and cruise terminal facilities.

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment Ltd., the U.K. subsidiary of the well-known safety equipment manufacturer, has been quick to see the trend. The company has announced the official opening of a Liverpool branch office on 1 December 2009, taking over from its local agent to provide a broader product and servicing portfolio to VIKING customers passing through the port.

"It has always been a VIKING priority to be where our customers are – and preferably to be in place and ready to service them before they get there," says Mark Harriman, managing director of the British subsidiary and himself a native of Liverpool. "So we’ve moved fast to be here with everything they might need. It’s part of being a forward-thinking service provider."

The Liverpool office will offer a wide range of VIKING products and services, including liferafts, davits, protective clothing and safety equipment servicing. With an initial staff of five, the new location is easily able to handle current requirements. New headcounts are also planned for 2010 to meet what Harriman expects will be a steadily growing demand for safety equipment and servicing.

"Liverpool is a city with a proud shipping history, and even today its economy is still centered around shipping and related businesses. We’re very pleased to be here and I know our customers will benefit from the extra attention as well as the ability to deal direct with the manufacturer." says Harriman.

For further information, please contact Lone A. Jessen, laj@viking-life.com