ALMACO Group: Leading Global Provider of Accommodation & Food Handling Solutions
Cabin fever
Founded in Kaarina, Finland in 1998, ALMACO Group as it exists today is a global company providing accommodation and food handling solutions that enhance the business of its customers.
Possessing a vision to be the most valued business partner of its customers, whether they are ship owners, shipyards or offshore businesses, ALMACO Group conducts all its operations with a clear focus on providing innovative solutions and sustainable profitability. With a staff of approximately 80 people and more than 100 partner suppliers, ALMACO Group has offices in China, Finland, France, Italy, Singapore and the US and plans to make in-roads into the Brazil area in the near future.
“The company’s work in the offshore market involves the building of fully equipped steel accommodation blocks,” states Kimmo Förbom, purchasing manager of accommodation systems for ALMACO Group. “The service the company provides is a ‘complete package solution’, and this means providing everything from steel structuring to soft furnishing materials for the inside of the block. This is a system that provides the customer with an easy way of getting the optimal results they want and, at the end of the process, a finished product that is ready for use upon completion.”
As part of the company’s work on accommodation systems, ALMACO Group offers modular cabins and wet units that can be delivered pre-assembled or as kits. Having modernised approximately 10,000 cabins over its 13-year history, ALMACO Group has acquired an extensive knowledge in this field and uses it to deliver its customers everything from design work to engineering and installation. All components used are engineered in-house and sourced globally while installation teams carry out the work under the guidance of dedicated project managers. ALMACO Group is also able to deliver public space areas for new building and modernisation projects. These onboard areas include lounges, restaurants, shops, spas or gyms and multi-purpose rooms.
In October 2009, ALMACO Group announced the awarding of its first offshore contract. This agreement with Floatel International brought the company’s 11 years of expertise in marine accommodations to Floatel International’s offshore living quarters on the Floatel Superior. Constructed in 2010 at Keppel FELS, Singapore, the facility features 440 single bed, NORSOK-compliant cabins and 1500 square metres of public floor space such as corridors, lounges and offices.
The most recent development in this field for ALMACO Group is the securing of a multi-million euro order from Prosafe International, an achievement that further strengthens the company’s presence in the offshore market. By the end of 2011, the company will deliver four complete living quarter blocks to Prosafe, specifically designed and built to meet UK HSE standards and those required for worldwide operations. The massive scope of this turnkey operation includes the use of 386 tonnes of steel and the building of 209 cabins and numerous cafeterias, offices, local equipment rooms and corridors. The project also includes undertaking background work, including the installation of insulation, HVAC systems, and piping, electrical and related ship wide systems.
The completed living quarters will be built by ALMACO Group, allowing the company to utilise its global supplier network. All design co-ordination will be handled in-house and the high level of prefabrication will allow ALMACO Group to deliver the complete living quarters to the owner in just nine months. This order reinforces the company’s position in the offshore market as a high quality builder, able to fulfil even the most demanding of customer requirements: “ALMACO Group always delivers on its promises and guarantees quality work every time,” enthuses Kimmo. “Every stage of the project is marked with the same level of service throughout, and it is this care and attention to detail that customers are most thankful for and a major reason why they choose to work with ALMACO Group.”
As the industry continues to grow out of the recession of 2009, so has ALMACO Group: “2010 was a difficult year for the company, however as of mid-2011 business is much better. With a stream of new enquiries coming in fairly consistently, ALMACO Group is very busy working on numerous contracts.” Kimmo continues. “Looking ahead the company wants to continue to draw attention to the quality complete package solution it offers as it aims to gain a bigger percentage of the offshore accommodation market.”
ALMACO Group Oy
Services: Accommodation systems