At first glance, the hulls making their way down multiple production lines— seemingly bursting with in-progress wiring, plumbing and construction equipment—can be an overwhelmingly busy sight. Touring the production lines first-hand with a Viking representative provides a deeper appreciation for the massive amount of engineering, planning and coordination their operations require. The attention to detail performed at such jaw-dropping scale is a testament to Viking’s capabilities, as are the final products—each boat and its mechanical and electrical compartments quickly refined into perfect order. “The scale of Viking’s operations is really impressive,” explains Bluewater’s General Manager Wyatt Lane. “The vast majority of every boat is crafted in-house including wiring harnesses, cabinetry, soft goods, manufactured parts, hardware, and more.” Viking’s ability to produce an entire boat and most of its components on site is a testament to the big investments made over the years in equipment, facilities and workforce. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS The Healeys believe in having the proper tools for the job, and that a quality work environment is critically important. For his entire career, Bill Healey could be found on the production lines and in the shops checking on boats and meeting with employees. From early on, he would stand at the door of the facility each evening and say goodnight to each employee by name. “One of the most impressive aspects of Viking is how they take care of their employees.” Bluewater’s Scott James continues, “They have this unique culture within the plant, even with thousands of employees in multiple locations, they are all like a big family.” Taking care of employees is not just figurative, the company literally has an on-site medical department. Viking got their start in 1964 with a storage shed on 17 barren acres of land in the town of New Gretna, New Jersey. With countless upgrades through the years, Viking now boasts 880,000 square feet in New Gretna which has allowed them to produce more than 5,500 boats in their sixty year history! Reinvestment in their facilities, operations and workforce have been a cornerstone of Viking’s success. In addition to over 1,500 team members, Viking employs two five-axis CNC-machines to expertly cut the plugs for nearly every fiberglass component on a boat from the hulls, foredecks and cabin tops to mezzanines, lounges and helm consoles. The original five-axis router is still in service, shaping the course of the sportfish industry for two decades now. Innovation goes far beyond the boats, permeating the very ground they are built on. Since 2009, the New Gretna facility has facility photos by John Angelo 10 BLUEWATER
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