Lilley & Gillie supplies wind speed and direction equipment for installation on Chinese newbuildings

Lilley & Gillie, one of the UK's leading chart suppliers and a leading UK manufacturer of nautical instruments, has won a large order from the Chinese marine electronics distributor Via Marine Co Ltd for approximately 90 sets of its Walker Marine Instruments wind speed and direction indicator equipment. The order, worth in excess of £100,000, will see Lilley & Gillie equipment being installed in vessels being constructed in various Chinese shipyards.

The initial order was signed at the Marintec China 2007 industry exhibition held in Shanghai's New International Expo Centre at the end of November 2007.

Lilley & Gillie's Managing Director, Glenn Heathcote, stated:

"Our successful relationship with Via Marine is a significant step forward in the development of the Walker name and product range in the Chinese market.

"We now have distributor and after sales service available across the Pacific Rim, including Japan, Australia, China and Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong."

Via Marine's Managing Director, Huang Xuping, added:

"We are pleased to be able to offer this excellent range of equipment from one of the UK's longest established manufacturers of marine instruments. We really appreciate the quality and, of course, the price. The market in China is highly competitive and there are many other systems available; there is only so much extra that a shipowner will pay for a better product."

The Lillie & Gillie product specified by Via Marine is the Walker 2080 Wind Speed and Direction System, which uses a solid state ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor to give highly accurate wind information in a robust, compact package. It has the added advantage of no moving parts to wear out and replace.

The 2080 connects directly to a standard Walker DIN 144 wind speed and direction indicator, with a digital display of relative wind speed and direction. Wind direction is also shown on a simulated analogue display. True wind measurement is provided by using this sensor with the Walker P1066 True Wind Interface Unit.

Lilley & Gillie will continue its marketing campaign targeted at Asian shipbuilders with attendance at two further industry exhibitions during 2008. Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2008 takes place in Singapore in March and Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2008 in Kuala Lumpur in April where the newly developed speed log range will be on show for the first time.

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Note to editors:

A photograph to accompany this release is available on the Dunelm Public Relations website at http://www.dunelmpr.co.uk/Charente-Photogallery.htm. The caption for the photograph reads:

"Glenn Heathcote of Lilley & Gillie (right) and Huang Xuping of Via Marine (left) shake hands on a £100,000 deal that will see Walker Marine Instruments' 2080 Wind Speed and Direction Systems installed on around 90 Chinese-built ships."

Background information

Founded in 1812, John Lilley & Gillie Limited is based on the River Tyne in the North East of England. Since 1999 the company has been a member of the Charente Group.

As an International Admiralty Chart Agent (IACA), Lilley & Gillie offers an outfit management service covering all British Admiralty and US charts, all nautical publications and ISM auditing documentation. It also provides a supply and updating service for Admiralty Raster Chart Services (ARCS) and Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC), ensuring that vessels always have on board the most up-to-date charts, publications and data for the areas in which they operate.

Lilley & Gillie is one of the few remaining magnetic compass manufacturers in Europe and provides a full repair and on-board adjusting service. Its considerable product range also includes nautical instruments and equipment including Walker Marine range of wind equipment, speed logs and autopilot systems and the Chernikeeff range of naval speed log equipment.

The company also distributes and where applicable provides service for a full range of marine products such as gyros, searchlights, navigation and signalling lights, navigation light switch panels, ships' bells, foghorns, fog gongs, day shapes, hydrometers, hygrometers, chart room instruments and lead lines.

Lilley & Gillie's sales, marketing and all administrative functions are managed from the North Shields head office near Newcastle-upon-Tyne.