Message from the President

Hellenic Shipyards S.A. is the most important Greek shipyard, the largest shipyard in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and a key player in the international defence industry. Our company is a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and since its privatization in 2002, the shipyard has undergone an extensive restructuring and now has the ability to fully exploit the positive results and comparative advantages gained during this process.

Regaining competitiveness means investing heavily in state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure, and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has systematically assisted and supported with all means this great endeavour. Emphasis has also been placed on product and service development. This translates into ongoing restructuring, modernization, cost efficiency and most important of all, investment in people. We strongly believe that our personnel is the cornerstone of our company and therefore we invest in training programs and constant improvement of industrial know-how.

Our mission is to become a leader in technology and service provision. We are committed to profitability, excellent customer services, technological supremacy and social responsibility guided by the fundamental principals of management that we embrace. We provide incentives and we constantly develop the skills of our workforce.

Despite the fact that this is an ambiguous period for shipbuilding on an international level, we continue to promote the best interests of this shipyard and its employees. Since its privatization, Hellenic Shipyards S.A. has managed an impressive turnaround and we continue working in this direction.

Our strategy is based on three main axes: First, emphasis is given on the growth and modernization of the company's activities. Secondly, on the quality upgrading of the already highly competent and experienced workforce, through a series of training programs that have been running for the past seven years. Third, on the renovation and expansion of the company's significant infrastructure, which includes the largest graving dock in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and one of the most technologically advanced facilities for conventional submarine building in Europe.

In 2008, Hellenic Shipyards S.A. celebrated its 50th anniversary of operations. We invite the local and international navies to show trust in this shipyard with a long tradition and to take advantage of its impressive facilities, excellent services, outstanding industrial know-how and highly experienced personnel.
 

Akio Ito
President & CEO of Hellenic Shipyards S.A.