Fairbanks Morse Defense, a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, has acquired Vestdavit, a supplier of davits and advanced handling systems based in Bergen, Norway. The acquisition strengthens FMD’s position as a global provider of mission-critical maritime equipment and enhances its ability to deliver fully integrated product and service capabilities to naval and commercial operators worldwide.
Fairbanks Morse Defense purchased all equity of Vestdavit from its four owners for an undisclosed amount.
Vestdavit brings more than four decades of expertise and a track record of over 2,200 davit systems delivered to naval and offshore operators. The company pioneered dual-point lifting systems, automated boat-handling technologies, and advanced launch and recovery systems (LARS) for unmanned surface and sub-surface vessels. These innovations are critical for the US Navy’s planned Large Unmanned Surface Vessels (LUSVs) and the Large Unmanned Undersea Vessels (UUVs).
Mutual customers include the US Navy, UK Royal Navy, and the Canadian Coast Guard. Through Vestdavit, Fairbanks Morse Defense will also expand its presence among NATO fleets such as the French Navy, the Italian Navy, the German Navy, the Royal Netherlands and Belgian Navies, the Finnish Navy, and the Norwegian Navy.
Fairbanks Morse Defense will also add Vestdavit’s manufacturing facility in Poland and service centres in the Netherlands and Seattle, Washington, to its operational network. Vestdavit customers will gain access to FMD’s full portfolio of engines, motors, valves, ventilation systems, water purification and treatment systems, and other OEM technologies.