Silver Ships

Silver Ships Facilities Silver Ships is located on 16 acres in Theodore, Alabama just South of Mobile on Bellingrath Road. After moving into a 15,000 square foot building in 1996, they soon after expanded a second time. Since then, they have added over 12,000 square feet of additional production space and they have built additional office spaces. All aspects of the vessel construction, from the custom design to the final assembly, are conducted in an enclosed production facilities and the location gives the company convenient access to Mobile Bay, where it conducts extensive sea trials. Silver Ships uses state of the art welding equipment and laser cut parts in the construction of our aluminum boats. History Silver Ships, Inc. was founded by Mike McCarty after a successful career in the commercial fishing industry in 1985; it was originally intended to be a small scale operation but eventually grew. In 1988, Silver Ships began using computer automated design (CAD), which expanded its capabilities as a boat design company. In 1990, Silver Ships built its first aluminum rigid hulled inflatable boat. In 1996, Silver Ships moved its operations to Theodore, Alabama, where it is currently located. In 1997, Silver Ships began contracting for AMBAR Marine, which is currently associated with. In 2000, Silverships purchased Ambar Marine, but due to the factor of name recognition of AMBAR Marine, it chose to keep its name. In 2002, Silver Ships added 12,000 sq ft. of space in order to be able to increase production within the company. Generic Strategy Silver Ships ‚a„? generic strategy involves a narrow, differentiated scope. The company does not try to enter into other markets and focuses on providing aluminum boats for governmental agencies. The way Silver Ships differentiates itself is by providing customizable boats for its customers. SWOT Analysis Strengths Some of Silver Ships ‚a„? strengths include its relationship with customers, maintaining an efficient workspace and an employee-friendly atmosphere. SilverShips employs many ex-military members. This is a definite strength providing a direct channel to military customers. This is helpful in bids on jobs provided by Silver Ships. Secondly, SilverShips work area is efficiently layed out. Currently there are three buildings that provide a flow of work that is not only cost-effective, but also very efficient. This allows for employees to specialize in certain aspects of the boat building process. In addition to the relationships with customers and the efficient workspace provided, Silver Ships also has strong management expertise. All managers and department employees have the experience and skill that is hard to duplicate. Coupled with the employee-friendly environment, that allows employees flexible schedules, allows for an efficient, friendly workplace. Weaknesses In addition to strengths, Silver Ships also has weaknesses. Some of these include location, transportation and size of facilities. Silver Ships is located in south Mobile County in Theodore, AL. The location is very inconvenient for the transportation of boats. The highway it is located on is very narrow and provides difficulty for moving boats to and from customers. Opportunities Silver Ships is located in a growing area. The southern Mobile County area is growing rapidly, and it is expected to move more towards the Theodore area in which SilverShips is located. This can possibly increase the amount of business that is received by Silver Ships and allow for future growth. Threats With Mobile ‚a„? recent acquisitions of companies such as EADS and ThyssenKrupp, Silver Ships may face increased turnover from employees that are relocating to larger companies such as EADS and ThyssenKrupp. Labor Market In the coming years, the labor market in Mobile, AL will become increasingly more competitive. As of now, there are two new, large companies that will be entering the Mobile area and bring with them an esti mated total of 29,000+ construction jobs, 4,200 direct jobs, and 15,000+ spin off jobs. This huge influx in the demand for labor will put a strain on existing companies to retain and attract employees. Alabama Industrial Development and Training (AIDT) should help to provide the Mobile area with a skilled labor force to meet this demand. AIDT was ranked the #1 state sponsored training program by Expansion Management in 2006. They provide training, at no cost, for employers and trainees, and they are fully customizable. AIDT was the first training program in the United States to be ISO 9001:2000 certified for their Quality Management System. They also provide consultation and training for companies that wish to become ISO 9000 certified.