Cluster Insight with HUGG!

In this edition of our Cluster Insight series, we talk to Monica Bauck, Leader of Product Development at Hugg, about building mechanical products for some of the harshest environments there are.

The column baton was passed on from Mikael Sidenmark at Ocean Harvesting.

1. What does your company do?

We develop new products and solutions; specifically mechanical products built for harsh environments.

Here in Western Norway most projects are connected to the sea, where pressure, temperature, corrosion and fatigue drive the design. Clients come to us with anything from an idea or a sketch to a near-complete concept.

Depending on the need, we take it all the way to working hardware: concept, 3D design, analysis, material selection, testing and qualification.

We build prototypes and small series ourselves. We can be a one-stop shop to finished product, or take on parts of the development job.

2. Which markets or customers do you work with?

Mostly ocean industries: aquaculture, subsea, maritime and ocean energy.

We also work in aerospace and defence. Our clients range from start-ups with an idea and a tight budget to large-listed companies.

3. What is your key competence or advantage?

Two things.

First, product development is our product. Operators and equipment suppliers have to put most of their energy into running the day-to-day business.

We spend all of ours on taking new products from idea to market, and we have built a process that does exactly that.

Second, cross-over.

We have deep subsea and aquaculture experience, and we also work in maritime, defence, aerospace and consumer hardware.

A solution that works subsea, or a livestock tracker, can solve a problem on a fish farm and vise versa.

4. What are you working on right now?

Right now, we are working on development of closed pen fish farms and related products, and a very interesting project in solid oxide fuel cells.

These projects are in various stages of engineering and manufacturing. We are also moving further into ocean energy, and hopefully we can share news on that in the near future.

5. Personal or business motto

Our business motto is “You’re the captain. We’re your pilot.”

This illustrates our expertise but also the ownership. We will never fight for IP rights; the client is the owner of the product.

Our working motto for developing products is: Test early and test often. If you're not testing, failing and learning, you're not developing.

6. Which cluster member would you like to hear from next?

First, thanks to Ocean Harvesting for passing us the baton. I’d like to hear from Offshore Sensing: how they keep an autonomous vessel at sea for months in some of the roughest waters there are.

Thank you for the insight, Monica.