Powered by BERG - Looking back
A year ago we were looking towards 2011-2012 with great anticipation, expectation and yes, even some anxiety. We had a slight idea of what this journey would entail but none of us could have anticipated the energy and sheer enormity of this project. The media reach, the commercial value, the behind-the-scenes activities and the split-second changes and decision-making that envelops each stopover is mind-boggling, and at the same time is a huge motivator to strive for success. New teams were formed and established teams were strengthened with the same force driving us to this moment – all of our efforts fueled by the need to perform at our best, and all of that performance being powered by BERG.
Some may be surprised that a company almost 100 years old based out of the west coast of Sweden would be so intricately involved in this Race Around the World. For us the reaction is opposite: the parallels between the Volvo Ocean Race, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG and BERG Propulsion seem natural to us. For nearly 100 years BERG Propulsion has battled the elements, earned its sea legs and weathered the storms in the market with our products, our services and our people. From a small Swedish shipyard in 1912 to the full-scale global operations we are today, BERG Propulsion has managed to retain that Viking heritage of hard work, craftsmanship and exploration, and share it across continents and cultures to our offices around the world.
Powered by BERG – Gearing up
There is much to be said about planning and preparation. Without the backbone of carefully mapping out a strategy for our VIPs, our Corporate Teams and our Brand Visibility it would be impossible to maximize the full potential of BERG Propulsion’s participation in the Volvo Ocean Race, especially as proud sponsors of the PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG team. We have poured over every detail: the hotels, the restaurants, the clothing, the seminars, the daily itineraries, the opportunities for our customers to not only to follow alongside Mar Mostro on our RIB, but to also sail with the team on the actual boat in actual In Port and Pro Am races. Both of our companies, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG and BERG Propulsion, have managed to seamlessly merge into one true partnership for the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race. It’s this dedication, this goodwill and this genuine teamwork and desire to excel that unifies us and makes our partnership natural.
Powered by BERG - The Jump Off
We are ready. We have been ready. And now we are being put to the test. The word “extreme” gets tossed around a lot when talking about the Volvo Ocean Race – yet it’s hard to come up with a replacement for it that captures the essence of this race, which is the essence of why BERG Propulsion is sponsoring the PUMA Ocean Racing team. What drives us to work day in and day out, across continents and time zones, in different languages and through different media, every single day, for this one spectacular effort? It’s the need for excellence. It’s the call to aspire for something bigger, greater, better. It’s the drive to Expect More from our company, our sponsored team, our suppliers and our customers.
The question undoubtedly arises as to how BERG Propulsion is utilizing their sponsorship of the team during the Volvo Ocean Race as more than a brand visibility platform. While the value in brand visibility is certainly high for us during this event, the real heart of the matter is the opportunities to launch an open and honest discussion with our customers about what they need and what they expect from us; what works and what needs improvement; and what can they expect from BERG in the future. We could have done the same at a trade show, or over the phone, or even in a letter. But it would not have the same effect. The value of honest and clear communications face-to-face is immeasurable when it comes to any business and more so in our business and our industry, where so much weighs upon trust, reliability and performance in extreme conditions.
This isn’t your typical corporate event, and we are not your typical corporation. BERG Propulsion customers work in a high-stakes, no-holds-barred environment where precision, quality, expertise and support is crucial – economically and sometimes, a matter of life and death. Life out in the open seas on a Volvo Open 70 is exactly the same: at any given time something can come barreling at you, unexpectedly. But expert preparation, timely response, high quality hardware and unwavering support from your onboard and shore teams can make that split second of danger remain a split second, rather than last hours, weeks or months.
Powered by BERG – In the Thick of It
The old adage of “walk a mile in another man’s shoes” clearly applies to BERG Propulsion’s participation in the Volvo Ocean Race. From the start our sponsorship has been a full-fledged hands-on, complete immersion. BERG Propulsion CEO Håkan Svensson took it to the next level by actually joining the PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG crew aboard Mar Mostro in the Transatlantic Race in July 2011. No special treatment, no special quarters, 100% team member. From Newport, Rhode Island, USA to The Lizard on the south coast of England Mr. Svensson pulled, hauled, ducked, dodged and sailed with the team as all the other sailors onboard Mar Mostro did: giving no less than 100% heart, mind and body. Led by PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG Skipper Ken Read, the team finished #1 in the IRC Class One and IRC Overall for the Transatlantic Race 2011. According to Ken Read the transatlantic gave the team the chance to get to know each other and the boat better than ever, something that has clearly paid off now that the race has officially begun Leg 1 and the team has left Alicante, heading towards Cape Town.
Having this first-hand experience sailing with the crew has given BERG Propulsion a unique perspective on the race. When the sail team is exhausted from physical effort and when the shore team is beat from the daily operations grind we get it – because we have experienced it. The same principles apply to our relationships with our customers and our market. We get it. We have been there. And we will continue to work hard to make help our customers operate faster, harder, smarter and better.
Powered by BERG - Drive
Fuel. Energy. Determination. Motivation. Desire. What makes you go the extra mile? For us at BERG Propulsion it’s the undisputable understanding of what our clients need from us, of what the market demands from our clients and of what technological advances are in the foreseeable future for the marine propulsion industry. It’s a wild, wild sea: but we have come to expect it, and more. We know we’re up to the challenge in more ways than one. We are up for the physical challenge that comes with setting up a premier platform for our company and our customers across 9 countries, spanning into July 2012, non-stop action and non-stop motivation. We are up for the mental challenge that accompanies making long-term strategic plans and being flexible to handle on-the-spot, split-second issues that arise, anytime and anywhere. And we are up for our own challenge of hearing the hard truths of the things we need to work on; of speaking openly and honestly with our suppliers and our customers on how we can all work better to reach our respective goals; and of learning to Expect More from ourselves, our customers and our market.
We’re not just taking part in the momentum. We are creating the momentum, and we are powered by BERG.
