An inside look at marine HVAC with Heinen and Hopman

On today’s superyachts, few services are more important to the comfort and wellbeing of guests and crew than HVAC and refrigeration. Yachting Pages recently interviewed Eric van Dijk of Heinen & Hopman, one of the leaders in the marine HVAC field. Eric revealed that they have installed their products on over 10,000 vessels worldwide, while explaining how the company developed and what makes a good marine HVAC company.

When was your business founded?

The business was founded in 1965 in The Netherlands as a family business by Melis Heinen and Cees Hopman. Known for their business integrity, these two men combined a customer-oriented approach with products that quickly became renowned for their reliability and quality. Over the years, their rich experience and entrepreneurial spirit, combined with the dedication and skill of their employees have transformed Heinen & Hopman from a local Dutch supplier into a world leader in the complex HVAC sector. The company now has offices and workshops in 15 countries.

How did the business develop?

For its first eight years, Heinen & Hopman specialised in the design, engineering and installation of air conditioning, cooling, ventilation and central heating systems in buildings. As the company grew and gained recognition for its onshore activities, in 1972 the company started receiving enquiries from the commercial shipping industry too. Having the know-how and adaptability required for these projects, Heinen & Hopman took on more and more work within this sector.

How did the company start to work with yachts?

As orders from the shipping industry increased and Heinen & Hopman began to approach different segments within this market, the company quickly gained an excellent reputation in the sector. Other industries also started calling on the company, including offshore, yachting and the navy. In no time, leading yards at home and abroad were partnering with Heinen & Hopman, and what started as a few simple enquiries for air conditioning installations on board commercial ships soon became requests for advanced systems for state-of-the-art navy vessels, superyachts and offshore platforms. Soon after the company started designing and manufacturing its own products for marine applications (with FAT) Heinen & Hopman as we know it today, was born.

What makes Heinen & Hopman a good HVAC company?

Whatever the environment in which the vessels we supply will be sailing, our knowledge and expertise ensures the most suitable indoor climate. We deliver customised and standard solutions to suit any situation. In close cooperation with our customers, we develop innovative solutions for the design, engineering and installation of tailor-made maritime climate systems. Heinen & Hopman ensures the perfect indoor climate on all types of vessels. With our comprehensive knowledge of the maritime sector, we can guarantee you the best possible solutions that incorporate the very latest technologies, including in the field of energy saving and sustainability.

What makes you different from your competitors?

In the current economic climate, financial strength and stability are very important for all stakeholders considering doing business with each other. The fact that Heinen & Hopman has been nominated in both 2012 and 2013 for the D&B Rating 1 indicates our high degree of creditworthiness.  Moreover, Heinen & Hopman has been a family owned and continuously growing business since 1965. With technical knowledge, local know-how and an ability to adapt, we have consistently proven ourselves to be a strong and reliable partner.

What’s new with your business?

Since 1^st January 2014, we had a company brand update, and created a new company “profile” with a new logo, design, etc... Check it out at www.heinenhopman.com.

Are you attending any upcoming boat shows?

Yes definitely, we will be attending ONS Stavanger, SMM, the Monaco Yacht Show, Rio Oil & Gas but to name a few.

For more information, visit Heinen & Hopman.