Client: Westport Shipyard

Location
Westport, Hoquiam and Port Angeles, Washington

Overview
Westport Shipyard was founded in 1964 to build fishing boats. The company shifted its focus to yachts in 1977 and today builds 110-, 130- and 164-foot luxury yachts at its three production facilities in Westport, Hoquiam and Port Angeles, Wash. Term: 2005 – Present

Challenge
Amazing luxury yachts that rival the greatest boats in the world were being produced in relative obscurity.  Westport Shipyard, headquartered in a small sleepy town on the coast of Washington, wanted to introduce a new series of 50-meter (164-foot) yachts to compete in the international marketplace and needed a public relations boost to launch the series.  In addition, while the company was growing at a phenomenal rate, it needed to seek qualified employees to sustain that growth.  How could the shipyard sell its unique production series yachts in the international marketplace while maintaining its reputation for superior craftsmanship and continuing to meet its increased recruitment goals?

Solution
Nyhus is managing a comprehensive communications program for Westport Shipyard that focuses primarily on the product while positively positioning Westport Shipyard as the No. 1 luxury yacht builder in North America and one of the premier yacht builders in the world.  Nyhus developed a media launch plan for the new 50-meter series of yachts that secured extensive local, regional and trade publication press (print, radio and TV) as well as a story in Bloomberg that was picked up by several regional newspapers across the country and internationally, including the Seattle P-I, The Tampa Tribune and The Vancouver Sun.  Nyhus also leveraged excitement around the launch to assist in shipyard recruitment.  To increase recruitment locally, Nyhus produced several community-oriented press releases for local media in each of the shipyard’s facility locations.  Nyhus also worked closely with Westport to help recruit qualified Gulf Coast workers displaced by Hurricane Katrina by garnering regional and national press for the effort.  Nyhus performed extensive community outreach to further the shipyard’s recruitment goals as well as its expansion efforts.  At the same time, Nyhus managed internal and executive communications to employees to sustain company morale and increase employment referrals.

Results
The first three yachts in the 50-meter series (two of which are still in production) have all been sold, and the international yachting trade press is abuzz about Westport’s new yacht and how it represents a significant step in the evolution of composite construction.  With the regional, national and international press that Nyhus secured, Westport is now on the map and is known as the No. 1 luxury yacht builder in North America.  In addition, Westport Shipyard has met all of its recruitment goals to date.

© 2008 Nyhus Communications LLC. All rights reserved.