The new growth price in the background speaks volumes, and there is no doubt about how things are going at the company Modern American Recycling Services, Europe A/S or M.A.R.S. – which scraps oil tankers and drilling platforms for recycling.
- Things are going well, but it is not without challenges. Zafiro Producer has created a lot of extra costs, says CEO Kim Thygesen about an old oil tanker that broke loose during a violent autumn storm and caused serious damage in the Port of Frederikshavn, where the legal aftermath is still ongoing.
However, that kind of thing will not happen again.
- We have invested in new storm bollards, he explains about new mooring options at the quay.
Safety
The company has also had a stormy start with articles in the media about safety problems behind it. The high standard of safety is otherwise one of the things that attracts customers, who are usually oil companies. But according to the director, it was the company's start-up in 2019 that created problems that have now been resolved.
- Safety always needs to be worked on, and we educate and train all the time. We will also make mistakes in the future, says Kim Thygesen, explaining the safety problems in the beginning with the organization's rapid development:
- We started with six employees and had 100 employees three months later, when we started with Tyra.
M.A.R.S. has dismantled and recycled the first Tyra field after the company's start-up in 2019.
A leader in the world market
Today, there are around 160 employees and between 50 and 70 employees hired via subcontractors. One of the reasons why things are going well is that the oil companies want to be sure that the dismantling is carried out in a proper way, both environmentally and safety-wise.
- The future looks super good on the world market, because we came into being at a good time in 2019. There was a demand starting to come from the entire industry, says Kim Thygesen and elaborates:
- We are a recognized brand, and we receive countless inquiries from all over the world - truly world wide like Africa, Brazil and Australia in addition to Japan.
Expansion in Brazil
Although Kim Thygesen would prefer to expand in Frederikshavn, it is not possible. That is why he is working on an expansion in Brazil, more specifically in a city north of Rio. The details are ready for the upcoming site.
- There will be twice as many berths as here and 100,000 sq m more than here, so we will have 400,000 sq m. We expect to be able to open in 2028 with a long-term contract like here. It will have the same safety standards and ISO certifications as here; otherwise we cannot attract customers from the oil industry, says Kim Thygesen.
Although it remains unsaid, it is clear that the Danish CEO enjoys great trust from M.A.R.S.'s American owner.
- I am responsible for everything outside the USA, says Kim Thygesen, who is therefore in Brazil once a month:
- I am in Brazil for one working week every month. I fly over on Monday evening from Heathrow, then I work three days, 12 hours a day. Then I fly home so I can have the weekend on Friday.
The CEO lives privately on Funen, but is either in Frederikshavn or Brazil. The weekends are therefore dedicated to the family and grandchildren – where the phone is turned off, he assures.
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