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Manufacturer talks about the Jet Thruster

Read more about the development of the Jet Thruster by Holland Marine Parts

Holland Marine Parts in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, manufactures the Jet Thruster. Owner-manager Henry Kroeze and Marketing Manager Pieter Cats are the familiar faces of the company. The Jet Thruster is a unique system that uses water pressure to easily manoeuvre vessels. It finds its way from Dordrecht to customers all over the world.

The current Jet Thruster has a comparatively short history, contrary to Henry Kroeze’s, who has over forty years’ experience in metalworking and plastic processing. In addition he has vast experience as an entrepreneur in the maritime sector. In this capacity he supplies, among other things, motor /components to shipbuilders at home and abroad. One of Kroeze’s traits is that he never ever stops at half measures. He strives for perfection, and this was evident in the development of the Jet Thruster.

Development and Testing
Henry Kroeze: “I took over the product, the predecessor of the current Jet Thruster, in 2010. The idea and principle behind it appealed to me. I thought I should be able to market the product in short order, but first we set to examining and testing the system thoroughly. I was deeply disappointed with the results. So instead of marketing the product we started to systematically improve it. Our engineering department, assisted by outside help, scrutinised every part of the system. The pump, the impeller, the valves, the pipes, the control system… nothing has in fact remained as it was when I bought the product. All the materials our people had even the slightest doubt about we immediately replaced with high-quality alternatives, and while doing so we improved the entire principle. For instance, we removed the square curves and optimised the flow of the water, which is pumped to the outlet nozzles, by using a Y pipe.” Meanwhile we had invested in a testing facility in the form of a test tank and accompanying hardware and software. Only in this way could hard data be acquired, thus establishing the effectiveness of the system.

Marketing
Marketing Manager Pieter Cats is from the same mould as Henry Kroeze – he too only wants to sell a product when he stands squarely behind it. He participated in the product’s development with a critical eye, thinking from the customer’s perspective. And so the Jet Thruster by Holland Marine Parts was created. It is not the cheapest system, but undoubtedly the most fine-looking and reliable one on the market, delivering on every promise. Pieter Cats: “Just the product itself, good as it may be, wasn’t enough. This is why I set to work creating instruction manuals, which not only list the technical specifications, but which also contain clear graphics relevant to a competent installation of the system. Additionally we register each system, so that we know exactly which system has been supplied by which dealer.”

Promotion
After the introduction in late 2010 Henry Kroeze didn’t stand still. He directed the production of the system parts, and invested in a large stock. “When we say we can supply the system from stock, we need to be able to make good on this promise. And when we say we have a high-quality product, this is what it should be. Every system we ship is first extensively tested in our testing facility. We also invest in the promotion of our product by being present at trade fairs throughout Europe, America and Asia. We have also modernised our website and we are continuing to expand our dealer network.” Pieter Cats: “On our website we spend a lot of attention on documentation, manuals and price lists, created to inform our existing and new customers. Also found on the website is a calculation module that can be used to find out which type of our Jet Thruster system is best suited for which vessel. It is only an indication, but a very good one.”

Testimonials
Now that sales are going well we have been able to collect some testimonials from ship owners using the Jet Thruster. They show that preservation of the vessel, damage prevention, the comfort of easy manoeuvring and the silence of the system vie for first place. The enthusiasm of the dealers and users confirm Henry Kroeze’s intention. Meanwhile we are seeing more and more practical applications: in addition to motor and sailing yachts, whether or not they are classic vessels, new applications are found on catamarans, round-trip boats and whisper boats, among others. The green aspects – emission-free and noiseless – are highly valued as an additional bonus by these customers. Paramount remains product quality in every respect. That’s why Henry Kroeze and Pieter Cats call dealers and ship builders worldwide to contact Holland Marine Parts. With the right attitude and a feel for quality it is possible to together make the Jet Thruster system even more successful than it already is.