ESG INITIATIVES
Leveraging Innovation, Technology and Efficiency
With over 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space at our Nashville, Georgia campus, we are one of the largest single-site recreational boat builders in the world. One of the keys to our success is consistently investing in technology to drive innovation, generate efficiencies and improve safety. Over the years, we have invested in several initiatives to drive us forward on these fronts.
Virtual Reality Design Studio
New products are the lifeblood of our company and our ability to deliver innovative boat designs and features to our customers has been a hallmark for both Chaparral and Robalo over the years. Our computer-aided modeling capabilities leverage virtual reality technology to allow our designers to build boats within the software and perform 3D active “walk-throughs” using VR headsets. This enables us to experience the boat virtually, enhance layouts and features, identify potential improvements, and avoid the time and expense of prototyping physical boats. This investment delivered a step-change improvement in our design and engineering capabilities. We currently have 6 high-end graphics workstations for processing and modeling complex boat assemblies.
3D Printing Machines
Our investment in 3D printing capabilities has been crucial to our design and innovation success, enabling us to produce custom machined parts on site quickly. Having this asset in-house accelerates our development processes, as we do not rely on third parties for unique parts production. We are able to move from conceptualized parts and molds to tangible prototypes in real-time on the shop floor. These extrusion printers have been used in developing key innovative features and designs used in many of our boats today.
Manufacturing Robotics
We are increasingly using robotics to perform certain tasks, such as parts handling and cutting, to leverage the skill of our craftsmen and reduce unnecessary physical demands. This creates a safer production environment and allows our workers to focus on areas that drive maximum quality and consistency. While boat manufacturing is a truly hands-on process requiring the skilled craftsmanship of all of our production employees, we are always seeking to maximize efficiency and will continue to invest selectively in automation to improve quality and reduce costs.
Solar Panel Installation
We have a significant solar panel installation slated for 2024. Beyond the environmental benefits of using alternative energy sources, we expect this project to drive cash savings. This equipment will have the capability to supply a sizable portion of our energy needs at our Nashville, Georgia manufacturing site.