Why Magicman is a reliable renovation partner

Tell us about the services Magicman can provide during refurbishment projects onboard passenger ships.
Originally Magicman was established to provide on-site damage repair and rejuvenation services for virtually any hard surface. Over time, we’ve expanded our portfolio of services to include fitting and restoring carpets and flooring, upgrading upholstery, decorating, glass restoration and protection, electrical services, and minor fit out work. We’re always looking to develop new services that add value for our clients.

What factors must you consider when preparing for and carrying out a refurbishment project?
Prior to boarding the vessels, we must organise ship equipment, supplies and people to the vessel or shipyard. Once onboard, health and safety is our biggest priority, which is why it’s a major part of our training programme and why we now only use technicians that are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

We must also implement strict measures to ensure we work in a professional way that does not disrupt passengers and protects the client’s reputation. In addition, we carefully plan our workload to ensure that we’re able to complete everything ahead of the deadline and use any remaining time onboard the vessel to carry out additional tasks requested by crew members. This enables us to exceed client expectations.

Why is Magicman the ideal partner for a refit?
Over the past 28 years, Magicman has developed a reputation as the highly skilled and reliable contractor that introduced the concept of hard surface repair and restoration in both the land-based and marine industries. Now, Magicman is a byword for quality service delivery.

One of the major benefits of working with us is that we can provide a range of services and we proactively manage our teams while onboard the vessels, eliminating the need for clients to hire and oversee a plethora of different contractors. We can conduct vessel surveys, photographing damaged items and compiling detailed digital reports outlining everything that needs repairing or restoring so our clients can better plan their maintenance and refurbishment schedules. We can also act as a resource to help clients and other contractors rectify damage that inevitably occurs during refits. Plus, we can complete most work while the vessels are in service, rather than needing to wait for dry docks.

Magicman also has full health and safety accreditation, and all our employees are trained and certified at our in-house academy. Our consistent +90 Net Promoter Score is testament to our ability to deliver high-quality projects on time and within budget.

Can you share any examples of projects that you’ve completed recently?
Since March 2021, Magicman has completed 12 jobs for six major operators and one shipyard in the USA, Europe and the Middle East encompassing carpet fitting, decorating, restoration and repair work. We’re proud to have delivered each one on time and within budget, without any Covid-related issues.

How will refurbishments evolve as more passenger ships re-enter service?
2022 will be our busiest year ever. Our regular clients have given us a programme of works for the coming months, and we expect this to grow as more certainty returns to the industry and the air bridge reopens between the UK and the USA. A lot of postponed projects will likely restart. There is also the added incentive for owners to keep onboard standards high because of the proliferation of new ships and operators entering the market, thus offering guests a wider choice of vessels and itineraries.

What has Magicman done to ensure it is prepared for this predicted demand?
We’ve been running courses at our bespoke training academy since January to help us improve our repair and restoration techniques and expand our worldwide service offer. We’ve trained 30 new staff members since January, and we plan to train another 25 by the end of 2021.

To further reduce our environmental footprint and minimise shipping, we’re trying to base equipment in different parts of the world and train up locals to provide basic repair and restoration services. We’ve already done this in Manila, Philippines and we’re aiming to do the same in the Middle East. Of course, we’ll also continue to explore how we can use new products, services and partnerships to better serve our clients.

This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed. 

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