Marine
Redevelopment propels Perkins marine into the future
As Perkins at Wimborne, UK celebrates its 25th anniversary as our global centre for marine engine excellence, major development of the facilities is being completed. This £5 million investment will meet the growing demand from customers worldwide for our tailored propulsion and power generation solutions.
Based on the picturesque Dorset coast near Southampton, a region which has a long and proud marine engineering heritage, Perkins marine’s state-of-the-art research and design (R&D) facilities are expanding and the site’s production capacity is doubling.
Our 100-plus-strong team of designers, engineers, technical experts and service specialists work with customers in more than 90 countries to deliver a range of design-to-order engine solutions – supplied, fitted and maintained to meet the most exacting of operational and regulatory requirements.
Redevlopment propel Perkins marine into the future
The R&D facility’s advanced engine test bays have earned Perkins marine an international reputation for marine engineering and product innovation with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and end users.
Future-proof marine products
The team’s latest product innovations will be the launch of two new engines based on the Perkins 1200 Series core. The E70 is our first electronic auxiliary marine engine from the 1200 Series platform. It’s designed to meet current and future emission standards, effectively future-proofing the marine application it powers.
Perkins marine’s range of propulsion and power generating solutions is based on trusted core engines from our 400, 1100 and 1200 Series – each renowned for their quality, durability and reliability.
Each engine undergoes an exacting process of ‘marinisation’ and customisation at the Wimborne facility to meet safety and emission standards before delivery and fitting. Full aftersales service for parts and expert technical support is provided to customers through Perkins global distributor support network.
Continuous innovation
The latest innovations continue a proud heritage of product development at Perkins marine.
Landmark products over the years have included the M225Ti and M215C propulsion models supplied to many OEM boat builders, due to the M225Ti’s performance, compact size and quality.
In 2010, the M300C range, an 1106 Series, 6.6 litre electronic propulsion engine was launched to meet new emission standards. This was the first of a new breed of Perkins electronic marine propulsion engines.
World-record breaking engines
In fact, the Wimborne facility can trace its marine engine innovations back almost 50 years. While the team celebrates 25 highly successful years as part of Perkins, the business has been recognised worldwide as a centre of excellence for high-performance marine engines since 1968.
Founded as Sabre Engines, it rapidly found fame in the sport of offshore powerboat racing. After competing in the 1969 Round Britain race, Sabre engines powered the winning speedboat in the first-ever London to Monaco race in 1972 – a gruelling feat of endurance over 10 days.
Then in 1982, the company’s technical director, Chris Kaye, broke the diesel world speed record in his speedboat, Miss Britain IV. Powered by a ground-breaking, handmade, sequential-turbocharged Sabre engine, Chris achieved 124.24mph on Coniston Water in the English Lake District.
Production is now tripled
More than 30 years on, the success story continues and production capacity at Wimborne has trebled since joining Perkins.
Today, Perkins marine products provide propulsion for small pleasure craft, high-speed powerboats and commercial craft, including fishing vessels, dredgers, pilot boats and tugs. With engines producing 64-225 kW (86-300 hp), there’s a Perkins propulsion engine for most marine needs.
Perkins engines also provide ship power, (12.3-218 kW/13.8-275 kVa), including auxiliary generator packages, electricity for lighting, pumps and fishing equipment.
