In the five years of its operation in the pipe and steel structure manufacturing and installation business, AVS PipeFit, UAB has established itself in the European market and has become a significant player in the international arena, carrying out hundreds of projects every year on European cruise and military ships, LNG tankers, ferries and factories. After securing a turnover of EUR 27 million last year, the company plans to surpass EUR 30 million this year and to continue to steadily increase the volume of work.
The company’s Technology Director, Šarūnas Lekstutis, says that the turnover and the number of projects are driven by hard work: the company’s list of orders stretches from Scandinavia to Southern Europe, with a number of large orders secured and implemented in recent years. With 250 projects completed in 2023, AVS PipeFit, which provides services to shipbuilding, ship repair and other industries, has already completed more than 200 projects this year before August.
“This year we have completed another important project for the modernisation of the Ro-Ro ferry by installing an exhaust gas system, which has improved the environmental performance of the vessel. With the installation of such a system, the ship no longer emits harmful substances into the environment, but neutralises them all internally,” explains Mr Lekstutis. – “We are also actively modernising and repairing LNG storage vessels”.
He says that another important area of activity is working in European shipyards: the company contributes to the construction of cruise ships, including the largest in the world, by manufacturing and assembling their blocks, piping and other parts.
GD projects across Europe
According to the Managing Director of AVS PipeFit, Arnas Kaulius, many of the changes in the shipping industry have been brought by the changing geopolitical situation.
“After Russia declared war on Ukraine, all European countries sought to separate themselves from Russia, to become self-sufficient in gas by using LNG carriers. AVS PipeFit has contributed to the repair of many European LNG carriers. We have also recently repaired the Lithuanian LNG terminal Independence,” he highlights the most important orders.
According to Kaulius, geopolitical changes have led to the recent increase in the European Navy. In response to the situation, AVS PipeFit has been issued with a NATO-approved document confirming that the company meets the security requirements and is able to work with vessels in such a sensitive sector.
Investing in development
Director of AVS PipeFit, Vilius Bazaras, says that the company, which was founded in Klaipėda and has its main office here, is not going to rest on its laurels and is planning further expansion: the company, which is currently located in an office of almost 500 sqm, is already designing a new, larger building on its own land plot.
“Our first office – with three founders of the company – was a café in the port city, then we rented a 30 sqm space, and now we can no longer fit in a 500 sqm office. We have therefore acquired a workshop of about 3,000 sqm and a land plot of almost 1 ha in Klaipėda,” says one of the company’s co-founders about the biggest purchase of recent years.
The modernised workshop is now working and a spacious administration building is expected to be constructed in the next four years to house the company’s administration.
“We are installing our equipment in the new workshop and planning further investments: we will purchase more modern machinery that will further increase our competitive advantage, our efficiency and production volumes, which are expected to grow from the current 60 tonnes to 100 tonnes per month. We expect the total investment in equipment to reach EUR 1.6 million,” says Mr Bazaras.
According to the Director, the company, which has successfully established itself on the European market, has ambitious plans for the future. The company has recently acquired a large stake in the ship mechanics company Mes Service LT and expanded its range of services.
Trust earned through a responsible approach
Mr Bazaras says that the main distinctive feature of AVS PipeFit is working on a project from the initial idea to the final point of completion of the task.
“When the three of us decided to set up the company five years ago, we had a lot of experience and knowledge individually, but we were a completely unknown team, so it was not easy to get our first projects. We operate in a specific sector, our clients are large industrial companies, so we had to earn their trust first, which came from our enthusiasm and responsible approach to the service we provide,” he says. – “The same responsible approach has been followed to this day: when we take on a project, we analyse the client’s situation ourselves, propose the best solutions, and then follow through with them – designing, manufacturing and installing the specific products and finally handing over the result.”
According to Mr Bazaras, the clients highly value AVS PipeFit’s competence, its ability to offer a better solution and to provide several alternatives.
“We are able not only to complete the tasks defined by the customer, but also to advise on how to solve problems more efficiently, implement solutions and save costs. Reaction and speed are equally important features of our international team: we react and respond promptly to customer queries, and we emphasise quality and speed in our communication,” says Mr Bazaras.
Mr Kaulius adds that such results could not be achieved without a strong team of qualified professionals. In five years, the number of employees in the AVS Group has grown to more than 400 and continues to increase steadily.
“Finding and retaining the right people with the necessary qualifications is crucial when working on international projects. A weighted remuneration and performance framework allows us to do this. We always keep our commitments and promises to our employees. The consistent growth of the team is also due to the fact that our professionals who have already worked on projects recommend us to potential employees, which is the best employer’s advertisement for us,” believes the Managing Director.
According to Mr Bazaras, it is natural that the company’s team and the range of its activities grow at the same time.
“Having accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as a very good understanding of what the client needs, we are boldly expanding our activities and, at the same time, we are consistently strengthening our team. We are a young and dynamic company, so we are always looking for new talent and invite ambitious and creative professionals to join us,” he says.
