Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our team to yours
Alex Morcos
On behalf of the Morcos family and our entire team of dedicated staff I would like to wish our valued customers and trusted partners a very Merry Christmas.
Spending time with our partners and customers is my favourite part of my role, and in 2023 I have had much more opportunity to travel and reconnect. I was joined by my daughter Annalisa at several industry events and it has been lovely to see her step into a more active role in this family business that has been operating for well over 100 years.
Throughout 2023 we have solidified the strategic direction of the business, with real clarity about who we are, where we are going and how we can impact the markets we operate in. The leadership team is working very cohesively and we have the right mix of smart, skilled people to deliver some very exciting changes in the year ahead.
In particular, we have made big investments in expanding our footprint in locations that will best serve our customers’ needs. We are about to launch manufacturing in Italy for our UES Marine brand, we are relocating our US and New Zealand facilities to enable higher inventory levels and better customer access, and we have recently taken our first marine order from our new showroom in Greece.
This year also saw the official launch of our Overland brand and the appointment of regional business managers to create a streamlined and consistent experience for our customers.
It’s been a big year!
At the heart of it all, though, we are a family focused on building a legacy where the UES name is synonymous with quality and partnership. Everything we do, from the tech updates we are introducing in our warehouses to the people we bring on board, is about improving how we deliver for our customers.
I honestly believe the best is still ahead of us.
We will be enjoying a quiet family Christmas this year, our first without Annalisa, who will be heading overseas. How ever you plan to spend the season, we wish our loyal staff and partners a safe and joyous break. May your 2024 be bigger and better!
Alex
Matt Roughan – CEO
Some years seem to go by faster than others and 2023 has flown for us at UES as we have focused on delivering an even better experience for our customers, with more consistent stock holding and investment in upskilling our people and implementing new processes.
In 2024 we will accelerate our transformation even further, including the launch of our updated, user friendly online ordering system and the embedding of our revised organisational structure which has been developed to ensure all our customers experience a streamlined and positive engagement with our brand.
The changes we have made are thanks to the ongoing support and investment in UES from the Morcos family. Our key partners and suppliers also play a critical role in enabling UES to perform and I make special mention of local service providers Carbon 5, 3rd Mill and Clique Logistics who have given unwavering and excellent support across our business in 2023.
After a year of considerable change, I reserve my greatest thanks for our customers, for your loyalty and your patience and for letting us work with you to achieve your goals. I hope your year has also been one of progress and prosperity.
Our team is looking forward to a restful Christmas period before we launch into 2024. My short holiday break will be shared with my immediate family and be characterised by an overindulgence in food, drink and laughs.
I hope that you all enjoy your break and take the time to recharge, and we look forward to working with you again in 2024.
Have a happy, safe and festive season.
Matt
Wendy Lawrence – General Manager, UES Marine
The past year has been one of growth for me and my team, as we gear up to deliver a number of exciting projects. We have celebrated the opening of our new showroom in Greece, established a new manufacturing facility in Italy that will reduce lead times for customers in the region, and welcomed a number of new staff across our locations worldwide.
As always, working closely with our customers has been the best part of the year. Being able to help our customers deliver on their visions and meet the needs of their riders is very satisfying. We’ve worked across a number of new-build projects this year and have also seen a growing trend towards refits as operators look to manage their budgets in a tight economy as well as meeting their sustainability goals. Refits bring a particular set of challenges as we work with pre-existing layouts and mounting systems, and we have enjoyed helping our customers give their vessels a new lease on life.
We’re also seeing a continued trend towards sustainability, with a focus on lightweight seating and marine furniture and more and more projects featuring electric and hybrid vessels.
Next year promises some very exciting moments, including the opportunity to see the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels go into service. We have been working with the exceptional team at Spirit of Tasmania since 2015 and cannot wait to see these new iconic ferries take to the water.
We have several other major projects that will come to fruition next year and we look forward to seeing the hard work of 2023 pay off as these vessel fit outs are completed.
The marine sector is always a dynamic space and I know our customers value responsiveness, problem solving and genuine engagement. I want to thank you for continuing to support our business and for giving us the opportunity to work alongside you on your projects.
I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season planned. I will be hosting Christmas at my house and am very much looking forward to time with my family, including my grandchildren.
Thank you again for your support over the year, and may 2024 be successful and prosperous for you.
Wendy
