History

Committed to Improving Safety at Sea since 1928

For many years, the mission of Schat-Harding has been Improving Safety at Sea.  Since the company was founded in 1928, we have been striving to find innovative ways to save lives at sea.

1928: A.P. Schat patented the first skates to launch a lifeboat from a listing ship.  Schat Davits became the world leader in its field

1945: The founders of Harding began building lifeboats in Norway

1957: From wood to GRP production

1974: Harding innovated and launched the first freefall skid lifeboat

1981: Harding innovated and launched the first vertical freefall drop lifeboat

1985: Schat-Davits and Davit Company merged to form Schat-Davit Company.  Schat-Davits Company acquired the business of Watercraft

1986: Jens Ulltveit Moe, Owner of the Norwegian Umoe Group, acquired the company and integrated the brands into Schat-Harding

1994: Schat-Harding introduced a new type of cruise tender that set the standard for the industry

1995: Harding Safety acquired the Schat Watercraft Group and integrated the brands into Schat-Harding

1998: Schat-Harding achieved the world record height for freefall – 38 metres

2002: Schat-Harding introduces the revolutionary KISS concept.  Keep It Safe and Simple

2005: The first free-fall lifeboat approved to meet new requirements above SOLAS – 36m freefall height and 20m wave height

2005: Began to build the world’s largest lifeboat service network

2006: SHIELD database delivers global protection to customers

2009: Schat-Harding sets the world record for the highest freefall lifeboat drop at 55 meters

TODAY: Schat-Harding is the global market leader in marine life saving systems and offers the largest worldwide service network in the industry

Umoe Schat-Harding combines the original thinking and first-class products of the Davit Company, Fiskars, Harding, Schat Watercraft, Waterman, Mills and Mulder & Rijke.  This family of trusted brands enables Schat-Harding to offer fully integrated packages of lifeboats, davits, hooks, winches, cruise tenders, and rescue boat, which is backed up by the largest worldwide service network in the industry.