Visitors tour booming boat building business

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The visitors with Norma and Bob Brown (front right) at Honnor Marine in Rochdale

Members of the Manchester Cruising Association and the Littleborough Canalside Development visited Honnor Marine Ltd in Rochdale today (Thursday 24 March 2011) for a tour of the business and to learn more about what they do.

Honnor Marine, ran by husband and wife team Bob and Norma, is based on Miall Street.
The couple took over the business in 1997 – they had set out to buy a second hand boat and throughout their research they learnt that Honnor Marine Ltd had gone into liquidation, after some thought the couple ended up buying the business – not the boat they set out to buy.

They moved the business to Rochdale and since then they have seen it go from strength to strength, they build boats for people from all over the world and put all their energy into their work, surprisingly they don’t sail – they just work seven days a week.

Today the visitors learnt about various aspects of building boats and the work that Honnor Marine undertake. They enjoyed a full tour of the workshop which is spread across two floors and Mr Brown talked them through various techniques.

The Manchester Cruising Association have visited in the past but the Littleborough Canalside Development didn’t know that Rochdale had a boat building company.

Mrs Brown explained that the company deals with people from all over the world – yet people in Rochdale don’t know they are there.

Speaking about the visitors Mrs Brown said: “Today is a sociable day, a get together and chance to have a look around.

John Kay from the Littleborough Canalside Development added: “I didn’t know we had boat builders in Rochdale, we are making progress in Littleborough so this is very relevant.”

Honnor Marine is made up of 12 members of staff who are skilled in different areas and they build all their boats at their Rochdale workshop. Mrs Brown praised the staff, she said: “They are very positive and determined.”

Mr and Mrs Brown take part in boat shows in various places across the country, they are currently preparing for Beale Park Boat Show in June