Axopar is a Finnish manufacturer of innovative and powerful motorboats characterised by their modular design and excellent handling characteristics. Since its foundation, the company has made a name for itself worldwide and is particularly known for its versatile, efficient and stylish boats.
Axopar boats are designed for a wide variety of uses – from sporty tours to relaxed excursions on the water. The brand combines Scandinavian design with state-of-the-art technology and favours sustainable production. With a growing global presence and enthusiastic customers, Axopar stands for quality, innovation and an unrivalled boating experience.
Exclusive Interview with SEO Ari-Pekka Saarikangas from Axopar
Andreas Conrad: Axopar has quickly established itself as a leading brand in the leisure boating sector. How would you describe Axopar’s core philosophy, and how does your vision differ from other players in the industry?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: The dream adventure might be mountain biking, kayaking, paddle boarding or any other water sports or weekend cruising and we have a range of boats that takes you there. What distinguishes us from all others, is that we help in creating the most inspiring moments in our customers’ lives through Axopar.
Andreas Conrad: Axopar boats are known for their innovative design and multifunctional usability. How do you ensure that your designs remain both aesthetically appealing and functional? Could you give us some insights into the creative process?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: Aesthetically, we have a very distinctive design. We have developed a very cool look, like the vertical bow, the deck layout, the sloping roofline and the modular designs through the Cross Cabin, Sun Top and Spyder ranges and simply how they ‘sit’ in the water with that ‘ready to go anywhere’ posture, that makes them unique.
Fine tuning hull and deck designs to offer more space, greater performance for less fuel consumption in a wide variety of sea states is an on going innovative and creative process.
Andreas Conrad: What role do customer feedback and market research play in the development of new models? Can you provide an example where customer input was directly integrated into a product?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: In our first ten years, customer and dealer feedback has been immensely important in building our business.
For example, Axopar – quickly evolved into the Adventure Boat brand you see today. We are seen as the originators of a new category of boating – Adventure Boating which was officially recognised last year by Motor Boat and Yachting in a special judges award.
Our customers see themselves as ‘Axoparians’ the owners have access to an online community. Feedback from this source and meeting them at boat shows, along with our worldwide dealer network, means that, for example the brand new Axopar 29’ cabin offers 360° visibility from the helm, a wider swim platform at the stern, wider door openings with the cabin version and a 30% increase in hull efficiency that increases cruising range or reduces fuel consumption and these are just a few examples.
Andreas Conrad: Sustainability is a growing concern in the boating industry. What steps is Axopar taking to integrate more eco-friendly technologies and operate in a more sustainable way?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: In the middle of 2023, Axopar took a 10% stake in the Nordic company Evoy – a one million euro commitment.
Evoy specialises in a high performance range of electric outboard and inboard range up to and including 300HP in power outage.
Just one year later, in 2024, we officially launched our partnership with the launch of the AX/E brand. The Axopar electric brand with our 22’ and 25’ models that customers can take between marinas and local island destinations in a carbon emission free way.
Andreas Conrad: How has Axopar played a pivotal role in building the brand. What principles has Axopar followed in the business to create a successful and inspiring company culture?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: Our ambition was to become a global brand and to act globally from day one with our concept ‘One boat – one world’ at our heart.
A financially stable company from day one, continually reinvesting profits into new and improved models that customers want to buy. Investment in our staff.
Carefully chosen partners such as BRABUS the premium brand, that operates off a fixed platform with us and Jobe Watersports who follow the same ideals and principles as us for that adventure dimension.
Andreas Conrad: The boating industry faces challenges such as economic fluctuations and technological changes. What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for Axopar over the next five years?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: There is no doubt the industry faces head winds but we operate in approximately 80 countries worldwide, so when one region maybe trading down, other regions maybe trading up. We simply adapt to the local economic climate in each region.
The biggest challenges to us is the imitation of our range which we take as the best form of flattery but reminds us that we can never be complacent about the future. We are the originator of ‘Adventure on Water’ and we will develop and evolve this concept in the next five years through both Axopar and Brabus ranges.
Andreas Conrad: What originally inspired the creation of the Axopar brand?
Ari-Pekka Saarikangas: Many of our employees had previously worked with other Scandinavian boat builders and with their collective experience identified a niche in the market. The result was the Axopar 28’ first launched at the Helsinki Boat Show in 2014. The boat was seen as a trail blazer in design and later received much acclaim when tested on the water by the marine press world wide.
There were many other factors that influenced our way of thinking, for example no one had explored the idea of modularity as much as we did and at the same time, harnessing 21st century outboard motor technology which has enabled us to build over 700 units a year, every year, to appeal to new boat owners and long term existing boat owners alike. The brand promised, sea worthiness, safe handling, efficiency and versatility at sea, at very competitive prices across its ranges.
Awarded by the world’s press, our heavy trophy cabinet inspires us for the future!
These are the original, unedited answers.
More information:
Axopar Boats
Salmisaarenaukio 1
00180 Helsinki
Finnland
