Scan Magazine
Design Profile
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Alukin
Alukin DP 650. Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson
The future is aluminium With a passion for boats, construction expertise, and roots on the island of Åland, where boats are a natural part of life, Maria and Peter Nikula founded Alukin. Their well-designed aluminium boats provide archipelago workers and leisurely lake lovers with a simple, comfortable boat life – all with minimal environmental impact.
out that our thoughts and requirements appealed to a wide audience.”
By Linnea Dunne
“Aluminium is an excellent material in regards to both sustainability and low maintenance in a marine environment. It is easy to keep clean, durable, and ranks very highly from an environmental perspective – and it’s fully recyclable.”
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Photos: Alukin
Alukin is a family business built up over about eight years by Maria and Peter Nikula, founded on a combination of persistent hard work and their joint competencies. That they ended up making aluminium boats is far from a coincidence: knowledge of materials and construction in aluminium and steel are Peter’s areas of expertise. “He simply decided to build a boat that suited our personal needs and ended up creating a number of boats before we were fully satisfied with the hull and its qualities, and from there on we’ve built 16 |
Issue 101
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June 2017
the business and the brand,” says Maria, who spoke to Scan Magazine about the company’s journey to date.
What was the gap in the market that you wanted to fill? “We needed a practical, durable and functional boat with solid sea characteristics across all speeds. We wanted a boat characterised by a safe hull, yet that would be fun to drive in all weather conditions and at all speeds. Durability and functionality were crucial factors, as were well-considered details and a high level of interior comfort. It turned
What are the benefits of aluminium boats?
Many big companies in this field choose overseas production because of the financial advantages. What are the benefits of your local production in Roslagen? “Above all, it’s about control over every step of the production process, which is a way of ensuring quality. With Sweden being the at-home market, it’s also about being receptive to the market