Hamburg-based PR agency redRobin has won another tech company as a client. Starting in  March 2020, managing partner Susanne Wiesemann and her team will be responsible for Closelink.net’s Public Relations in Germany and in English-language trade media. Closelink is a young MarineTech offering a digital procurement platform for shipping companies and ship managers worldwide to process, analyze and optimize the purchase of so-called marine lubricants. Closelink.net is one of the pioneers in the digitization of the maritime economy.

Marine lubricants are the second largest cost item in shipping after fuel. The global market is estimated at six billion US dollars per year. Even small container ships carrying 2,800 containers require more than 60 tons of engine oil as well as up to 20 other lubricants for auxiliary engines, pumps and other on-board machinery worth more than 100,000 US dollars per year. Also, prices and availability of the individual lubricants can vary considerably depending on the ships' port of destination. "Using our purchasing platform, buyers can now compare price scenarios, check availability, place orders and generate consumption statistics at the click of a mouse," says Philippe Lavarde, founder and CEO of Closelink.net, explaining the business idea. "The digital platform not only makes purchasing considerably more efficient, but also noticeably cheaper. In individual cases, savings of up to 30 percent are possible".

After successfully launching the platform, Lavarde and his team are now looking to spread the idea more widely to the target groups. Starting in March 2020, PR specialist redRobin was brought on board. The Hamburg-based agency is an experienced consultant for innovative tech companies and has a background in the logistics and shipping industry. "As a first mover in digitized procurement, it is not just a matter of making the idea widely known and building brand awareness among the target groups. Innovative ideas often meet with reservations, especially in the B2B context. This is where we can also help, by showing the benefits and inciting interest," says Wiesemann, describing the Closelink.net communication goal for 2020: "Young companies with small budgets can get great media results and social media communication if they get professional support.”

Key players within the marine sector are already very supportive of Closelink.net’s offer. Lavarde and his co-founders Eike Lawatsch and Tobias Schumacher have won the start-up event of the Association of German Shipowners and the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany, PitchBlue, in 2018. Also, ship managers are getting on board. In March 2020, well-known German operator Zeaborn Ship Management moved the procurement of marine lubricants for its fleet of 130 container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and multi-purpose vessels to Closelink.net’s platform.

More information: www.closelink.net