EXCELLENCE IN EVERY STEP
FROM DECK TO RESCUE

Interview with Janusz Wilkowski,
Founder of Drewil Entership

We sincerely congratulate Drewil Entership on receiving the Orzeł Pomorski (Pomeranian Eagle) award.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the congratulations and support extended to Drewil Entership in connection with winning the Orzeł Pomorski award. It is a great honor for us to be recognized by such a talented community.

This award serves as confirmation that our work, dedication, and innovative approach to business are noticed and appreciated. It also provides additional motivation for us to continue developing and raising the quality of our services.

We would also like to thank all our customers, business partners, and employees for their constant trust and contribution to our success. Without your cooperation and support, achieving this outstanding result would not have been possible.

Please share the story of Drewil Entership’s beginnings. How was the company founded and how has it developed over the years?

The family-owned company Drewil Entership has 40 years of experience in the maritime safety equipment market and originates from the Interior Design Workshop in Gdynia, where we began by handcrafting artistic furniture, while simultaneously introducing deck equipment for the Polish shipbuilding industry. After moving to Pomieczyno in the Kashubia region and significantly expanding the business, we broadened our offer to include solid wood furniture and pilot ladders for shipyards and shipowners. Our knowledge of design, technical expertise, and experience in furniture manufacturing transformed into exceptional quality and unique design of maritime safety equipment, which soon became the dominant part of our product range.

We presented our products at the BALTEXPO maritime fair and, above all, at Seatrade Maritime SMM in Hamburg, gaining recognition from global buyers. Today, we are the only manufacturer in Poland of Pilot Ladders and Embarkation Ladders, as well as Scramble Nets and Rescue Nets for recovering survivors, along with a wide range of other deck equipment. We successfully compete with other global manufacturers, supplying customers on five continents.

We take pride in our 40 years of history, filled with challenges, successes, and valuable experiences, as well as the fact that our company continues to grow and maintain its position as a leader in the maritime safety equipment industry in its product category.

In what ways does Drewil Entership stand out from other companies? What are the unique features of your offer for customers?

I will direct this question to Mr. Krzysztof Wilkowski, responsible for marketing, the company’s modern image, and its future succession.

First and foremost, we focus on quality — influenced by several key factors. Our flagship products are rope ladders — Pilot Ladders, enabling pilots to board ships from pilot boats to guide them into port, and Embarkation Ladders, enabling crew or passengers to evacuate to lifeboats or life rafts.

Their distinctive features include the use of exceptionally durable first-class manila ropes produced in the Philippines from natural fibers, as well as ergonomically shaped solid wood steps with anti-slip surfaces, ensuring comfort in use. These elements have excellent strength and weather resistance, providing stability and safety for pilots boarding ships.

We use specially designed aluminum clamps that tightly grip the side ropes without gaps, increasing ladder durability, along with fluorescent yellow-green wedges for good visibility at night.

The quality of our products plays a crucial role in maritime safety and rescue. It ensures not only the safety of rescuers and crew, durability in extreme conditions, ease of use, and speed of evacuation but also compliance with safety standards. Our quality contributes to building the company’s reputation, and the motto “Safety by Quality” has become our global brand.

Your success is undeniable. You are a leader in pilot ladder production, competitive on global markets, and your dynamic growth attracts attention. What technological innovations are you implementing to maintain your market leadership?

I would add that our company is energy self-sufficient. We use power from an expanded photovoltaic system and an eco-friendly boiler that burns clean wood waste. Our productivity and efficiency have increased tenfold since we started production at our new headquarters.

Together with the Ship Design and Research Centre (CTO), we are preparing to develop a unique system to enhance pilot safety, featuring an electronic monitoring system designed for all vessels worldwide. This is a complex process requiring evaluation and recognition under IMO — International Maritime Organization — regulations, which means that lengthy implementation procedures are unavoidable. The author of this innovative project is my son, Krzysztof Wilkowski, an outstanding specialist in digital analytics, marketing, and graphic design, who also co-creates our company’s modern image.

We have also prepared a project to expand our facilities, including new office space, high-bay warehouses, and a new testing and research station. While we already perform such tests, we need more space to effectively develop these initiatives.

What is extremely important for me — for us — is the awareness that our company’s success is built on a team of dedicated employees. Their experience, competence, shared determination, and vision for further development are key elements of this achievement. For this reason, we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all members of our team, who put their hearts and effort into building our company and achieving our common goals.

We follow your business achievements with great interest. Could you share with us your passions and hobbies outside of work?

To achieve success at work, I believe it is essential to maintain a balance between professional activity and a passion that allows you to escape everyday concerns and immerse yourself in imagination, drawing inspiration from literature and travel. Sailing gave me this opportunity, allowing me to take part in numerous voyages aboard the three-masted barquentine Pogoria and the yacht Gedania, including tourist cruises with scientific and technical conferences organized by Gdańsk University of Technology.

During these voyages, I created entire series of poems and songs inspired by journeys across the Mediterranean, the Norwegian fjords, the Lofoten Islands, the North Sea, around Scotland, the Orkney Islands, and the Hebrides. To this day, we sing these songs among friends and stage performances together.

Sailing has given me not only the satisfaction of acquiring new skills and experiences but has also become an inspiration for creating larger literary works. It is not just a sport but a source of endless adventure, where the elements of wind and waves become part of the melodies and stories we tell.

Thank you for the conversation.