Charity and Taylor

What Charity and Taylor does

Charity and Taylor (Electronics Services) Limited is a UK-based marine electronics specialist incorporated in 1976, headquartered in Great Yarmouth with nine sales and service centres across Great Yarmouth, Aberdeen, Falmouth, Grangemouth, Brixham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Tyne Tees, and Southampton. The company designs, supplies, installs, and maintains bridge electronics for commercial fishing, superyacht, deep sea and coastal shipping, offshore oil and gas, windfarm support, and workboat sectors, operating 24/7/365 with MCA Authorised Shore-based Maintainer status and accreditation from all major Classification Societies. Its portfolio spans navigation equipment (radar, ECDIS, AIS, GPS, sonar, gyro compass), communications systems (VHF, GMDSS, Iridium, X21 Global VSAT, Starlink Maritime up to 220Mbps), safety electronics (VDR, EPIRB, SSAS, LRIT), and entertainment/networking (AV, CCTV), integrated with Furuno hardware and proprietary TZ Coastal Monitoring software. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Aage Hempel Group, itself part of Spanish parent Grupo Arbulu (€115M group revenue).

The business model combines one-off equipment sales with an expanding recurring revenue layer. Maintenance contracts range from entry-level Critical Cover through premium Blue Ribbon Bridge Electronics Maintenance Contracts providing 24/7 global support, alongside a 5-year Rental Maintenance solution (e.g., Furuno FAR2218-BB radar at €423.79/month) bundling supply, installation, spares, and repairs into a fixed monthly fee. Asset finance is offered directly through C&T Flexipay and low-cost leasing from 3.47% APR, converting capital expenditure into operating expense for ship operators. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via UK service centres and field engineers, supported by Seawork exhibition presence, newsletter marketing, and LinkedIn; international coverage is delivered through the Aage Hempel network spanning ten-plus countries. The company holds over €3.5M in spares inventory at key ports and accesses 2 million parts through group warehouses with 48-hour urgent shipping globally.

Name

Charity and Taylor

Legal name

Charity and Taylor (Electronics Services) Limited

Website

https://charityandtaylor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charity and Taylor is a UK marine electronics specialist founded in 1976 that supplies, installs, and maintains bridge navigation, communication, and safety systems for fishing, superyacht, shipping, offshore, and workboat sectors via nine UK service centres and global parent group support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Electronics Services and Supply

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing (532411)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Safety & Navigation Electronics Retail (PFDs, EPIRBs, GPS, VHF) (CRAMAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ), Naval Training, Simulation & Shore-Based Support Systems (IMABAKAO)

Keywords

• Marine electronics supply
• Bridge electronics maintenance
• Marine navigation equipment
• Marine satellite communications
• Marine safety electronics

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Yarmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Supply and installation of marine electronics equipment from all major manufacturers including radar, ECDIS, communications systems, safety equipment, and entertainment systems.
2. Maintenance Contracts: Fixed-fee Blue Ribbon contracts providing 24/7/365 support for bridge electronics. Options range from Critical Cover (basic) to premium full-service contracts covering all bridge electronics.
3. Rental Maintenance: 5-year rental agreements for bridge electronics equipment including maintenance and repairs. Monthly payments cover equipment and all service costs.
4. Spares and Repairs: Supply of spare parts and repair services for marine electronics. Engineers available 24/7 for fault diagnosis and repair.
5. GMDSS and VDR Surveys: Annual compliance surveys for GMDSS radio, AIS, SSAS, LRIT equipment, and VDR annual performance tests.
6. Satellite Airtime Services: Airtime packages for X21 VSAT and other satellite communications systems including Iridium Certus backup.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Charity and Taylor designs, supplies, installs, and maintains marine navigational, communication, and safety electronics (bridge electronics) for commercial vessels across fishing, superyacht, deep sea and coastal shipping, offshore oil and gas, windfarm support, and workboat sectors. The portfolio covers radar, ECDIS, AIS, GPS, sonar, gyro compasses, VSAT and LEO satellite communications (Starlink, Iridium, GMDSS), VDR/SVDR, EPIRB, SSAS, LRIT, CCTV, and entertainment systems, supported by 24/7/365 maintenance contracts (Blue Ribbon, Critical Cover), spares, repairs, compliance surveys, and flexible financing options including Rental Maintenance and C&T Flexipay leasing.

Product overview

Charity & Taylor is a marine electronics specialist offering supply, installation, and support services for bridge electronics across multiple maritime sectors. The company operates as part of the Aage Hempel Group and provides a comprehensive portfolio including satellite communications (Starlink Maritime, X21 Global VSAT), navigation equipment (Radar, ECDIS, AIS, Gyro Compass), safety electronics (GMDSS, VDR, EPIRB), and communications systems. Supporting these core products are financial and maintenance services including Rental Maintenance Solutions, Critical Cover maintenance contracts, Extended Warranties, and Low-cost Leasing options. The company serves fishing, superyacht, deep sea/coastal shipping, offshore wind, and workboat sectors with 24/7, 365-days-a-year support from UK service centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Ribbon Contract: Premium maintenance contract services covering all bridge electronics for deep sea and coastal fleet operators, available worldwide at key ports
• Critical Cover
• C&T Flexipay
• Rental Maintenance
• X21 Global VSAT
• Charity & Taylor Global

Products and services

• Starlink Maritime Authorised Starlink Maritime satellite broadband service delivering up to 220Mbps download speeds with end-to-end encryption, small solid-state antenna hardware, and optional backup connectivity for fleets of all sizes operating globally. Sold as equipment supply with installation plus monthly Mobile Priority subscription tiers including a 50GB plan at £247/month and trials available.
• X21 Global VSAT Low-cost global or regional VSAT satellite communications service with unlimited data usage, 8W output power for adverse weather reliability, VoIP and standard phone lines, and Iridium Certus / 4G / 5G backup options. Packaged as low monthly fee combining equipment and airtime, with coverage across major global trade routes.
• Rental Maintenance Solution Exclusive 5-year rental-plus-maintenance programme from Charity & Taylor covering supply, installation and maintenance of new bridge electronics with all spare parts, repairs and transport costs included in fixed monthly payments (e.g. Furuno FAR2218-BB Radar at £423.79/month for 60 months). End-of-term options include rolling month-to-month, buy-out at fair price, or replacement with new equipment.
• Critical Cover Maintenance Contract Budget maintenance contract from Charity & Taylor covering key bridge electronics (radar, ECDIS) to prevent vessel downtime and avoid unexpected repair costs. Offered as the entry-level option within the Blue Ribbon maintenance contract portfolio.
• Blue Ribbon Bridge Electronics Maintenance Contracts Tiered fixed-fee maintenance contracts providing rapid 24/7/365 response across the world for bridge electronics, ranging from Critical Cover to premium full bridge coverage. Includes the dedicated Charity & Taylor Global international team for Blue Ribbon Contract clients and is supported by over €3.5M of spares held at key ports worldwide.
• Extended Warranties Exclusive 5-year warranties on key bridge electronics equipment across a wide range of manufacturers, serviced directly by Charity & Taylor to minimise unplanned repair bills.
• Low-cost Leasing Equipment leasing programme from Charity & Taylor for fleet electronics reinvestment, replacement and renewal, structured at approximately 3.47% APR and spreadable across a complete wheelhouse or fleet via fixed monthly payments.
• Spares, Repairs and Surveys Supply of marine electronics spares and equipment from all major manufacturers supported by over €3.5 million of stock at key ports worldwide, with 24/7 engineering fault diagnosis and repair. Includes GMDSS radio surveys, VDR/SVDR annual performance tests, AIS/SSAS/LRIT testing, and 48-hour urgent spares shipping globally through the Aage Hempel Group warehouse network.
• GMDSS Radio Surveys Annual GMDSS radio surveys and AIS testing conducted by Charity & Taylor's MCA-authorised Shore-based Maintainers, with recognition from all major Classification Societies to perform surveys on their behalf. Ensures navigational safety and regulatory compliance for deep sea and coastal vessels.
• Superyacht Specialist Services Specialist design, supply, installation and after-sales support of navigation, communications (VSAT, FleetBroadband, GMDSS), entertainment (AV, cinemas, control systems), networking (wired and wireless) and security (CCTV) systems for superyachts, delivered by the dedicated Falmouth-based Superyacht Specialist division covering UK, Spain and Mediterranean refit projects.
• Navigation Equipment Supply and Installation Supply, installation and support of marine navigation equipment including Radar, ECDIS, AIS, GPS, Sonar / Echo Sounders, Gyro Compass, Weather Fax and Speed Logs from major manufacturers, for commercial and leisure vessels of all sizes.
• Marine Communications Equipment Supply and Installation Supply, installation and support of marine communications systems including MF/HF Radio, VHF Radio, GMDSS equipment and satellite communications for commercial vessels of all sizes.
• Marine Safety Electronics Supply and Installation Supply, installation and support of marine safety and security equipment including VHF/UHF Handheld Portables, EPIRBs, SARTs, CCTV Security Cameras, VDR/SVDR, LRIT, SSAS, AIS and Night Vision equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vessels stay on hire and on the move, maximising commercial capacity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Aage Hempel GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 1976Charity & Taylor is a member of the international Aage Hempel Group, strengthening the organisation with access to extensive global operation and comprehensive portfolio of support services. Part of Group Arbulu, extending coverage of key European North Atlantic and North Sea ports.
• Grupo ArbulucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Aage Hempel. Spanish company based in Madrid with €115m revenue. Provides strategic direction and global network for maritime support services.
• FurunocoreTechnology or IntegrationFuruno Electric Company is a world leader in marine electronics. Charity & Taylor is a Furuno distributor using TZ Coastal Monitoring software with Furuno hardware for advanced native compatibility. 40+ year commercial relationship with Grupo Arbulu.
• Starlink (SpaceX)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorised Starlink reseller providing maritime broadband solutions worldwide. Can supply from stock, install and support Starlink equipment globally. Exclusive 1-month free trial offers available.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RH Marine: Rotterdam-headquartered maritime electrical and automation systems integrator serving commercial and naval vessels. Closest direct comparator to C&T: installs and services bridge electronics, navigation and communications on a similar customer base under a comparable field-engineering business model.
• Jotron AS: Norwegian supplier of maritime safety and communication electronics (GMDSS, EPIRBs, VDR). Direct product overlap with C&T's safety and communications portfolio and serves the same commercial and offshore vessel customers via a similar distributor/service-channel model.
• Telemar (Telemar Group): Italy-based marine electronics service, installation and satcoms provider with international service hubs. Comparable end-to-end electronics integrator model — supply, installation, maintenance and connectivity airtime — for commercial shipping and offshore operators worldwide.
• Marlink: Global maritime connectivity and IT solutions provider (VSAT, LEO, cyber). Overlaps C&T's X21 VSAT and Starlink Maritime offerings and competes for the same fleet communications budgets, with a deeper managed-services layer.
• Orolia (McMurdo Marine): Global maritime safety electronics specialist (EPIRBs, GMDSS, distress beacons) directly competing with C&T's safety electronics line. Comparable B2B-channel model for commercial fleet operators and offshore platforms.
• Martek Marine: UK-based marine electronics and safety solutions provider serving commercial and offshore vessel operators. Closest domestic geographic peer to C&T with overlapping navigation, communications and emission-monitoring offerings and a comparable service-led GTM.

Others

• Aage Hempel Group: Parent network (under Grupo Arbulu) operating sister marine electronics service companies across the Mediterranean, Singapore and the Americas. Overlaps C&T's service categories and customer base but is structurally an ecosystem partner rather than a head-to-head sales rival.
• Furuno Electric Company: Japanese OEM and one of C&T's principal technology partners (40+ year relationship). Furuno also sells directly and through competing distributors; functions both as a supplier (enabling C&T's rental maintenance offering) and as an adjacent competitor for end-customer equipment sales.

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Major Norwegian maritime technology incumbent delivering integrated navigation, automation, communication and safety systems. Overlaps C&T's portfolio at the system level but operates as a much larger prime with a wider product portfolio and direct shipyard sales.
• Wärtsilä Marine: Global marine technology incumbent covering navigation, automation, propulsion and lifecycle services. Touches C&T's domains through Voyage (transas) and services businesses but competes as a broader-platform incumbent rather than a specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charity-&-taylor-electronic-services-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charity and Taylor