Lidan Marine

What Lidan Marine does

Lidan Marine AB, headquartered in Lidköping, Sweden, designs, engineers, and manufactures customized hydraulic and electric winch and handling systems for naval, subsea, marine, and industrial customers. The company, founded in 1909 as Lidans Motorverkstad, operates five business areas: Subsea and Survey (LARS for work-class ROVs, umbilical winches, side scan sonar handling via the SKARV product family); Naval (Towed Array Sonar winches, Variable Depth Sonar winches, Mission Module Handling Systems, and systems for anti-submarine warfare and mine counter measures on platforms such as the Saab/Kockums Visby class corvette); Marine (winches for cable ferries, RoRo ships, cutter suction dredgers, mooring, traction, and constant tension applications); Industry (tailored solutions for hydropower plants, heavy door handling, aquaculture, and automated brake systems for drill rig drawworks); and 24/7 Service and Aftersales worldwide.

The technical foundation is a modular LARS architecture combining hydraulic and electric winch drives with a proprietary three-tier Active Heave Compensation (AHC Light, Medium, High) system designed to compensate for sea heave and stabilize payload motion, paired with constant tension technology for RoRo and cable ferry applications. Recent product additions include the SKARV family of sonar handling systems (available in six size variants, with tow capacities up to 20 kN) and the ROVSKARV next-generation tether management system, which features a 3D-printed lightweight plastic drum core, active feeder belts, and modular integration with SKARV units. All products are designed and manufactured in Sweden and certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.

Lidan Marine generates revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales of customized winch and handling systems, supplemented by recurring service contracts, spare parts, preventive maintenance, overhauls, commissioning, and training delivered globally by certified personnel and authorized regional partners. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific given the bespoke nature of each system. The company operates as part of the Sepson Winch Group alongside sister firms including Sepson AB, Patterson Manufacturing, V.I.M.E. Srl, and LS Engineering AB, serving anchor customers such as the US Navy, the French Navy, Saab/Kockums, General Dynamics, and operators in offshore subsea, seismic, aquaculture, and hydropower.

Name

Lidan Marine

Legal name

Lidan Marine AB

Website

https://lidanmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Lidan Marine AB, founded in 1909 and headquartered in Lidköping, Sweden, designs and manufactures customized hydraulic and electric winch and handling systems for naval, subsea, marine, and industrial customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Winch and Handling Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Deck Machinery & Mooring Systems (Winches, Windlasses, Capstans) (IMAJAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cargo Handling & Lifting Equipment (Cranes, Derricks, Hoists) (IMAJAIAB), Marine Electrical Installation, Commissioning & Field Services (IMAJAJAL), Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades) (IMAJAHAN)

Keywords

• Marine winch systems
• Launch recovery systems
• Active heave compensation
• Naval handling equipment
• Subsea handling systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Lidköping

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Winch and Handling System Sales: Lidan Marine designs, engineers, and manufactures customized hydraulic and electric winch systems and handling equipment. Products include umbilical winches, tether winches, steel wire rope winches, LARS (Launch and Recovery Systems), SKARV sonar handling systems, and ROVSKARV tether management systems. These are sold as capital equipment to naval, subsea, marine, and industrial customers.
2. Service, Aftersales & Maintenance: The company generates recurring revenue through 24/7 worldwide service support, on-site surveys, preventive maintenance, overhauls, repairs, commissioning, and spare parts supply. Service contracts are offered alongside training courses for customer personnel.
3. Aftermarket and Spare Parts: Supply of spare parts and components for existing systems, including the Lidan Automated Brake System for drill rig drawworks. Lidan Marine AB has managed all activities of Lidan Engineering AB since February 2017, expanding the aftermarket footprint.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lidan Marine designs, engineers, and manufactures customized hydraulic and electric winch systems and handling equipment for naval vessels, marine commercial applications, subsea/survey operations, and harsh industrial environments. Its core product lines are the SKARV product family for side scan sonar Launch and Recovery, the ROVSKARV tether management system, modular Launch and Recovery Systems (LARS) for ROVs and towed arrays, umbilical/tether winches with optional Active Heave Compensation (AHC), and the Mission Module Handling System for naval combat ships. The company supplements equipment sales with 24/7 worldwide service, maintenance, overhauls, spare parts, and training.

Product overview

Lidan Marine is a Swedish company (founded 1909) offering a comprehensive portfolio of customized winch and handling systems for maritime applications. The core offering includes modular LARS (Launch And Recovery Systems) for ROVs, the SKARV product family for side scan sonar handling (available in 6 variants: Nanno SKARV v.1, Nanno SKARV v.2, Lill SKARV, SKARV, StorSKARV Compact, StorSKARV Flexible), and the new ROVSKARV tether management system. The company provides hydraulic and electric winches with optional Active Heave Compensation (AHC) in Light, Medium, and High tiers. Products serve five business areas: Subsea & Survey (umbilical winches, LARS for OBS-ROV and W-ROV), Naval (handling systems for towed arrays, VDS, TAS, ROV, SSS), Marine (winches for ferries, RoRo, dredgers, mooring), Industry (tailored solutions for hydropower, door handling, aquaculture), and comprehensive 24/7 Service & Aftersales support worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ROVSKARV: Next-generation tether management system designed for a wide range of ROV applications, combining robust performance, flexibility, and efficient integration. Available as standalone solution or additional equipment to SKARV units.
• SKARV
• Nanno SKARV
• Lill SKARV
• StorSKARV
• Lidan Automated Brake System

Products and services

• SKARV Sonar Handling System A Launch and Recovery System for side scan sonars available in multiple sizes (Nanno SKARV v.1, Nanno SKARV v.2, Lill SKARV, SKARV, StorSKARV Compact, StorSKARV Flexible) with tow capacity from 3 kN up to 20 kN, designed for naval, hydrographic survey, USV, and offshore customers needing modular sonar deployment.
• ROVSKARV Tether Management System A next-generation modular tether management system for ROV applications featuring an active tether winch with 3D-printed lightweight plastic drum core, active feeder unit with belts, ROV garage, and remote/wireless control, available as a standalone solution or as additional equipment to SKARV units.
• LARS (Launch And Recovery Systems) Modular Launch and Recovery Systems for ROV deployment including OBS-ROV and W-ROV configurations, configurable from a basic HPU and winch with standard controls to a complete LARS with Active Heave Compensation, for subsea operators, survey companies, and offshore customers.
• Umbilical, Tether and Steel Wire Rope Winches Broad range of umbilical, tether, and steel wire rope winches for subsea applications, with hydraulic or electric winch drive and optional constant tension or Active Heave Compensation function, for subsea operators and ROV service companies.
• Mission Module Handling System (MMHS) Naval handling system for loading, unloading, and rearranging mission modules onboard naval combat ships, featuring low weight, compact design, and minimum deck loads, designed for prime contractors and navies (e.g., Saab/Kockums for the Visby class).
• Towed Array Sonar Winch Low weight structural design winch with PLC-controlled level wind for handling different cable diameters and couplers, supplied to navies for anti-submarine warfare applications such as the Visby Class Corvette.
• VDS Winch Low weight winch equipped with Active Heave Compensation for force and pitch reduction when towing Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) bodies, used by navies for anti-submarine warfare.
• Marine Winch Systems Customized hydraulic and electric winch and handling equipment for cable ferries, RoRo ship ramp handling, cutter suction dredgers, mooring systems, traction winches, and tension winches, marketed as the number one global supplier of winch systems for RoRo ships.
• Industry Handling Solutions Tailored hydraulic and electric winch and handling solutions for harsh industrial environments including hydropower plant hatches and gates, heavy door handling, aquaculture and fish farming, and rescue hoist test equipment.
• Lidan Automated Brake System for Drill Rig Drawworks Precision tool for remote operation and control of drawworks main and auxiliary brake systems, designed for offshore and land-based rigs with electric SCR DC or diesel power, interfacing all brands of drawworks with lifting capacities from 150 to 600 tons.
• Service & Aftersales Support 24/7 worldwide service and aftersales support covering workshop service, commissioning, spare parts, maintenance, overhauls, upgrades, service contracts, and training courses, delivered by certified personnel and authorized regional partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• SKARV products available in 4 sizes with tow capacity up to 18–20 kN, handling sonars weighing 40–375 kg in units weighing 100–1,000 kg
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sepson Winch Group (SWG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLidan Marine AB is part of the Sepson Winch Group (SWG), alongside Sepson AB (including Sepson GmbH and Sepson India Pvt Ltd), Patterson Manufacturing, V.I.M.E. Srl, and LS Engineering AB. Each company brings globally strong brand names and high quality products, sharing a common goal to offer smarter, safer, and more reliable engineering solutions and services within its market niche.
• Tillman SolutionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTillman Solutions serves as Lidan Marine's authorized local agent for the Gulf of Mexico region, providing customer liaison and service support for commercial marine customers in the GOM.
• Alatas Americas Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlatas Americas Inc. serves as Lidan Marine's authorized subsea service partner in the United States, providing subsea-related service and aftersales support from their Manvel, TX office.
• Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEpsilon Systems Solutions Inc. serves as Lidan Marine's authorized naval service partner in the United States, providing naval segment support from their San Diego, CA office.
• Saab / KockumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLidan Marine developed and delivered electric and hydraulic naval handling systems for the Visby Class Corvette program. The Mission Module Handling System (MMHS) is property of Saab/Kockums. Lidan worked with Saab/Kockums to design and deliver specialized handling solutions for Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) equipment.
• General DynamicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn the 1990s, General Dynamics selected Lidan Marine as the supplier of Towed Array Systems, Variable Depth Systems, and Launch and Recovery Systems for anti-submarine warfare on the Visby class corvette.
• Lidan Engineering ABcoreOthersSince February 2017, Lidan Marine AB has managed all activities previously carried out by Lidan Engineering AB, consolidating the automated brake system for drill rig drawworks and related engineering activities under the Lidan Marine brand.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg Maritime is a broad incumbent supplying navigation, sonar, AUV/USV, and naval handling solutions. Touches Lidan's naval sonar handling and subsea LARS adjacencies through wider platform and electronics portfolios.
• Wärtsilä Marine: Wärtsilä is a large marine systems integrator offering ship power, propulsion, and a range of deck and cargo-handling solutions. Operates in adjacent vessel-level scopes where Lidan supplies winch subsystems.

Direct peers

• Forum Energy Technologies: FET supplies subsea equipment including ROV handling systems, winches, and intervention tools. Overlaps with Lidan's subsea LARS and umbilical winch offerings, particularly in the ROV deployment market.
• MacGregor (Cargotec): MacGregor is a global leader in marine load handling and deck machinery for naval, offshore, and commercial vessels. Directly comparable to Lidan Marine in winch systems, LARS equipment, and RoRo/cargo-handling solutions, but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Markey Machinery: Markey designs and builds custom deck machinery, winches, and mooring systems for offshore vessels, naval platforms, and research ships. Highly comparable custom-engineering profile and customer overlap with Lidan Marine.
• Hawboldt Industries: Hawboldt manufactures hydraulic and electric winches and deck machinery for marine, naval, and offshore applications. A direct niche competitor to Lidan in customized naval and offshore winch systems.
• DMT Marine Equipment: DMT Marine Equipment specializes in hydraulic winches, AHC systems, and deck machinery for offshore and naval use. Directly competes with Lidan's umbilical, AHC, and LARS product lines in the offshore and naval subsea segments.
• Caley Ocean Systems (James Fisher): Caley designs and manufactures winches, deck machinery, and handling systems for naval and offshore operators. Closely comparable to Lidan's winch/LARS/AHC offering and frequently competes for the same naval handling contracts.

Others

• Bosch Rexroth: Bosch Rexroth supplies hydraulic drives, motors, and motion-control components used inside winches, HPUs, and AHC systems. An enabling component supplier rather than a direct competitor, but its hydraulics platform underlies much of the industry's winch technology.

Emerging players

• Moog Inc. Moog provides high-performance motion control and electrohydraulic servos used in naval handling, AHC, and subsea winch systems. A partial-overlap technology provider for advanced handling applications where Lidan competes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTHm_g50s4DeLXY0jloXmUw
• Facebookfacebook.com/LidanMarineAB
• LinkedInse.linkedin.com/company/lidan-marine-as
• Instagraminstagram.com/lidan_marine_ab

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Lidan Marine