Smith Berger Marine
Smith Berger Marine is a private, employee-owned Seattle manufacturer founded in 1902 that designs heavy-duty mooring and towing equipment, fairleads, chain stoppers, and MARCO-branded commercial fishing machinery for vessel operators, commercial fishing fleets, offshore oil and gas, and government agencies including the U.S. Navy and NASA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1902
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Smith Berger Marine does
Smith Berger Marine, Inc. is a private, employee-owned Seattle-based manufacturer of heavy-duty hydraulic deck machinery founded in 1902. The company designs and builds mooring and towing equipment, including balanced head fairleads (a 1932-patented design by co-founder Knute Berger), angular tow pins (100MT-500MT ratings), shark jaws, OCIMF- and ABS-certified chain stoppers, stainless steel chocks, oceanographic flag/hanging blocks, and the legacy Iron Butcher salmon processing machine. Since April 2017 it has also operated the MARCO product line of commercial fishing machinery acquired from MARCO Global, Inc., encompassing powerblocks (B19-B33 series), the Purse King PKW20 deck winch, Kinghauler and Swinghauler pot haulers, the CircleMatic automatic circlehook baiting machine, and hydraulic pump drives. It additionally serves as a Pullmaster Platinum stocking distributor of PL, M, and H series planetary winches.
The firm sells directly to vessel operators, shipyards, and commercial fishing fleets from its Seattle headquarters and through a multi-tier channel: three U.S. industrial distributors (Rasmussen Equipment, Waterman Supply, Anchor Marine), three U.S. authorized reps (J.H. Menge, J. Henry Holland, CONMACO), and two international reps (Lemans Nederland, Lebus International Engineers). Pricing is contact-quoted for both standard catalog items and customized one-off designs, with multi-year contracts typical; salmon processing equipment is offered via a three-year renewable lease, creating a recurring revenue sleeve. End markets span commercial fishing (Alaska and West Coast seine, Gulf Menhaden, North Pacific longline), commercial maritime (barges through deepwater drilling and production vessels), offshore oil and gas, diving and salvage, oceanographic research, and government/military (the U.S. Navy, with MARCO B28 Powerblocks also used by NASA for Space Shuttle solid rocket booster retrieval).
The company's revenue mechanics rely on the durability and certification of its mechanical products rather than recurring software or service streams. Its competitive position rests on 110+ years of brand heritage, patented fairlead technology, third-party certifications (ABS, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, DNV) plus sector-specific approvals (OCIMF, UNOLS), and an installed base that generates long-tail parts and service revenue; the employee-ownership model is emphasized as reinforcing quality and continuity of MARCO product support.
Smith Berger Marine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smith Berger Marine
- Legal name
- Smith Berger Marine, Inc.
- Website
- https://smithberger.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1902
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Smith Berger Marine is a private, employee-owned Seattle manufacturer founded in 1902 that designs heavy-duty mooring and towing equipment, fairleads, chain stoppers, and MARCO-branded commercial fishing machinery for vessel operators, commercial fishing fleets, offshore oil and gas, and government agencies including the U.S. Navy and NASA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smith Berger Marine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Deck Machinery and Commercial Fishing Equipment
- NAICS
- Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Ship and Boat Building (33661)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Deck Machinery & Mooring Systems (Winches, Windlasses, Capstans) (IMAJAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK), Cargo Handling & Lifting Equipment (Cranes, Derricks, Hoists) (IMAJAIAB)
Keywords
Where Smith Berger Marine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smith Berger Marine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Marine Deck Machinery Sales: Manufacture and sale of mooring equipment, towing equipment, fairleads, chain stoppers, tow pins, shark jaws, and deck hardware for maritime vessels
- Commercial Fishing Equipment Sales: Sale of MARCO-branded commercial fishing machinery including powerblocks, winches, pot haulers, longline systems, salmon processing equipment, and hydraulic pump drives
- Salmon Processing Equipment Lease: Iron Butchers and Eggstractors available on three-year renewable lease program
- Pullmaster Winch Distribution: Stocking distributor of Pullmaster winches (PL series, M series, H series) with immediate shipment from Seattle location
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom engineered and standard product pricing |
| Subscription | Annual | Salmon Processing Equipment Lease Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Smith Berger Marine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smith Berger Marine designs, engineers, and manufactures robust deck machinery for the maritime industry, including mooring equipment (balanced head fairleads, chain stoppers, stainless steel chocks), towing equipment (angular tow pins, shark jaws, tow pin sets), oceanographic hanging and flag blocks, and the historic Iron Butcher salmon processing machine. Through the April 2017 acquisition of MARCO Global, the company also sells commercial fishing machinery—powerblocks, purse seine winches, pot haulers, longline baiting machines, hydraulic pump drives—plus Pullmaster planetary winches as a Platinum Distributor. Products are available with third-party certification from ABS, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, and DNV.
Product overview
Smith Berger Marine is an employee-owned company with over 110 years of experience providing marine mooring and towing equipment and commercial fishing machinery. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio organized around three core product lines: (1) Smith Berger Mooring and Towing Solutions including balanced head fairleads, chain stoppers, tow pins, shark jaws, oceanographic equipment, and salmon processing equipment (Iron Butcher); (2) the acquired MARCO brand product line of commercial fishing machinery including purse seine powerblocks (B19, B26, B28, B29, B32, B33), PURSE KING deck winches, pot haulers (Kinghauler, Swinghauler), longline systems (CircleMatic baiting machines, offshore haulers), hydraulic pump drives, ring hooks, purse blocks, and capsule pumps; and (3) Pullmaster planetary winches distributed as a platinum distributor. The products are sold directly through the company's Seattle headquarters and a network of authorized distributors and representatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MARCO: MARCO product line of commercial fishing machinery acquired by Smith Berger Marine in April 2017, including salmon processing equipment, commercial fishing gear and hydraulic pump drives.
Products and services
- Deck Mounted Balanced Head Fairleads (MD-610 Series) Wire rope fairleads with 90° wrap on sheave and ±90° rotation of swivelhead, featuring sealed grease-lubricated tapered roller bearings, accommodating wire from 3/4" to 2-1/2". Sold to commercial maritime vessel operators for mooring applications.
- Flange Mounted Double Sheave Fairleads (MD-2700 Series) Double sheave fairleads with cast steel sheaves, hardened rope grooves, and sealed grease-lubricated tapered roller bearings in sheaves and swivelhead, accommodating wire from 3/4" to 2-1/2". Sold to commercial vessel operators.
- http://smithberger.com/img/releaseable_chain_stopper.png Releasable chain stoppers designed for ø76mm RQ4 (3") chain with breaking strength of 6,001 kN and releasable at loads up to 4,004 kN, featuring grease-lubricated bronze bearings and remote/local release capability. ABS Approved.
- http://smithberger.com/img/OCIMF+Chain+Stoppers.png Heavy duty chain stoppers designed to OCIMF guidelines with grease-lubricated bronze bearings, heavy duty steel construction, and optional load monitoring systems. Sold to commercial maritime vessel operators.
- http://smithberger.com/img/CS-86-DPLM.jpg Chain stoppers with dual pawl design that reduces contact stress in chain, available in manual, hydraulic, and pneumatic operation with weld down or bolt down bases. Sold to commercial maritime operators.
- http://smithberger.com/img/200MT ANGULAR TOW PIN.jpg Heavy duty towing pins designed for maximum line tension with 22° wrap at 50% of pin height. Available in 100MT, 200MT, 350MT, and 500MT line tension ratings. ABS approval available. Feature heavy duty hydraulic cylinders and marine paint system.
- http://smithberger.com/img/SHARK JAWS.jpg Towing equipment with standard ratings of 100, 200, 350, 500, and 750 MT, featuring quick release at rated load and interchangeable jaw insert plates. Sold to commercial towing operators.
- http://smithberger.com/img/Tow Pin 2x Pin 1 Hook.jpg Tow pin and stern roller sets designed for breaking strength of wire rope with 45° of wrap on pin and 35° upward lead from hook, featuring heat-treated vertical rollers with grease-lubricated bronze bearings.
- http://smithberger.com/img/FLAG BLOCK.jpg Flag blocks and hanging blocks for oceanographic applications, available in counterbalanced versions with nylon sheaves and tapered roller bearings. UNOLS Appendix B compliant.
- http://smithberger.com/img/SS_CHOCK5.jpg Single and dual stainless steel chocks designed for up to 10" circumference synthetic ropes, featuring highly polished stainless steel faying surfaces and marine paint system. ABS approved.
- http://smithberger.com/gif/smithphoto.GIF Historical salmon processing equipment invented in 1902 by Edmund Smith, capable of processing in one hour what previously required 55 men. The latest version is still in use in U.S. and Canadian salmon canneries and is available on a three-year renewable lease program.
- http://smithberger.com/img/19 PB Diving recolored.png Compact 19" powerblock weighing 148 lbs with open sideshell design. Popular in seine fisheries and adapted for diving/salvage industries. Features solid rubber coated sheave and MARCO PowerGrip option.
- http://smithberger.com/img/26_no_background_alt_view.png Open top design powerblock with 26" sheave, popular in seine fisheries allowing quick haulback of partial sets. Available with 2-speed motor option and replaceable cleats.
- http://smithberger.com/img/28 2 speed with motor guard2 300.jpg Most popular powerblock for Alaska and West Coast seine fisheries. Available with 6 motor sizes including two 2-speed motor options. Also used by NASA for Space Shuttle solid rocket booster at-sea retrieval missions.
- http://smithberger.com/img/29 with motor guard hangs straight 300.jpg Hi-lift powerblock with the same pulling capacity as the B28 and an open sideshell design for quick haulback of partial sets. Proven performer with 20+ years in Gulf States Menhaden fisheries.
- http://smithberger.com/img/32 with Motor guard 300.jpg Large diameter sheave powerblock with torque and speed for competitive fisheries, featuring 2-speed motor option with marinized hydraulic motors for longer service life.
- http://smithberger.com/img/33 No background 300.jpg 2-speed powerblock with long-wear planetary gear reducer drive, featuring a sealed gear reducer requiring no ring or pinion gear maintenance. Available with Powergrip and hydraulic swivel options.
- http://smithberger.com/img/PKW20_noBG_noLINETRANSPORTER_NO_COOKIE.png Dual sheave purse seine deck winch with 12,000 lbs line pull and 283 FPM line speed, designed for herring, squid, and sardine fisheries. Unique dual sheave design eliminates slippage when pursing.
- http://smithberger.com/img/Pot_J0125_b_300.jpg Industry standard pot hauler for King Crab fishing with 24" sheaves and oil-lubricated planetary gear drive, offering up to 5,000 lbs line pull with a galvanized fabricated steel frame.
- http://smithberger.com/img/Swinghauler_gray_bg_300.jpg Pot line hauler with unique frame design that eliminates dangerous movement while hauling, featuring trunnion-mounted frame, 24" diameter sheaves, and up to 5,000 lbs line pull.
- http://smithberger.com/img/baiter_pop_1b.jpg The only automatic baiting machine that baits true full offset circlehooks. Proven with 20+ years of service in North Pacific and Russian Far East fisheries. Portable magazines for vessels from 58 feet to factory longliners.
- http://smithberger.com/img/minibaiter_pop_1b.jpg Compact automatic circlehook baiting machine designed for vessels with limited deck space, still capable of baiting true full offset circlehooks with flexibility for today's fisheries.
- http://smithberger.com/img/2.jpg Complete hydraulic drive solutions with 8 standard gearbox sizes, 5 input choices, 1 to 8 outputs, and a wide selection of gear ratios. Over 60 years of manufacturing experience in industrial and marine applications.
- http://smithberger.com/img/model-m8.jpg Planetary winches distributed by Smith Berger Marine as a Pullmaster Platinum Distributor, including PL series (equal speed), M series (smooth lowering control), and H series (rapid reverse 4.5x faster than forward). Capacity range from 2,205 lbs to 12,121 lbs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Iron Butcher machine could do work of 55 men in one hour (1902 invention)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Smith Berger Marine
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Smith Berger Marine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Smith Berger Marine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pullmaster/TWGcoreSmith Berger Marine is a Pullmaster Platinum Distributor and stocking distributor of Pullmaster winches with immediate shipment capability from their Seattle location. They offer PL series, M series, and H series winches.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Smith Berger Marine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DMT Marine Equipment: DMT Marine Equipment is a Dutch manufacturer of marine deck machinery including winches, capstans, hydraulic power units, and offshore handling equipment. It competes with Smith Berger in mooring winches and tow pins for offshore vessels and is comparable in scale and niche specialization.
- Ibercisa: Ibercisa is a Spanish manufacturer of marine deck machinery including mooring winches, towing winches, anchor windlasses, and chain stoppers. It directly competes with Smith Berger in mooring and towing equipment for commercial vessels and offshore platforms.
- Rapp Marine: Rapp Marine is a Norwegian manufacturer of marine deck machinery including winches, windlasses, capstans, and tow pins for offshore vessels, navy ships, and fishing fleets. It is a direct competitor to Smith Berger in mooring, towing, and winch equipment for commercial maritime customers.
- Hatlapa Uetersener Maschinenfabrik: Hatlapa is a German manufacturer of marine deck machinery including anchor windlasses, mooring winches, and cargo winches. It serves commercial shipping and offshore segments with products directly comparable to Smith Berger's mooring and towing equipment portfolio.
- Caley Ocean Systems: Caley Ocean Systems is a UK manufacturer of oceanographic and marine lifting equipment including winches, A-frames, and deck handling systems. It overlaps with Smith Berger's oceanographic flag/hanging blocks and ocean-going deck machinery product lines.
- Lebus International Engineers: Lebus International Engineers is a UK-based specialist in cable spooling and drum winches for offshore, subsea, and marine applications. It is a partner (international representative) for Smith Berger in England but also competes in lifting and handling equipment for offshore vessels.
- Welin Lambie: Welin Lambie is a UK-based manufacturer of marine deck equipment including winches, windlasses, deck cranes, and hatch covers. It serves commercial shipping, offshore, and fishing segments with a comparable product mix to Smith Berger's mooring and towing portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg Maritime supplies integrated vessel systems including deck machinery, mooring, and offshore handling equipment as part of a broad maritime technology portfolio. While much larger and more diversified, it overlaps with Smith Berger's mooring and deck equipment offerings on offshore vessels.
- MacGregor (Cargotec): MacGregor, part of Cargotec, is a global leader in offshore and maritime load handling, mooring systems, and deck machinery for vessels, offshore rigs, and ports. It overlaps with Smith Berger's mooring, towing, and chain stopper offerings but at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.
Emerging players
- Pullmaster Winches (TWG): Pullmaster Winches, a division of TWG, manufactures planetary winches for industrial and marine applications. Smith Berger is Pullmaster's Platinum Distributor in North America but also competes in winch selection for marine customers, making it both a partner and partial competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smith Berger Marine compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Smith Berger Marine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smith Berger Marine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Smith Berger Marine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smith Berger Marine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smith Berger Marine
What does Smith Berger Marine do?
Smith Berger Marine designs, engineers, and manufactures robust deck machinery for the maritime industry, including mooring equipment (balanced head fairleads, chain stoppers, stainless steel chocks), towing equipment (angular tow pins, shark jaws, tow pin sets), oceanographic hanging and flag blocks, and the historic Iron Butcher salmon processing machine. Through the April 2017 acquisition of MARCO Global, the company also sells commercial fishing machinery—powerblocks, purse seine winches, pot haulers, longline baiting machines, hydraulic pump drives—plus Pullmaster planetary winches as a Platinum Distributor. Products are available with third-party certification from ABS, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, and DNV.
Is Smith Berger Marine a public or private company?
Smith Berger Marine is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Smith Berger Marine founded?
Smith Berger Marine was founded in 1902. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Smith Berger Marine based?
Smith Berger Marine is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smith Berger Marine make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Marine Deck Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are commercial Fishing Equipment Sales, salmon Processing Equipment Lease and pullmaster Winch Distribution.
Who are Smith Berger Marine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DMT Marine Equipment, Ibercisa, Rapp Marine, Hatlapa Uetersener Maschinenfabrik, Caley Ocean Systems, Lebus International Engineers and Welin Lambie. Broad incumbents are Kongsberg Maritime and MacGregor (Cargotec). Pullmaster Winches (TWG) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Smith Berger Marine have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smith Berger Marine.
What industry is Smith Berger Marine in?
Smith Berger Marine's product category is Marine Deck Machinery and Commercial Fishing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAIAA, Deck Machinery & Mooring Systems (Winches, Windlasses, Capstans), with a secondary code of IMAJAIAK, Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains). Its NAICS code is 333923 and its SIC code is 3730.