Tillberg Design of Sweden forms Viken Group and acquires Thalia Marine

World-renown design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS) has established its new mother company, Viken Group, to provide a full range of comprehensive design, naval architecture and project management services to the cruise line and yachting industries, via Viken Group’s portfolio brands and partners. The newly formed conglomerate will comprise multiple brands, where TDoS will remain as today, and preferred partnerships providing complementary and comprehensive services and expertise for each facet of the business.

Viken Group’s acquisition of Italian design and naval architecture firm Thalia Marine establishes expertise in multiple areas of technical project management, surveys and consultancy. Based in Trieste, Italy, Thalia Marine counts among its clients Carnival Cruise Line, Silversea, Swan Hellenic, Virgin Voyages, Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI, member of CSSC, China State Shipbuilding Co.) and Fincantieri, and is well versed in the newbuild and refurbishment of both yachts and cruise ships.

“We are delighted to welcome Thalia Marine and its employees to Viken Group,” says Viken Group’s and former TDoS CEO Stefan Nilsson. “Together, we will be able to provide our clients the best, most comprehensive services including naval architecture, design, quantity surveying, technical consultancy, on-site inspections and much more.”

Both TDoS and Thalia Marine will continue operating independently of one another, but will jointly collaborate under the Viken Group umbrella on relevant projects. Having cooperated on multiple projects in the past, the two firms see mutual synergies with Thalia providing comprehensive technical management services, specialist design consultancy, surveys and on-site inspections and TDoS providing design and space planning as well as financial management and administration support.

"My connection with Tillberg Design of Sweden dates back to 1994, when, as a junior naval architect, I worked with them on the design of Costa Victoria,” says Thalia Marine Partner and CEO Maurizio Eliseo. “Since then, we have cooperated on many challenging projects and achieved excellent results. Thalia is a small family, but one of highly specialized architects, engineers and surveyors. Thanks to this strong partnership with our dear friends at TDoS and Viken Group, we now look forward to an even brighter future that will not only benefit us, but our esteemed clients as well.”

“The creation of Viken Group will greatly benefit TDoS and our clients, says Madelene Hall, TDoS CEO. We will continue to focus on our core business, which is design, while being able to offer our clients a full-service concept through acquisitions and partnerships in Viken Group”.