Spinlock

Spinlock is a British marine equipment company based in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. The company says it began in London in 1968 as Offshore Instruments and moved to Cowes in 1976. It later adopted the Spinlock name to reflect a stronger focus on rope-control products, developed in response to the use of high-tensile fibre ropes. The company describes itself as independent and says it has more than forty years of experience designing and manufacturing products for the marine sector. Spinlock organizes its offering around three categories: CONTROL, PROTECT, and SENSE. CONTROL covers rope-handling and rope-control equipment, including cleats, clutches, jammers, organisers, and tiller extensions. PROTECT includes personal safety products such as lifejackets and flotation equipment, harnesses, safety lines, lights, beacons, bags, kneepads, and mast floats. SENSE covers load-sensing and rig-tension products and related data devices and services. The company also sells a dog flotation aid, FIDO, extending its flotation products to canine companions. Its products address sailors and other marine users, including commercial marine and wider water-sports users. Spinlock says it sells internationally through a global distributor network and established a subsidiary office in the United States in 2008 to support local marketing and technical service. Its website presents products for both recreational and offshore sailing, as well as equipment for broader marine applications. The company says its products are designed by an in-house team that includes engineers and technical textile specialists. Its website also states that Spinlock is B-Corp certified and displays ISO 9001/14001 credentials.

Spinlock traces its origins to 1968, when the company began in London as Offshore Instruments. In 1976 it moved to Cowes, the Isle of Wight town the company describes as the “Home of Yachting.” Its history is tied to the development of rope-control equipment for the marine sector. The company says it developed a market-leading range of rope-control devices using new materials and volume-oriented processes, drawing on the emergence of high-tensile fibre ropes. In the 1980s it changed its name to Spinlock to better reflect that direction. Rope control remains the activity associated with its CONTROL category. As its international business grew, Spinlock built a global distributor network. The company also says production moved to a separate local site as the business expanded. The next stated strategic broadening came in 2004, when it created PROTECT to extend its design approach and product quality into high-end technical personal safety equipment. Spinlock says this category subsequently expanded to include commercial marine and wider water-sports users. In 2008, the company added a subsidiary office in the United States to market its products and provide more direct local technical support. In 2016, it introduced SENSE, a third category that included its first apps and brought data devices and services into the offering, supporting and enhancing the existing customer proposition. Spinlock describes itself as an independent company based in Cowes and says its products are designed by an in-house team that includes engineers and technical textile specialists. Its current product range reflects the development of the three categories: CONTROL includes rope-holding and related hardware; PROTECT includes lifejackets, flotation, harnesses, and other safety equipment; and SENSE includes load-sensing and rig-tension products. The company’s website also features newer offerings such as Deckvest VITO AFS, Rig Sense Pro, Mast Floats, waterproof compressible dry bags, and the FIDO dog flotation aid. The supplied company material does not identify a founder, current executives, or an ultimate owner.

• 2016

  SENSE category introduced

• 2008

  United States subsidiary office added

• 2004

  PROTECT category created

• 1980

  Spinlock name adopted

• 1976

  Company moves to Cowes

• 1968

  Offshore Instruments begins in London

An independent, innovation-oriented marine equipment maker spanning rope control, personal protection, and load sensing, with products for sailing, commercial marine, and wider water-sports users.

• CONTROL

  Rope-control products including cleats, clutches, jammers, and organisers.

• PROTECT

  Personal safety and flotation products, including lifejackets, harnesses, safety lines, lights, and beacons.

• SENSE

  Load-sensing and rig-tension products, with related data devices and services.

• FIDO

  A flotation aid for dogs with lightweight foam, adjustable straps, and a lifting handle.

1. 1Spinlockspinlock.co.uk
2. 2Products | Spinlockspinlock.co.uk
3. 3FIDO | Spinlockspinlock.co.uk
4. 4Our Story | Spinlockspinlock.co.uk
5. 5Spinlockwikidata.org