Antonio Martín González | General Director of Ardora
The year 2025 marked a significant milestone for Ardora, the Vigo-based company that began as an authorised workshop for the Guascor brand over 50 years ago. After all, it is not every day that a company celebrates five decades of serving its customers, especially in a constantly changing sector such as the shipbuilding industry. “Initially, we worked with inshore and small-scale fishing,” explains Antonio Martín, Ardora’s managing director.
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“Over the past 50 years, we have forged partnerships with new brands. We currently represent eight highly prestigious brands in the sectors in which we operate.”
The company’s scope of activity is diverse, although its operations are primarily focused on the naval and industrial sectors. “Our work encompasses the sale of naval and industrial machinery, as well as repairs, technical support and the supply of spare parts for all the brands we represent.”
Ardora is an Authorised Service Centre for the following brands: Guascor Energy marine propulsion and auxiliary engines and land-based generator sets; Agco Power marine engines and auxiliary units; Sandfirden Technics marine auxiliary units; Alfa Laval heat exchangers and centrifugal separators; Mecc Alte alternators; ComAp smart control solutions for power generation and management; Galí pneumatic starters for all types of engines; and Chockfast epoxy resin-coated and resin-impregnated products.
New premises
In 2018, Ardora moved to new premises, which has led to a significant improvement in the service it offers its customers. In recent years, the company has also set up a new electronics department and recruited three specialists of recognised standing in the sector, enabling it to offer turnkey solutions such as PMS, SCADA and web-based monitoring systems, as highlighted by its CEO.
Meanwhile, Martín is optimistic about the sector’s growth prospects.
“The future of marine engines lies in dual-fuel engines (diesel-gas) and hybridisation solutions for small vessels, using clutches with an electric motor/coupled alternator.”
Ardora has recently begun working with a new supplier, which has enabled them to develop part of their operations using electric propulsion. However, pure electrification currently faces limitations in terms of battery energy storage.
“It would only be viable for medium-sized or small vessels, on voyages lasting just a few days and with the possibility of recharging at ports equipped for this purpose.”
Innovation and sustainability
In this context, innovation and sustainability are established as key pillars of the company’s strategy. “The solution for achieving greater range would involve having diesel or gas generators on board to recharge the batteries that power the electric propulsion motors,” he states, emphasising that the company is ready to tackle these challenges alongside the brands it represents.
Furthermore, the engines used by Ardora comply with the most stringent emissions regulations, including standards such as Tier 3 and Stage V in the marine sector. In the land-based sector, too, solutions already exist that run on green hydrogen, and it is even possible to adapt gas engines to operate on this clean fuel at different blend ratios.