Awards joy for Llyn Marine.

A PWLLHELI based company has scooped an accolade from a Swedish company for customer service.

Volvo Penta awarded Llyn Marine Services Ltd a Gold Award for outstanding Performance in Market Support 2008 throughout UK & Ireland.

Llyn Marine is a family-run company, based at Pwllheli Marine Centre, while Volvo Penta is one of the main marine engine manufacturers for the leisure boating market.

Keith Thomas set up the Pwllheli-based business in 1994 after moving back to his native North Wales.

For many years he had worked for the RNLI as a fleet engineer in charge of maintenance on many of the institution's lifeboats in the north west, from Barrow in Furness to Tenby.

Llyn Marine offers services including the supply, fitting, testing and servicing of outboard and inboard engines and a park and launch storage yard.

The firm works on the maintenance of Volvo Penta engines in motor cruisers worth up to and over pounds im at its Welsh yard. Engineers from the firm also visit other marinas in North Wales and boatyards in places such as Liverpool and Windermere to give customer support.

Employment in the firm has grown to seven - including Mr Thomas and his wife Enid who is a director and secretary.

Mr Thomas said the award was recognition of the achievements of the Llyn Marine team .

"Despite the credit crunch and the downturn in the economy, we are very busy," said Mr Thomas.

He added that the business had not been affected by a recent fire which had destroyed property at Pwllheli Marine Centre.

CAPTION(S):

Peter Roberts (left) and Keith Thomas of Llyn Marine Services Ltd, Pwllheli, which has won an award for customer support