WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
The Super Yacht, M.Y. Katana where James worked as 2nd Engineer for Larry Ellison.
28 500 HP (Max Speed - 35 knots)
In 2005 Mechanical Engineer and entrepreneur, James Smith, opened the doors of Blueprint Diesel after working and training on DEUTZ engines (1KW - 5500KW) and working in the super yacht industry for some time.
He travelled globally while working with Larry Ellison as 2nd Engineer onboard his private super yacht, Katana. During this time he was introduced to the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Kimi Räikkönen, Michael Schumacher, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steve Chen.
He then ventured off the vessel to further his career with DEUTZ and was the first Kiwi to open the doors to DEUTZ Germany.
He formed integral relationships with key role players in DEUTZ world wide, and did extensive training in Cologne and Mannheim. He has done multiple trips back to Germany over the years, the most recent trip being to attend the 70th Birthday celebrations of a colleague, Holger Friedrich, who is now retired, but is still involved with DEUTZ.
Holger is the founder of the DEUTZ Technikum Museum and is the only man alive who is authorised to operate the world's first diesel engine that was invented by Mr Nicolaus Otto in 1867.
Holger Friedrich (DEUTZ Germany) busy with a demonstration of the Otto engine at the DEUTZ Technikum Museum in Cologne, Germany.
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James Smith, Founder and Director of Blueprint Diesel
When James started Blueprint he managed to secure business with some of the largest OEM's of DEUTZ engines in the world. In 2010 James also purchased Diesel Dundee, the company where he initially completed his apprenticeship. At this time James also secured a Volvo Penta dealership agreement.
In 2014 Blueprint won the "Best Overall Performance" award from DEUTZ Australia.
By 2018 he had built the business and grown the market share so successfully that Blueprint was awarded the "Best Distributor for Engine Sales & After Sales in NZ" Award. He received this award at the annual world meeting in Cologne, Germany.
In 2020 Blueprint Diesel decided to change their business model to enable them to support their customers more effectively, and am now focussing on their strong relationship with Volvo Penta.
Today, James and his team are still supporting both their existing and new clients by providing them with premium brands. This leads to top quality workmanship and reliability.