Lilaas AS – precision at sea and beyond
By Signe Hansen | Photos: Lilaas AS
Based in Horten in Norway, Lilaas AS has become a world leader in control levers and joysticks for ships.
For more than 60 years, Lilaas AS has combined Norway’s proud maritime traditions with cutting-edge innovation. From its base in Horten, the company has become a world leader in control levers and joysticks for ships, while also producing precision components for demanding sectors such as defence, aerospace, medicine, and even CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. With production firmly rooted in Norway and half of its products exported, Lilaas embodies both national heritage and global reach.
Founded in 1961 by Jan Lillaas, the company began as a small machining workshop specialising in turning and milling precise components. Over time, it steadily evolved into a dual-track enterprise: producing its own line of maritime control products while continuing to deliver high-precision parts for other industries. Today, Lilaas employs around 60 people at its headquarters and production facilities in Horten. “We are a small company, but we design, engineer, and produce everything in-house – mechanics, software, assembly production – and we test every product before it leaves the factory,” says managing director Espen Hoff. “That’s what sets us apart.”
Clients include leading shipbuilders and system integrators such as Kongsberg Maritime and Wärtsilä, with Lilaas’ products ultimately installed on vessels worldwide – from ferries and cruise ships to offshore supply vessels. “Around 50 per cent of our products are exported directly, but even what we sell domestically usually ends up at sea across the globe,” Hoff explains.
Lilaas’ modern machine park also delivers high-precision parts for other industries.
High-tech products built to last
At the core of Lilaas’ reputation is a focus on quality and reliability. “We are known for solving technically difficult problems,” says Hoff. “Our products must pass extremely rigorous testing – vibration, humidity, electrical interference – before they are type-approved for use on ships. Precision, flexibility, and competence define everything we do.”
A good example is the L01 control lever, one of Lilaas’ most popular products. Used on large ships with multiple control stations, it allows captains to switch seamlessly between positions on the bridge. If the lever is turned on one console, identical handles elsewhere move automatically to the same angle thanks to built-in electric motors. This synchronous movement ensures safety, reliability, and intuitive operation – technology that requires meticulous engineering. “We have always leaned forward, using state-of-the-art production technology and approaching every challenge as problem solvers,” explains Hoff. “When a customer has a complex technical issue, we are known for finding solutions. Precision, flexibility, and competence have been at the core of our values from the very beginning.”
Managing director Espen Hoff.
Production around the clock
The Horten production site reflects Lilaas’ dual role as both product manufacturer and precision subcontractor. “We have a modern machine park with CNC lathes and milling machines, supported by robots that run through the night when our people are not here,” says Hoff. Around half the workforce is engaged in production, setting up and supervising machines to ensure flawless output. This relentless precision has also won Lilaas contracts far beyond the maritime world – including supplying components for CERN’s particle accelerator in Switzerland. “That project required accuracy down to hundredths of a millimetre. There are not many who can deliver that,” Hoff notes.
About 75 per cent of the company’s business comes from its own maritime products, with the remaining 25 per cent devoted to subcontracting. Both areas reinforce each other: external clients demand strict standards, while Lilaas’ own product development benefits from this expertise.
The L01 control lever, one of Lilaas’ most popular products, synchronises bridge consoles so that captains can switch seamlessly between stations.
Looking ahead
Like the industry it serves, Lilaas faces an era of rapid technological change. Increasingly, ships rely on electronics and software, and autonomous vessels are no longer science fiction. “Autonomous ships could be seen as a threat, but we view them as an opportunity,” Hoff reflects. “They still need advanced control and steering systems – and that’s where we want to be. Our ambition is to take selective steps further into system solutions, not just supplying a lever or joystick, but more of the surrounding electronics too. That is our future.”
Web: www.lilaas.no
About Lilaas AS
• Founded: 1961, Horten, Norway
• Leadership: CEO Espen Hoff
• Employees: 60
• Products: high-precision control levers, joysticks, and wheels for maritime use; tailor-made components for global clients
• Components for: maritime, offshore, defence, aviation, and scientific sectors (including CERN’s Large Hadron Collider)
• Markets served: customers worldwide
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