New Zealand’s leading marine electronics distributor and manufacturer, Electronic Navigation Ltd (ENL), will mark an extraordinary milestone in 2026 — its 80th year in business.
What began in December 1945 as a small public company focused on designing and supplying radio direction finders (RDF) specifically for fishing vessels — a niche but highly practical application of marine electronics at the time – has evolved into a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of marine electronics.
Today, ENL operates from offices in Auckland and Nelson, supported by more than 40 WASSP distributors worldwide — a testament to how far the company has come and where strong partnerships have been central to ENL’s success.
The company has represented FURUNO exclusively in New Zealand for more than 60 years, a partnership that deepened when FURUNO acquired a significant shareholding alongside Managing Director Gareth Hodson and former Director Mike Hodson. FURUNO also champions WASSP globally, distributing it across more than 40 countries since 2010.
Innovation has always defined ENL. The launch of WASSP (Wide Angle Sonar Seafloor Profiler) in 2006 reshaped the company’s international footprint. Today, WASSP is a market leader in multibeam sonar technology, trusted across commercial fishing, defence, mapping, surveying, and superyacht sectors.
Managing Director Gareth Hodson says the 80-year milestone is more than a celebration — it reflects the company’s enduring spirit.
“Like many great New Zealand companies, ENL began with humble roots and a passion for innovation — that number-eight-wire mindset where anything’s possible. To celebrate 80 years after navigating both challenges and achievements is something truly special for us,” says Hodson.
Since 2006, a core part of ENL’s business has been the manufacture of its world-leading multibeam sounder system, WASSP – where the company see’s it’s systems operating in nearly every corner of the world.
“We’re now approaching 20 years of WASSP in the market, with our third generation currently in operation – we’ve sold more than 3,000 systems globally.”
Looking ahead to the next decade and towards the company’s 90th year, Hodson says the focus is on growth, future product development, and embracing new technologies — particularly AI.
“Over the next five to ten years, for WASSP it will be about strengthening our offshore operations and focusing on AI integration to better manage our data.”
“Beyond commercial fishing, we’re looking at further expansion into the growing hydrographic, aquaculture, defence, and superyachts markets— which are all strong growth areas for us. Locally we want to expand our Furuno presence here with key partnerships in both leisure and commercial.”
Hodson says one of ENL’s key strengths is staff retention and its investment in young, emerging talent.
“Many of our people have been here a long time — it’s not uncommon to see more than 10 years of service. Culture is important to us. We’re a diverse organisation, it’s never boring, and we believe we offer strong opportunities for young people to build careers in a great industry.”
“In ten years’ time, I’d love to see someone succeeding me. I’d also like to see a strong pipeline of young graduates and apprentices coming through the organisation and making a real difference.”
As ENL builds towards 90-years of operation, the company is entering a new phase of growth driven by accelerating global demand for advanced multibeam sonar technology. With WASSP firmly established as a leading platform across commercial fishing, hydrographic survey, defence, research, and superyacht markets, ENL is now focused on scaling its capabilities to meet increasing international demand.
To support this momentum and improve speed to market, ENL is investing significantly in major manufacturing capacity upgrades at its Auckland headquarters. These enhancements will strengthen production capability, streamline delivery, and position the company to support continued global expansion — reinforcing its evolution from distributor to globally recognised marine technology innovator.
“Growth attracts talent, so we’ll be focused on growth in the coming decade. I’m excited to see how ENL looks when we’re 90.”
