TESS LLC began in 1984, founded by Paul Salenieks as a one-man marine electrical service company in South Florida — just Paul, a truck, and a growing demand from the superyacht world. With a focus on reliability, precision, and responsiveness, Tess quickly earned a reputation for solving complex electrical challenges on some of the world’s finest yachts.
🔧 The Imtech Partnership
By the early 2000s, Tess had developed a strong working relationship with Van Rietschoten & Houwens, a respected Dutch marine electrical company that had, by then, become part of a larger industrial shift:
- In 1990, Internatio-Müller began acquiring technical service companies across Europe — including Van Rietschoten & Houwens.
- By 1993, these companies were consolidated under Internatio-Müller Techniek, which was soon rebranded as Imtech.
In 2006, Tess entered a strategic partnership with this growing entity — selling 51% of the company to Imtech Marine. Tess then acted as Imtech’s South Florida operation, supporting Imtech systems on Feadships, Lürssens, Heesens, and other high-end yachts. The company also supplied switchboards, shorepower converters, and alarm systems to builders like Delta Marine in Seattle.
↺ Transition to RH Marine
In 2015, Imtech Holding declared bankruptcy. The yachting division survived and was acquired by PON BV, continuing forward as RH Marine (a nod to the Van Rietschoten & Houwens lineage).
Tess remained operational throughout this transition — continuing to serve the South Florida market under its own name, while acting as a trusted extension of RH Marine.
✅ Return to Independence
In 2022, founder Paul Salenieks repurchased the majority stake from RH Marine USA, returning Tess to full independent ownership. While fully autonomous again, Tess continues to act as a strategic partner to RH Marine, and is the official U.S. dealer and distributor of Rhodium products, including the Rhodium Alarm and Monitoring System.
Tess also continues to perform international refits as part of its regular operations, including a recent Rhodium system installation aboard a 2012 De Vries Feadship at Pendennis Vilanova in Spain — a reflection of the trust placed in Tess by both shipyards and owners worldwide.
From humble beginnings in 1984 to steady global operations today, Tess remains focused on delivering marine electrical systems with integrity, technical depth, and long-term support — from new builds to legacy refits and beyond.
If you’re a captain, shipyard, or yacht owner looking for a proven partner, we’d love to connect.
