- pic of the month - Viking Yachts new building
Aicon Group takes over Morgan Boats
Aicon Group, the Italian company renowned for building high quality motor yachts situated in Messina, on the Island of Sicily listed in the Milan Stock exchange, has agreed in the purchase of the Morgan Lobster Boat brand. This English brand famous for the build of high quality lobster boats owned by Leopoldo Rodriguez is now part of the Aicon Group.
Azimut-Benetti Group Growing Strategy
Azimut-Benetti Group outlined plans for further development at the start of the Cannes International Boat Show. The company, whose brands include Azimut, Atlantis, Benetti and Fraser Yachts, says that it intends to launch another 25 new models over the next three years while continuing to expand its global geographic coverage.In order to support the growth, Azimut-Benetti will invest some €220 million on the expansion of its production facilities during 2008-2010. The money will also be used to support innovations in processes and products, as well as research & development, particularly in the field of fuel cell technology. Azimut will launch another 15 models in the next three years and has already opened a new facility in Savona, Italy, to accommodate the increase in production. Today, Azimut has a sales network that covers 130 locations in more than 60 countries worldwide. In 2007, the company entered emerging markets such as China, India, South Korea and South Africa, and the strategy has already paid off with a number of orders registered in the Far East. In the last month alone, two Azimut 103s have been sold in Mumbai and Hong Kong, two 116-footers were sold in Singapore and Hong Kong, and a 68-footer and 98-footer were sold in Shanghai and Dalien respectively. The Cannes conference ended with confirmation from Paolo Vitelli, president of The Azimut-Benetti Group, that current year closed with a production value in excess of €800 million. The group's order book has reached more than €1.5 billion, and orders for superyachts over 24m (79ft) represented a total length of some 11,800ft.
Fairline reveals strong order book
UK's Fairline Boats has announced that, for the first time in its 40-year history, the company has received advanced deposited orders of more than £100 million. It also boasts an order book that includes seven confirmed sales for its flagship 24.4m Squadron 78 in the last two months alone. Following the launch of the new Targa 44 and the Targa 64 Gran Turismo at the Cannes and Southampton boat shows last week, the company has since received 40 confirmed orders for the Targa 44 prior to its world debut and is seeing strong demand for its 11-boat range across the globe.
Ferretti Group Order Book
Ferretti Group announced during the Cannes Boat Show that its order book for the 2006-07 nautical year exceeded €1 billion, resulting in a 25 per cent increase over the previous year. Production value grew by double digits to almost €1 billion, and overall profitability also increased by two figures. Over the last three years, Ferretti also invested more than €130 million on developing new products and increasing its production capacity.
Itama never ending Legend
The decisive entry into the Ferretti Group in October 2004, company management taken over by Pershing, fundamental innovations in production processes, a unique design and broad-ranging marketing strategy. These, in a nutshell, are the main ingredients of the successful recipe concocted by Itama, which in the past few seasons has achieved a decisive stride forward in terms of reputation, sales and consolidated prestige, for one of the brands symbolizing Italian style and craftsmanship in the luxury yachting sector.An acceleration of such entity as to prompt an immediate, more than positive response from the market: over 50 craft sold between the Forty and FiftyFive models, the two standard bearers of the new range. As well as gratifying acknowledgements from the sector, as in the case of the Cannes Festival de la Plaisance, where the new Itama FiftyFive earned the prestigious World Yacht Trophy 2006 - awarded by Yachts Magazine - in the “50’-60’ Open” category.
Magnum Marine not sold
News which appeared on the Italian media was quickly denied by Ms.Katrin Theodoli. The news said that the Theodoli family sold 80% in the holding of Magnum Marine to an Italian business pool. The Theodori family denied these rumors and have declared that the company has not been sold and is totally independent which allows for no compromise and the best works in design and quality for it’s line of fast high performance sports cruiser and yachts.
Riva full steam ahead
An amazing success marked the beginning of the nautical year 2007/08 for Riva. The boat shows that opened the season, held in Cannes from 12th to 17th September and in Monaco from 19th to 22nd, confirmed the exponential growth trend of the last 5 years. In less than two weeks, in fact, the whole 2008 production and a good portion of the 2009’s have already been booked. Among these, there are also some units of the new model Riva is going to officially launch on the market only in August 2008 and of whom the first contracts referring to 2010 production have already been signed. An extraordinary success immediately achieved the brand new SportRiva 56. For the model previewed in Cannes there is already a waiting list until September 2009. The classics Aquariva, Rivarama and Rivale, together with the 75’ Venere, confirmed themselves as top sellers also for the next season, while there’s great attendance around the Super version of another successful model, the 68’ Ego that will be officially launched in May 2008. This positive trend, begun after the joining of the Ferretti Group in 2000, contributed to grant Riva a worldwide leadership position in the luxury yachts market.
Sealine with Axius Stern Drive System
Axius, an innovative stern drive control system developed by Mercury Marine, made its debut at the 2007 Southampton International Boat Show fitted to the award-winning Sealine SC29 sports cruiser. Axius provides unparalleled maneuverability and significantly improved performance for stern drive boats. The joystick system of Axius dramatically simplifies boat handling, including mooring, allowing a novice driver to operate and even moor a boat with virtually the same ease as an experienced boater. Axius was developed by the MerCruiser division of Mercury Marine and employs SmartCraft Joystick Docking technology. The Axius control system is based on technology originally developed by Cummins MerCruiser Diesel (a joint venture between Mercury MerCruiser and Cummins) for the Zeus pod propulsion system.
Sessa record growth
Sessa Marine close the year with a record growth, the turnover from September 1st to August 31st is around 55 million euro: 26% more than the previous year. The highest growth of last years and one of the highest in the nautical sector. Ambitious plans also for next season turnover, with a forecast of 75 million euro, 30% more increase compared to 2007 and doubling results of only three years ago. The performances too are better than last year; with more than 7 millions euro equal to 14% of the sales. Most of these results have been obtained thanks to the success of the flagship of the Cruiser line: C52 and C42, whilst for the future, Sessa Marine expects great performances from two boats presented during last spring: the Key Largo 36, the flagship of the Open line and the C46, born last May and in production from September 2007 and already sold out for next season.
Sunseeker reports record breaking results
New results from Sunseeker International have crowned another spectacular year for the company, the largest privately-owned motoryacht manufacturer in the world. Annual sales are up to a record-breaking £240 million – an uplift of 18.5% on last year’s figures of £202 million. At the same time, the company’s operating profit has risen to £12.5 million, an increase of £7.3 million. The company puts its success down to a simple philosophy – doing things differently. One example of this is their continual investment in the design of new models, particularly larger boats. The year saw the launch of the 37 Metre Yacht to huge acclaim. The first Yacht was built to specific international codes and has been granted an unrestricted classification, the highest for a production-built yacht. With eight orders secured, the company is extremely confident of the model’s long-term success. Investment has also been pumped into production sites. An 11.5 acre site was acquired in March at Osprey Quay in Portland, Dorset, while further expansion is underway at New Quay Road, Poole, with the building of two new shipyards. These facilities will increase the production capabilities to meet the growing demand for models over 100 feet. To support this activity, both sites will benefit from new giant 300 tonne travel hoists. As well as expanding its production capabilities, Sunseeker has increased its workforce to a record 2,000 employees while retaining existing skilled staff with excellent benefits packages and working conditions. There’s also the fact that Sunseeker exports 98% of its product worldwide, which mean the company can ride economic dips in any local markets. The outstanding export success was rewarded earlier in the year by a fifth Queen’s Award for Enterprise, recognition of the hard work and commitment of the company’s staff and global dealer network. With a full order book, the coming year looks just as promising. The forecast is in the region of £265 million, with an operating profit of £15.5 million. Sunseeker International goes from strength to strength.
Sunseeker staff rewarded
Staff at Sunseeker International will share a £1.8 million bonus scheme for helping the Dorset-based company achieve record sales of £240 million and an operating profit of £12.5 million. As staff levels at the privately-run company continue to rise, the payment is an additional bonus to the team at Sunseeker based on length of service. According to the company’s founder and managing director Robert Braithwaite, CBE, Sunseeker staff are highly valued and their benefit to the company’s extraordinary growth is being recognised. Sunseeker’s exceptionally high standards mean it is constantly investing in the business and looking after its employees. Highly-skilled craftsmen of the calibre it requires are much in demand and the company offers a great package of staff benefits. This includes long-term security, competitive salaries, private healthcare, pension and regular overtime.
Tecnomar appoints new Commercial Director
Maurizio Magri, buisness man and manager with great experience in the high end nautical field, has decided to enter and be a shareholder and follow the path Tecnomar has decided to take for the future. He will be the new commercial director for Yacht builder specialized in high performance open Velvet and flybridge Nadara motoryachts.
Viking New Building
Under a late summer deep blue sky and President Bill Healey’s watchful eyes, the final steel girder completing the framework for a new 120,000 square feet building was hoisted 55 feet in to the air and placed in position with a massive crane. An American flag attached to the girder waved smartly in the breeze as Viking employees applauded the milestone. The new addition, part of Viking Yachts’ ongoing expansion plans, will join two existing buildings which house the executive and administrative offices, the warehouse, the metal shop and the four production lines. Designed to enhance efficiencies in operation, the two production lines where the 74, 68, 64 and 60 Convertibles are built will move into the new addition known as Building 2N. A 50-foot tall mezzanine with elevator service will separate these two production lines from the remaining two lines where the 56, 54, 52, 48 and 45 models are built. The newly created space will afford a better working and less cluttered environment for boat building. Viking also plans to move its five-axis profiler into the new building. Capable of carving mold components up to 60-feet long by 20-feet wide by 10-feet tall, the new structure will create the ideal climate for the company to focus on upcoming models like the 82 Convertible. Viking will have the new building in operation by December 2007.
Viking Service Receives Clean Boatyard Certification
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) along with the Clean Boating Partnership has conferred its “Clean Boatyard” status to the Viking Yacht Company’s service facility in Riviera Beach, Florida. The Viking Yachts Service Center is the first boatyard to receive this recognition in Palm Beach County and is the 26th in the state to meet the requirements of the Clean Boatyard Program. Bill Richards, Clean Marina Coordinator of the Florida DEP presented a plaque and the green, blue and white Clean Boatyard flag to Viking’s President and CEO, Bill Healey at a presentation ceremony at the facility on Thursday September 20. According to Richards, it takes 18 months for an applicant to work through the requisites of the completely voluntary process to achieve this status. According to DEP Southeast Director, Jack Long, Viking qualified for this certification by developing emergency spill plans, employee training programs and chemical management procedures, which help prevent damage to the environment. The Service Center, which opened in February 2002, is located on the Intracoastal Waterway just minutes from the Palm Beach Inlet. Formerly a dilapidated marina, Viking tore down the existing structure, removed the rotting docks and built an entirely new facility with floating concrete docks, a 150-ton Travelift, a three-story office building and a second stand-alone building with 50 feet overhead clearance for tower boats. Designed to cater to its owners, Viking is the only U.S. manufacturer with a satellite facility devoted exclusively for their convenience. Family owned and operated since the company was founded in 1964, Viking is no stranger to environmental commitment. At its manufacturing headquarters on the Bass River in New Gretna, New Jersey, about 30 minutes north of Atlantic City, the company is busy with plant expansions and renovations which include its own on-site waste-water treatment plant and has erected a 165 feet tall test tower in anticipation of installing a wind turbine to supply the company’s electrical needs. Many of the components in its boats are now produced with a resin infusion process to eliminate emissions. Since 1988, Viking has converted its wood scraps into briquettes, which are fed into a dual-fuel (oil or wood) furnace on demand. The furnace burns the wood at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, a combustion level that produces clean burning methane gas. The water heated by the process is then circulated through the radiant heat system embedded in the plant’s concrete floors and through-wall radiators to warm the plant during winter months.
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