The Beneteau Group has reached an agreement with the largest Polish shipyard to take over the ongoing operation of the design, production and marketing of sailing and motor yachts under the Delphia and Maxi Yachts brands. The company will remain in Poland, with the Delphia owners retaining a 20 per cent stake.
According to Hervé Gastinel, CEO of the Beneteau Group (Beneteau, Jeanneau, CNB, Lagoon), the takeover is part of the shipyard group's growth plan. Beneteau will be given an additional 18,000 square metre production facility specialising in outboard motorboats and smaller sailing yachts, both of which are target markets for the French company. This also includes Delphia's new research and design centre. The acquisition is also intended to strengthen the cruising yacht and inland motorboat segment. Beneteau also sees strategic advantages in expanding into the Eastern European and Scandinavian markets. The acquisition is expected to be finalised in the next few months.
Delphia was founded in 1990, has produced 25,000 boats to date, employs 670 people and generated a profit of two million euros in 2017. The largest Polish shipyard has already built various boats for the Beneteau Group and other Western European shipyards.
Beneteau itself is currently expanding its sailing programme in the cruiser segment and also wants to revive the formerly successful First line, as evidenced by the acquisition of Seascape and its range of trailerable performance boats. You can also read an interview with Seascape boss Andraz Mihelin in YACHT 16/2018 (on newsstands from 25 July).
Selected Oceanis models from Beneteau in picture galleries:
Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
