French boat manufacturer Beneteau (Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie; www.beneteau-group.com) is on a shopping spree. While its flagging competitor Bavaria Yachtbau is struggling to survive – see Plasteurope.com of 14.06.2018 – the French company has taken over Delphia Yachts (Warsaw / Poland; www.en.delphiayachts.eu). Delphia builds a range of sailboats and motorboats with hulls made of composites and wood. The Polish yacht maker has already been producing boats for Beneteau at its Olecko factory for some time.

The acquisition will take place with a holding company in which Beneteau will hold 80% and Delphia the remaining 20%. Among other things, the acquisition expands the company's presence in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

Since its founding in 1990, Delphia has built around 25,000 boats. The company currently has 679 employees, and its sales in 2017 amounted to the equivalent of EUR 30m, with EUR 2m in income from ordinary operations.

This takeover comes on the heels of Beneteau acquiring a 60% stake in sailing yacht builder Seascape (Ljubljana / Slovenia; www.thinkseascape.com) on 9 July 2018. The Slovenian shipyard’s founders, Andraž Mihelin and Kristian Hajnšek, will retain 40% of the capital. Being a majority stakeholder in Seascape will enable Beneteau to “offer a selection of small sailing yachts designed for both novice sailors and enthusiasts, often younger and first-time buyers,” says Hervé Gastinel, Beneteau CEO.