Global vision for Riviera's winning team

by Media Services on 19 Jun 2007 Riviera's boat building complex at Coomera on the Gold Coast employs over 1150 people and trains about 200 apprentices a year. Powerboat-World.com spoke to Riviera’s CEO Wes Moxey about the people who make up Australia’s most awarded luxury boat builder.

The company had just completed its most successful Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show where it launched its new 45 and 41 Open Flybridge models and won a number of awards. Riviera Dealers reported sales of 31 boats at the show with a value of about $35 million.

‘We are the largest marine manufacturer in the southern hemisphere; we are considerably bigger than anyone else. That mantle is worn with honour but also with some challenges…’ said Mr Moxey.

Like many Australian manufacturers, availability of skilled labour is an issue, particularly when some crossover trades people are poached by the booming mining sector. The company has responded to the challenge by implementing a long term training strategy. Each year they actively recruit young people into the business and train them from scratch.

‘My attitude towards that has really been to train for the future,’ said Mr Moxey. ‘Everyone wants to whinge about it, but no one does anything about it. Twenty percent of our labour force is apprentices: if every manufacturer said that then we would not have a labour issue.’

‘It is a commitment to do that, and sadly, many people think short term rather than long term. Being the industry leader, we feel a sense of responsibility. You can't wait to put an ad in the paper. We are in high schools very early talking to young people about what opportunities we have to offer.’

‘It is a competitive world for good people.’

And Riviera is certainly competitive. Each year the 240,000 sq ft Coomera facility produces over 325 boats and exports them to more than 30 countries. The company has produced as many as 428 boats per year but they were smaller models than the company produces today. With a design team that produces a new boat every 90 days, the company has become the most awarded boat builder in Australian history.

‘We have a very strong design team: it used to revolve all around me and what I wanted’ Moxey said with a grin. ‘Today we have a good structure and a good team.’ He indicated that he was interested in recruiting talented people from Europe and America to join the design team as a way of bringing in additional market knowledge.

Riviera started 27 years ago as a small company in the Northern Beaches suburb of Terrey Hills in Sydney. Within their first year of operation they had moved to Queensland and with a staff of just five people built eight boats over the next year. In 1983 the company had exported its first boat to the United States, and two years later sent their first exports to Europe.

A number of milestones followed these early successes: by 1996 Riviera was celebrating the launch of its 1000th boat, five years later 2000 boats had been built, and last year they had passed the 4000 boat mark.

Last month, at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show, Riviera sold 31 new boats including 5 4700 Sport Yachts.

‘It was an outstanding result,' said Tim Sayer, Managing Director of Riviera’s R Marine retail network. ‘The retail value of sales across the range was more than $35 million.'

‘I think our reputation for strength and durability for long passage making is world class’ added CEO Wes Moxey.

‘Rivieras are recognised as very strong boats. I think that strong heritage is part of our premium brand. Other boats couldn't do what we do. It is as simple as that.’

The company’s 4700 Sport Yacht had just won the coveted Australian Boat of the Year award as well as taking the Cruiser non-trailerable over 10m category at the 2007 Australian Marine Industries Federation (AMIF) Marine Awards. The boat was also named the 2007 Cruiser of the Year by Modern Boating magazine. The Riviera 56 Enclosed Flybridge cruiser won the AMIF Australian Marine Safety Award.

The close relative of the 4700 Sport Yacht, the Riviera 3600 Sport Yacht, won the Best Motoryacht under 40 ft category at the 2007 Christofle Asia Boating Awards.

Moxey said that the awards recognized the value of Riviera’s employment and long term training strategies.

'This is a reflection on everyone who works with Riviera. It is very gratifying to be recognised by the Australian marine industry for the quality of our work, from initial concept and design through to finish.'

While success in the Australian market is firmly established, Moxey predicts huge growth in the Asian region. He thinks that cultural change coupled with an increase in disposable income will make China the next big market for Australian boat builders.

‘There is no doubt that Asia is going to come on strongly over the next 10 years, as infrastructure goes in…I think we are really still five years away from putting the pedal down because the infrastructure is still coming in.’

‘We have grown up with boats, Chinese people have not. They have not grown up with tinnies and that kind of lifestyle. I think that in the next five years you are going to see big movement in Asia.’

Riviera is also expanding throughout the United States, competing with the local boat builders on their own ground.

‘The US is a growing market, and we are making gains there. This year we moved from number 3 to number 2 in our style of product… And we offer a lot more flexibility than the brands we compete with.’

Moxey says that Riviera is able to offer customers many options.

‘You can have a forward windscreen in the saloon or you can have it glassed over, you have an open or enclosed flybridge, you can have it fishing orientated or cruising orientated. We are more global with our production and that lets us fit into a lot more markets.’

Following its success at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, the company is gearing up to present even more new models at the Sydney International Boat Show in August. The Riviera display will include a new 4400 Sport Yacht which is the first by the company to include the revolutionary new Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system as well as an infusion moulded hull that is both stronger and lighter than traditionally moulded craft. As well, Riviera will present an Enclosed Flybridge version of its very successful 47 Flybridge model and a mezzanine seating option for its popular new Riviera 56 Flybridge models.

With a focus on customers, a partnered retail network throughout Australia and New Zealand and Dealerships around the globe to provide an unparalleled level of service, and a range of new models and product lines in the pipeline, Moxey believes that Riviera is set for continuing strong growth.


Contact details:

50 Waterway Drive,
Coomera
Queensland
4209 Australia

Telephone: +61 (07) 5502 5555
Fax: +61 (07) 5502 5599

sales@riviera.com.au

http://www.riviera.com.au