Bringing dreams to water 2023
by Beneteau 16 Feb 16:51 PST
Four Winns TH36, Wellcraft 355, and DB/37 © Groupe Beneteau
Groupe Beneteau shared its vision and mission with the American market when the Miami Boat Show opened: BRINGING DREAMS TO WATER.
A key moment for sharing, with more than 40 journalists, the Group's strategy, its latest product news and the dedicated projects launched by the Group focused on innovation and sustainable development.
The Miami Boat Show is an opportunity for Groupe Beneteau to report on the latest progress with its strategic plan on the American market and to once again set out the ambitions already unveiled to its international community in Cannes in 2022.
Branding excellence
The rollout of the "Let's Go Beyond!" strategic plan has transformed the Group in depth, with the creation of a House of Brands. Groupe Beneteau has transitioned from a volume strategy to a more emotional approach to its products and brands.
As a multi-specialist group, with motor and sailing units from 5.5m to 24m, Groupe Beneteau is able to count on a product portfolio with 150 models to cover four strategic segments with different boating experiences: Dayboating, Real Estate on the Water, Monohull and Multihull. The Group is committed to offering unique and sustainable boating experiences for its customers.
"Each brand has been treated with the same level of analysis in terms of customer profiles, competitive advantages versus the market, clear design and brand markers, and a well-defined customer journey in order to really amplify our community and visibility over the coming years", explains Gianguido Girotti.
The complete rollout of the Let's Go Beyond! plan, looking ahead to 2025, will further strengthen the Group's value creation and product portfolio, which will be fully developed in each key segment.
New models for a unique on-board experience
Dayboating: two new launches for Groupe Beneteau's American brands, Four Winns and Wellcraft
For the motorboat product offering, Erik Stromberg, Power and Motor Yacht Product Director, presented the American brands, FOUR WINNS and WELLCRAFT, with two new launches on the dayboating segment: the FOUR WINNS TH36 and the WELLCRAFT 355.
Unveiled for the first time in Cannes, the DB Yachts by JEANNEAU range is continuing to attract customers on the luxury dayboat market, thanks in particular to its new model, the DB/37:
"Launched at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in 2022 with the debut of the DB/43, the DB range represents a bold positioning and a move into the luxury dayboat segment. It shows that Jeanneau can build on traditional markets, but also innovate and push the limits", explains Erik Stromberg.
In the Real Estate on the Water segment, PRESTIGE stands out once again through its power catamaran range, the M-Line, while confirming its promise around French Art de Vivre with its M48 and M8 models.
"With its multihull configuration, this new model offers the space and comfort equivalent to that of an 85-foot monohull yacht, targeting the market for large models. With a living area that is unrivaled in its category, the M8 redefines the standards of well-being on board, offering everyone the ability to share precious moments at sea", explains Erik Stromberg.
In the multihull segment, Damien Jacob, Sailboat Product Director, presented the new EXCESS 14, with outstanding success for this latest model, which offers, on board a multihull, the same sensations of fun at the helm as a monohull. Alongside this, the LAGOON brand has brought to the market a new catamaran designed to include certain components based on more sustainable materials (natural fibers in the composites), the LAGOON 51.
"From pure racers to comfortable cruisers" for the BENETEAU and JEANNEAU brands
World leaders on the monohull sailing markets, the Group's two longstanding brands have successfully reinvented themselves over the years by offering a wide range of products "from pure racers to comfortable cruisers".
Groupe Beneteau is expanding its range in terms of high-end cruisers, with the new JEANNEAU Yachts 55 and the BENETEAU Oceanis Yacht 60, as well as in terms of performance and innovation, with the new BENETEAU First 44e: the first eco-design sailing yacht with a perfect blend of performance and comfort.
"As you can see, the multihull and monohull offers are strong and are being constantly reinforced with innovation that keeps on focusing around sustainability", concludes Damien Jacob.
Engaged CSR approach: B-Sustainable
The 2023 Miami Boat Show is also an opportunity for Groupe Beneteau to once again present its CSR approach. Its "B-Sustainable" program is built around three pillars:
- The "Ethical Growth" pillar, which aims to ensure the development of ethical and responsible growth,
- The "Engaged Crew" pillar, to further strengthen the Group's attractive positioning as an employer, continuously improving workplace safety conditions, developing skills, promoting diversity and retaining talents.
- The "Preserved Ocean" pillar, focused on respecting the environment: integrating its products into the circular economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the marine ecosystem.
"At Groupe Beneteau, we believe that to be sustainable, we need to open up access to recreational boating. Our boats and yachts are the result of outstanding industrial processes, and we focus on our customers, just like we also focus on our planet, our oceans, which is why sustainable boating will increasingly become our core goal", confirms Gianguido Girotti.
Groupe Beneteau is linking up with a number of partners to develop an increasingly environmentally responsible approach for tomorrow's boating. All of the Group's initiatives are enabling it to take action across the entire lifecycle of boats, from upstream and production through to their use or decommissioning.
The BENETEAU First 44e, a world first with recyclable resin and electric propulsion
One of the first development projects is the BENETEAU First 44e, which was unveiled at the Nautic Paris Boat Show. This sailing model has been created using Elium® recyclable resin, with biosourced materials, and is fitted with a Torqeedo electric propulsion system. The Elium® resin was developed through three years of cooperation between Groupe Beneteau and Arkema, a leading French specialty chemicals firm. The BENETEAU First 44e sets out the Group's ability to develop and integrate environmentally responsible innovations in its manufacturing processes that will help transform the entire boat industry.
Alongside this, Groupe Beneteau and Multiplast have joined forces to develop a new accessible and environmentally responsible performance sailing yacht: the JEANNEAU Sun Fast 30 One Design. This new boat will be the first production yacht built using 100% recyclable Elium® resin.
By 2025, DELPHIA will be the Group's first fully electric brand
In addition to the composite materials, the second major change with product development is the transition to low-emission or emission-free propulsion systems.
To achieve this, Groupe Beneteau is working with Torqeedo, Vision Marine Technologies and Volvo Penta to offer eco-responsible alternative propulsion solutions for our customers across all of our models by 2023. Groupe Beneteau has also released its first 100% electric boat, the DELPHIA 11. Recognized in the 2022 Boat of the Year Awards, this new model is enjoying commercial success with inland cruising enthusiasts across Europe. By 2025, DELPHIA will be the Group's first fully electric brand.
Digitalization and boat rental shift
BRINGING DREAMS TO WATER is also reflected in the development of Boating Solutions, through the Group's transition to digitalization and its development in new rental business lines.
"Within Groupe Beneteau, we firmly believe that digitalization will help us build a special and unique link between our boats, our customers, our dealers and our brands", explains Gianguido Girotti.
By the end of 2023, all of the Group's boats will be connected with the SEANAPPS app
Thanks to the development of SEANAPPS, the app for sailing with peace of mind, Groupe Beneteau is able to offer these users a unique 360 degrees online and offline experience. More than 2,000 boats have been equipped to date and are on the water around the world. By September 2023, all of the boats built at the various production sites will be fitted with this app.
Seanapps will continue to improve the ability to provide new services more quickly and efficiently.
Continuing to develop boat clubs
To deliver on its promise to offer unique and sustainable boating experiences for everyone, Groupe Beneteau entered the market for new daily or weekly rental business lines in 2021 by acquiring interests in the capital of Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare Yachting and Your Boat Club.
The weekly rental activities offer sailing programs setting out from more than 50 bases around the world, with a selection of over 1,000 boats covering all market segments.
The Boat Club business has developed strongly, with 10 new bases opened in the United States, taking the total number of bases in operation for this activity up to 35. The aim is to increase the number of bases in the United States, as well as in Europe, in order to open up access to dayboating as widely as possible.
Gianguido Girotti, CEO of Groupe Beneteau's Boat Division, brought the press conference to a close by looking back on the key messages and product roadmap. Groupe Beneteau wants to be even more ambitious with the transformation of the House of Brands into a value-focused business, as well as its international vision.
"Now backed by a rational and ambitious product plan and a better performing industrial footprint, the Group is targeting profitable and sustainable growth: profitable, thanks to the ramping up of our premiumization, and sustainable, by incorporating alternative propulsion solutions across our entire portfolio from 2030, along with recycled and recyclable biosourced materials when building our boats".