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“The marine industry is starting to see signs of recovery
as we move past the recession,” said Jeff Malehorn,
president and CEO of CDF. More than one-third of the
responding marine dealers and manufacturers (38%)
expect sales to increase up to 5% this year, and 54%
said that the best time for dealers to increase inventory
levels is now.
Ferretti Group logged its most new models introduced
at the Miami show with 22, including four debuts for the
Americas. “We had an outstanding show for each of the
brands across the board,” said Ferruccio Rossi, country
manager for Ferretti Group North America. “While attendance
was consistent with last year, we saw a considerable
increase in the amount of visitors from Latin
America and the Caribbean, in addition to an increase in
European visitor traffic.”
Sanlorenzo reported the sale of two yachts at Boot Dusseldorf,
a SL62 and a SL82, as well as a SL72 and a SL88
on the other side of the Atlantic during the Miami Yacht
& Brokerage Show. The builder is now third in the annual
Global Order Book (yachts over 80 feet); it listed 38 hulls
in 2010, and in 2011 it maintained that level of orders
with 37 units.
“In 2009, the worst-ever year for the yachting industry,
Sanlorenzo was the black swan,” said Mario Gornati,
marketing manager. “While the main European and
American groups were showing 30 to 40% turnover reduction,
Sanlorenzo was able to limit its turnover reduction
to 9%. The lower profit was due to the depreciation
of the trade-in boats that in 2009 was estimated between
20 and 25%.
“Sanlorenzo has been able to increase its 2010 budget
by 5%. This result was achieved by delivering 19 motor
yachts built by the Ameglia Division and nine composite
and metal motor yachts built by the Viareggio Division.
It’s important to underline that Sanlorenzo didn’t
resort to an aggressive discount policy, but chose to
keep the prices stable, to guarantee and preserve the
owners’ investment.
“As well as improving quality and service — a consideration
that may be banal but also effective and indispensable
— it is necessary to research new products characterized
by more understatement, lower running costs
and reduced fuel consumption.
“Boat construction firms will have to run down their
manufacturing capacity or merge in order to reduce
the number of competitors; in other words, apply the
same strategy adopted some time ago by the automobile
industry. In times of crisis, in the same way
as they turn to collectibles, customers look to those
brands of longer tradition, greater solidity and consolidated
experience.”
—Nick Marshall
www.YachtEssentials.com 9