HanseYachts

src: hanseyachts.hr

HanseYachts is a German yacht manufacturer headquartered in the city of Greifswald (Baltic Sea). The company offers sailboats under the Hanse, Dehler, Moody and Varianta brands. Motorboats are sold under the Fjord and Sealine brands. HanseYachts is cooperating with the yacht designers Patrick Banfield, Bill Dixon and Judel/Vrolijk & Co. The corporate group is named HanseGroup.

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Corporate Affairs

HanseYachts has its main manufacturing site in Greifswald and a subsidiary for hull production and pre-assembly in Goleniów, Poland. The production halls provide a total area of approximately 380,000 sq ft (Greifswald ca. 200,000 sq ft, Goleniów ca. 180,000 sq ft). In terms of units produced, HanseYachts is one of the three largest manufacturer of seagoing sailing yachts globally. Sailboats account for about 70 % of revenues, powerboats for about 30 %. The company is quoted on German stock exchange.

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History

Founding and Rise (1990-2007)

HanseYachts is originated in an old-established shipyard for fishing cutters and other workboats located in Greifswald at the Baltic Sea Coast. The today's company was founded in 1990 - after the fall of the Iron Curtain - by Michael Schmidt, the winner of the 1985 Admiral's Cup. The launch of the first model Hanse 291 (which based on the design of the Aphrodite 291) followed in 1993. In the years to come, the company successively extended the range upwards and grew rapidly. In the late 1990s, HanseYachts and the yacht designers Judel/Vrolijk & Co started their still existing collaboration. In 2003, the range comprised eight models up to 53 ft. In 2007, HanseYachts AG went public (General Standard, Frankfurt). Founder Michael Schmidt remained majority shareholder.

Brand Acquisitions and Powerboat Market Entry (2006-2009)

For more than a decade, HanseYachts built sailing yachts only. In 2006, the company acquired the majority of Norwegian powerboat manufacturer Fjord Boats AS and started to develop seagoing powerboats. In 2007, the English Moody brand (sailing yachts) was added, and the creation of a new range of decksaloon and aftcockpit models began. Furthermore, HanseYachts bought the remaining shares in Fjord Boats AS and introduced the first new Fjord model (Fjord 40 open). In 2008, the company completed the enlargement of its plant in Greifswald and the construction of a new production facility in Goleniów. In 2009, HanseYachts purchased its German competitor Dehler Yachtbau comprising the Dehler and Varianta brands as well as a production facility located in Freienohl, Germany.

Crisis, Change of Ownership and Recovery (2007-2016)

In the wake of the financial crisis 2007-2008, the boating industry was affected by a massive slump in global sales. The company's turnover dropped by 57 % within one year. A period of high losses began. In 2011, founder Michael Schmidt sold his stake to German Investmentholding Aurelius SE, Munich, and left the company. At the end of 2012, HanseYachts closed the Dehler factory in Freienohl and relocated the entire Dehler production to its laminating factory in Goleniów and its main factory in Greifswald. In 2013, HanseYachts parent company Aurelius SE purchased the English Sealine brand (motor yachts) together with plans, moulds, parts lists and equipment. In 2014, HanseYachts started to produce Sealine yachts.

Catamaran Market Entry (2017)

In May 2017, HanseYachts parent company Aurelius SE acquired the majority of stock in Privilège Marine SAS, a luxury catamaran builder located in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. Furthermore, Aurelius announced a cooperation between Privilège Marine and HanseYachts.