HanseYachts buys Sealine
German yacht manufacturer purchases English powerboat companyHanseYachts, the second-largest manufacturer of sailing boats in the world, has taken over Sealine GmbH and entered the powerboat market ranked number 12.
In a statement announcing the acquisition, Hanse said that the move marks the consistent expansion of the HanseGroup’s multi-brand strategy and the acquisition of Sealine is a quick way to gain a share of the powerboat market.
"The motorboat market is not only larger than the sailing market, but has also been experiencing growth for some years now contrary to the trend in the sailing sector. Motorboats are also a good way of opening doors to the newer nautical markets, such as China and Brazil." said Jens Gerhardt, CEO of HanseYachts AG. "I am sure that the sales of both our Fjord motorboats and our sailing boats will benefit from adding the Sealines to our range," he added.
Following the acquisition of Moody in 2007, Sealine is now the second traditional English brand and the sixth brand overall in the company: Hanse, Dehler, Moody, Fjord, Varianta and now Sealine.
Previously Hanse’s only entry in the motorboat market was the sporty Fjord boats. Hanse said that Sealine now marks a step into the mass-market. For over 40 years, Sealine has been manufacturing luxury motoryachts. The company recently achieved a turnover of around 40 million Euros, however a weak capital base meant the company was forced to file for administration earlier this year.
Production of Sealine boats will be moved to the Hanse production facility in the city of Greifswald situated on the Baltic Sea in Germany. The F380 model announced by Sealine will be completed and is due to celebrate its world premiere at the Düsseldorf Boat Show. There are plans to expand the product range even further in 2014 and details will be announced after Düsseldorf.
Hanse says that worldwide sales will be handled "mainly via the existing Sealine dealers."
In our market, importers 5 Star Motor Cruisers will remain the Sealine agents. For more information on 5 Star Motor Cruisers go to: http://5starmotorcruisers.com.au/
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