New factory planned for Green Marine
By IBI Magazine/David Robinson
As part of the takeover of UK composite yacht-builder Green Marine by Dutch superyacht builder Vitters, a new factory is being planned that will be able to build yachts up to 80m (262ft) compared with 58m (190ft) at present. "By 2011 we would hope to have the new factory which will combine the two existing plants in Southampton and Lymington," Geert Shouten told IBI.
Shouten explained that Green Marine had been up for sale at the time of purchase and Vitters was keen to buy to complement its yacht-building activities in the Netherlands. The previous owners are understood to have retired.
Shouten told IBI that a "substantial" investment was being made to increase R&D activities and also component manufacture both in terms of "product and processes". He indicated that this work was in its initial stages but that a link has been established with Southampton University to help with it. Also that "cooperation with a number of non-competing companies would also be arranged."
In terms of new work, Shouten told IBI that "we have three strong leads for yachts between 70ft and 130ft and we are hopeful to sign up one of these in the next couple of months." To cope with the present workflow a further 10 staff are being recruited to bolster the present 66 and these include a new general manager. Synergy from the takeover was already being shared with Vitters in terms of the components and processes and he emphasised that the Green Marine name would stay.
(12 February 2010)
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