France
The sailing boat brands Beneteau, Jeanneau, CNB, Lagoon and Excess Catamarans are affected by the temporary construction stop at the market leader Beneteau. After the group management had throttled production at their production sites in France and Italy a week ago due to the virus pandemic and streamlined operational processes, the definitive shutdown followed yesterday. The productions of the Beneteau group in Poland and in the US will also be reduced in capacities, but will be maintained for the time being.
Same picture at the catamaran manufacturer Fountaine Pajot and Dufour Yachts, which have been merged in a group of companies since last year. Even at their production sites in Aigrefeuille and LRochelle, the compulsory break is prescribed in difficult times. The manufacture of new boats is at a standstill. The national curfew has been in effect in France since last Monday. This means that all ports and transport companies must also cease operations. For this reason alone, the delivery of new yachts cannot take place to the usual extent. At Fountaine Pajot, a production stop of at least two weeks is expected. Customers would be informed of the new delivery dates in good time.
Germany
The situation in this country is different. Both at BavariYachts in Giebelstadt and at the Hansegruppe in Greifswald with the brands Hanse, Moody and Dehler, production will continue without restrictions for the time being. Even more: As Hanseyachts AG reports, the conveyor belts are currently running at an "above average high level". Something similar from Giebelstadt: At BavariYachts, production is fully booked until at least July 2020, and production continues to run at full speed.
Both large shipyards in Germany have nevertheless taken far-reaching measures to protect their employees and thus contain the spread of the virus as best they can. Sales and production structures are more strictly separated, and wherever possible, employees at Bavariund Hanse also work from home. Trade fairs are canceled.
Boats are also being built at the Sirius shipyard on Plöner See, but with reduced capacity. The areas of administration and production are also consistently separated here, and the shipyard management has given the employees the option of coming to work or not since yesterday.
Italy
In the crisis-ridden region of northern Italy, Solaris Yachts in Aquilein had to switch to lockdown mode following an order from the authorities. The production workers were sent home. The shipyard management therefore expects delays in the delivery of new yachts.
Apparently, no official restrictions apply to the Cantiere del Pardo shipyard in Forli on the Adriatic coast, where production of the sailing yachts from the Grand Soleil program can continue with almost no restrictions. All employees are well and healthy, and the government protective measures are being respected, writes the shipyard. The delivery of parts as well as the transport routes remained largely unrestricted. The shipyard therefore does not expect any significant delivery delays.
Scandinavia
The situation is apparently relaxed in Sweden: There is no reason why your ships should not continue to be delivered on time, as they have been for 75 years, says Magnus Rassy, head of Hallberg-Rassy to YACHT online. The delivery of components and material continues to take place without restrictions, and it is not foreseeable that anything will change in this regard. At the production site in Ellös, too, everything possible and necessary is done to protect the employees. If you can, you can also work here from your own four walls.