Italy’s Azimut-Benetti Group has confirmed that it will open its own boatyard in the state of Santa Catarina, with a production area of 200,000 square metres next month. The announcement was made at an Azimut news conference in São Paulo last week.
Paolo Vitelli, President of Azimut-Benetti Group, announced the recently founded Azimut do Brasil Yachts, is the company that will manage the production of Azimut branded yachts, at a site in Itajaì, in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.
The Azimut do Brasil Yachts boatyard that occupies an overall surface area of about 200,000 sq.m., making it the largest covered boatyard in the world, will begin operations next month and is planning to compete the first boats by June 2011. The first yachts to be built will be flybridge versions of the Azimut 43 and Azimut 58. In its first year of operation, the boatbuilder will focus on the manufacture of six units. Only the hulls of these first boats will be produced in Brazil; the remaining parts will be imported from Italy.
Azimut 58
At full capacity, the Itajaì Azimut plant hopes to produce up to 100 yachts per year, offering a range of 6 different models (4 less than 80 feet long and 2 over 100 feet long). The overall investment amounts to approximately 80 million Euros, over the next 5 years. The yard will begin operations with 50 staff members, although the number is expected to eventually rise to 1,000 due to strong demand on both the domestic and export markets.
The operation was sparked by the considerable growth in the Brazilian nautic market which, after ten years of continuous expansion (due also to the development of the economy), now offers good opportunities for further growth, especially with regards to yachts of over 50 feet.
Paolo Vitelli, president of Azimut-Benetti Group Photo Credit Diego Redel
“The characteristics of the Brazilian boating market”, said Paolo Vitelli, “are particularly suited to the Azimut philosophy that aims to offer excellent design and product quality, as well as a top class aftersales service. We’re the only Italian boatyard today which, thanks to its longstanding financial solidity, is able to make such a big investment. At last we can offer the Brazilians – who are so sensitive to and interested in the charm of Italian luxury – our original models, creating an excellent opportunity to further increase our already significant market share”.
Azimut-Benetti is who was already known in the Brazilian market, thanks to an earlier partnership with Brazilian boat builder Intermarine, signed a partnership agreement with Yacht Brasil in April, a dealer boasting a highly-structured sales network that includes 18 sales outlets and 8 dedicated service points throughout the country.
Santa Catarina is the second nautical centre in Brazil, after Sao Paulo. Itajaì in particular has a strong nautical tradition, and it is for this reason that it has been chosen as the only Brazilian leg of the Volvo Ocean Race (March 2012). Additionally, over the past 6 years, the state of Santa Catarina has seen the highest GDP growth rate in the whole of Brazil.
The Azimut-Benetti Group comprises the yachting brands Azimut Yachts, Benetti and Atlantis. The group operates in 67 countries via a sales network of 138 offices. In 2009, Azimut-Benetti generated sales of around €650m.
