HanseYachts AG is a German yachtmanufacturer headquartered in the city ofGreifswald. The company offers monohull sailboats under the Hanse, Dehler and Moody brands as well as catamarans under the Privilègebrand. Motorboats are sold under the Fjord and Sealine brands. HanseYachts is cooperating with the yacht designers Patrick Banfield, Bill Dixon, Judel/Vrolijk & Co and Marc Lombard.
Corporate affairs
HanseYachts AG is the second largest production builder of sailing yachts globally. The company has its main manufacturing site in Greifswald, a subsidiary for hull production and pre-assembly in Goleniów, Poland, and the site of Privilège Marine in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. The production halls provide a total area of approximately 545,000 sq ft. Sailboats account for about 60% of revenues, powerboats for about 40%. HanseYachts AG is quoted on German stock exchange.
History
Founding, rise, IPO (1990–2007)
HanseYachts is originated in an old-established shipyard for fishing cutters and other workboats. The today's company was founded in 1990 – after the fall of the Iron Curtain – by Michael Schmidt, the winner of the 1985Admiral's Cup. At the beginning, Yachtzentrum Greifswald – so the former name of HanseYachts – focused on yacht refit and other services. The first model Hanse 291 was launched in 1993. In the years to come, the company successively extended the model range 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. Founder Michael Schmidt remained majority shareholder.
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 was added, and the creation of a new Moody range with decksaloon and aftcockpit models began. Furthermore, HanseYachts bought the remaining shares in Fjord Boats AS and introduced a first new Fjord model. 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 (2008–2016)
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 lamination factory in Goleniów and its main factory in Greifswald. In 2013, HanseYachts parent companyAurelius SE purchased the English Sealine brand 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. In June 2019, HanseYachts announced the takeover of its sister company.
