Aurelius, new majority shareholder of Privilège Marine
Aurelius Equity Opportunities SE & Co KgaA, already owner of Hanse Yachts AG, announced on 19 May 2017 that it had acquired a majority stake in the capital of the Marine Privilege group. All the shareholders have sold their shares to the German group, except Gilles Wagner, the current CEO of Privilège Marine, who will remain in office.
The Sables d'Olonne shipyard must be maintained and expanded, according to the press release from Privilège Marine. The existing boat catalogue is also kept.
Opening to catamarans
With the acquisition of the Privilège brand, Aurelius adds catamarans to its already broad offer. Rich of 6 brands of monohulls through the Hanse group, owner of Hanse, Dehler, Moody and Varianta yachts and motor boats Fjord and Sealine, the company did not offer any catamaran. It thus sets foot in one of the most dynamic niches in boating. We can nevertheless be surprised at the alliance of a mass production boatyard with a catamaran manufacturer, more oriented towards custom.
Gert Purkert, member of the board of directors of Aurelius, confirms Hanse Yachts' interest in catamarans and explains the need for external growth in this niche. "The high-end catamaran market has experienced particularly strong growth in recent years. HanseYachts has not yet been able to participate in this development, as it was simply not possible to manufacture units of this width in existing production facilities. The Privilege brand, appreciated and recognized, will perfectly complement the HanseYachts portfolio.
Future industrial and commercial synergies
If the press release of Privilège Marine indicates that the brand remains independent, that of the Hanse group announces that it is planned in the future the purchase of the Privilège à Privilège Marine brand by Hanse Yachts, with retrocession of a licence in return.
In any event, synergies should be found between the two shipyards. Components of the Privilège catamarans, currently subcontracted, could be produced in Germany by Hanse.
Privilège Marine will benefit from the power of the Hanse Group's worldwide distribution network. Gilles Wagner, CEO of Privilège is delighted. "HanseYachts is much more important than Privilege and has a global presence. Our customers, like us, will benefit in particular from the network of distributors, firmly anchored throughout the world. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to working together with HanseYachts."
Feeling's future to be determined
The sailboat brand Feeling, owned by Privilège Marine, also joins the Aurelius range. When asked about the future of these integral dinghies, which could complement Hanse keelboats, the yard confirmed that the brand was part of the takeover, but that no additional information would be given to date.
