Fountaine-Pajot to acquire a stake in Dufour Yachts
A rapprochement between the two main Charentais shipyards is under negotiation. Fountaine-Pajot has announced that it is considering acquiring a majority stake in Dufour Yachts, with the support of the Crédit Agricole Charente Maritime Deux-Sèvres Regional Bank and its investment fund Unexo. A final agreement could be signed in a few weeks.
Complementarity of offer and network
The two brands highlight their complementarities. Fountaine-Pajot is specialized in catamarans from 300 k to 2 500 € k, while Dufour Yachts has built its know-how on monohulls from 80 € k to 450 € k. The strength of the Fountaine-Pajot network lies in the United States and abroad, while Dufour Yachts is particularly present in Europe. Both companies are based in the rochelaise region and wish to pool these commercial advantages and their development capacities.
Almost 150 million in sales
The 2 French yachting heavyweights have more than 1,000 employees and generated almost 150 million in turnover in 2016/2017. Dufour Yachts, created by Michel Dufour in 1964, currently employs 500 people and has a turnover of 63,5 M € as at 31 July 2017, through its range of monohulls from 31 to 63 feet. More than 600 people work in the production of sailing and motor catamarans at Fountaine-Pajot, which achieved a turnover of 79 M € in 2017.
