Offer Zodiac boats at the right price
Zodiac didn't present any major new boats at the Paris Boat Show, but the RIB specialist did detail its new offer, emphasizing its pricing policy. The aim is to increase standard features while lowering prices. "Standard equipment was a little poor on the Medline range. We're now offering something more qualitative, notably with the upholstery and the sundeck. At the same time, we're lowering the price of the Medline 500 by 5%" illustrates Fanny Revert, product manager at Zodiac. "Nor should the brand be sold off or misused. We're not ashamed to be more expensive, but we can't be out of the market. We're still the premium generalist," adds Pierre Bastide, the majority shareholder who has temporarily taken over operational management of the company since the departure of its chairman Dominique Héber Suffrin in November 2019.
A new pilot to pursue the industrial project around the Zodiac name
While he has parted company with the previous leader, Pierre Bastide intends to continue the industrial project launched since the purchase of Zodiac Nautic in 2015. "Dominique Héber Suffrin did a good job, but not fast enough. I hope to have a new pilot at the start of 2020. His mandate will be to continue the turnaround with the aim of being profitable next year. What initially appealed to me about buying the company was the strength of the Zodiac name. I'm a motorcyclist, and I'll draw a parallel with Harley Davidson, a name that had fallen into disuse. The strategic project began by rebuilding the industrial base, with boats delivered on time and costs cut, while recreating the link with dealers so that everyone can earn a living. The fundamentals are here more than ever
Winning back Mediterranean and American yachtsmen
Zodiac is counting on several levers to boost sales. By rejuvenating its Medline and N-Zo ranges, the RIB builder aims to regain market share in the Mediterranean. Other geographical areas are also targeted. "North America used to account for 40% of Zodiac's sales, but has fallen off sharply. We want to get back there. Asia is also virtually untouched," adds Pierre Bastide. Synergies with the Couach Group, in which he is also a shareholder, could also emerge. "The professional boat axis can open up new markets, as in the case of the SNSM contract won with Couach. A Couach/Zodiac group is not on the agenda, as we need to keep the strength of the names, but there is a pooling of resources, particularly in research and development and in all technological aspects," sums up the shareholder.
