Acceleration of model launches in the face of the crisis
Like all manufacturers in the yachting industry, the Fountaine-Pajot Group, owner of the homonymous multihull brand and Dufour monohulls, has been strongly impacted by the crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although production was halted for several weeks, the company insists on its determination to face the situation, through the implementation of digital tools to keep in touch with clients and the support of the dealer network to increase its presence on the market. The key element of its new strategy is based on the release of new models of sailboats and motor catamarans. "We are investing in new models. By presenting 7 new boats today, this is more than we had anticipated before the crisis" insists Romain Motteau, Deputy Director of the Fountaine Pajot Group.
Dufour yachts at the heart of the strategy
Taken over two and a half years ago by the Fountaine-Pajot Group, the Dufour brand was the heart of the Group's presentation to the press in 2020. In addition to the Dufour 530, already presented at the 2020 Boot Dusseldorf, two new models were announced for the German show in 2021, the Dufour 61 and the Dufour 470: "The Dufour 530 marked the desire to reinvest in the 45 to 60 foot market, where we believe the brand has great potential. With the Dufour 470, we are tackling the heart of the market, the 45/47 feet," explains Romain Motteau.
Dufour's ambitions also include international development in the export market. To date, 80% of the yachts are sold in Europe. To achieve this, the group has announced the recruitment of a new world sales director, the former figarist Nicolas Béranger. He will be assisted by market experts for the different geographical sectors in Europe and worldwide. A new director of the design office has also been recruited.
In response to questions about the risks of confusion following the sale of the JJL Catamarans subsidiary and the Dufour Catamarans brand, Nicolas Gardies, director of the Fountaine-Pajot group, stated: "Only the name Dufour Catamarans was sold, not Dufour. The catamarans will continue to live but they no longer fit in with the group's projects."
Renewal and sustainable development for Fountaine-Pajot catamarans
Between the Power 67, the Isla 40, the Samana 59 and a future 51-footer, 4 catamarans were presented by Fountaine-pajot. "The Isla 40 is strategically important as an entry level catamaran. It comes after the Lucia 40, one of Fountaine-Pajot's biggest successes," says Romain Motteau. On the 51-foot sailing catamaran project, little information is revealed. Announced as "revolutionary" and "1st entirely sustainable sailing catamaran", we can imagine that it will build on the experience of the electric boat presented with Volvo in 2019 in Cannes. Materials, energies... We will wait for details to estimate the extent of the real ecological transition launched by the project.
