From industry to boating
Tenderlift, a specialist in hydraulic systems for pleasure boats based in Canet-en-Roussillon since 2001, changed ownership in December 2020. His new couple of owners, Benoit and Hélène Chatillon, bought the company of about twenty employees from Jean-Paul Vuillermet, who has been at the head of the company since 2016, after having acquired it from its founder. "An entrepreneurial couple, we both have a 15-year career in industry, after studying at HEC Paris. For my part, I have held general management positions, the last of which were within the Saint-Gobain group and at Verallia in Albi, a specialist in armoured glass for the railways and navy. After consulting, Hélène worked in finance at Dior and Schneider Electric. In mid 2019, we began to have a desire to take over a company. Talks with Tenderlift started in 2020. We are both passionate about water sports. I have skippered rental sailing boats and Hélène has lived on a boat for several years" presents Benoit Chatillon.
An SME with technical know-how in the nautical industry
Tenderlift's activity and its similarities with their previous experiences motivated the new owners. "It is a company with a competent team and all the facets of an industrial SME: a design office, qualified technicians, hydraulic know-how. The market seems interesting to us, as the catamaran sector is growing. If the charter sector is impacted by the Covid crisis, the owners' sector is still growing and we think that this dynamic will continue" justifies the manager.
Diversification and structuring of the commercial network
The development project of the buyers is both commercial and technical and should be built over time. "We have a long-term logic, the first step being to know our customers well and understand their needs. We are thinking of diversifying into the nautical sector. We are leaders in the aft platforms of catamarans and have an exclusivity on patented carbon jacks. There is a range to be developed. With our skills in boilermaking and hydraulics, we can provide innovative, tailor-made solutions by listening to the client's technical needs. Commercial development will also involve our network of partners around the world for installation and sales, to grow and structure" concludes Benoit Chatillon.
