A strategic update in 2021
Uship has had a busy 2021. Marked in February 2021 by a change of ownership and the creation of a holding company called Sea Sail Ship, the year was one of transition and definition of new strategic directions. "In February, the shareholding changed, with the arrival of three funds and the main executives. We ended the year by showing the new shareholders what we could do, with a 22% increase in revenues. This enabled us to confirm our choices and to prioritize the strategic directions already identified in the business plan. The first was the recruitment of a network coordinator, which is already in place. The second was the development in the Mediterranean region with the upcoming recruitment of a developer for Spain. Finally, the third is external growth" explains Stephan Serra, CEO of Uship and Sea Sail Ship.
Different tracks of nautical diversification
As far as external growth is concerned, the assumptions made are varied. Opportunism is the guideline. No names have been announced at this stage, but announcements could come in 2022. "It could be a minority stake or a total buyout. In terms of activity, we are thinking in particular of distribution, with wholesalers in France or abroad, but also of services that we can add to our members. In any case, everything must be done for the benefit of our members, through better pricing conditions or exclusivities, for example... There is a group logic and not just a capital link. The holding company must disseminate good practices", illustrates Stephan Serra.
When asked about the position of Alliance Marine, owner of its main competitor Accastillage Diffusion and also a distributor, he does not hide a desire to rebalance relations. "Today, we are solicited by international brands that arrive on the French market, but do not want to be sold only by Uship. By being distributors, we could create a reciprocity with Alliance Marine, from whom we buy a little bit of material today" he notes.
