SwissCat moves to Fano, Italy
The builder of high-end catamarans SwissCat has moved to Italy. Installed since 2019 in Balaruc sur Mer, in the Occitania region, the shipyard moved at the end of 2021 to Fano on the Adriatic coast, in one of the renowned basins of the Italian nautical industry.
"Shortly after we moved to Balaruc, we had to close the site for a while because of Covid. There were changes in all directions. From the beginning, our idea was either to expand and redo the site or to move in the long run. Eventually, this accelerated the movement. We talked with Christian Paulitch from Itacat who works with the same architects as us. We finally agreed on a site in Fano that we share with Performance Boats, which is our subcontractor for the composite. He also works for Wally, Solaris and Ferretti," says Philippe Chatel, director of SwissCat.
Rationalization of production
By moving closer to its subcontractor, SwissCat is simplifying its industrial management. After starting with a 48-foot sailing catamaran, then a 55-foot, the company began diversifying in 2021, launching its first motor boat, the Leman 30 a top-of-the-line dayboat model. Renamed Precision, the engine range, already produced in Italy, offers two models, the Precision 34 and the Precision 42. "With this new organization, it will be simpler. All sail and engine production, multihull and monohull, is grouped together in the same place. We'll be doing the assembly right next to our subcontractor," says Philippe Chatel.
Production growth targets
In parallel with the logistical aspect, the new industrial tool should allow Swisscat to increase its annual production of boats, while keeping its identity as an exceptional semi-custom product. "We should be able to increase our production to five 55-foot sailing catamarans per year and about ten small boats. In Balaruc, we were limited to 3 boats per year. If we made a 55-footer, we didn't make another one in parallel," summarizes the ambitious SwissCat manager.
