The world's second largest leisure boats manufacturer, the French group Bénéteau, has decided to suspend production at its boat building sites in France and Italy.

Due to the progress of the Covid-19 Coronavirus epidemic and the measures taken by the government to protect the health of the population, Groupe Bénéteau decided yesterday to temporarily suspend its pleasure boat and mobile home construction activities throughout France and Italy.

18 production sites are affected in France, 12 in the nautical sector (Bordeaux, Cholet, Les Herbiers, Dompierre, le Poiré, Bellevigny, Commequiers, Chalans, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, Noirmoutier l'Herbaudière) and 6 in leisure wear (Lesquin, Lezignan, Beaucaire, Givrand, Luçon), and 2 sites in Italy (Montfalcone, and Castello d'Argile). The boat brands concerned are Bénéteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Prestige, Excess and Monte Carlo Yachts.

Production units in the United States and Poland are currently experiencing a slowdown in activity, but have not been shut down.

In the United States, these Groupe Bénéteau plants build sailboats and powerboats under the Bénéteau, Jeanneau, Four Winns, Glastron, Scarab and Wellcraft brands. In Poland, they build outboard motor boats, sailboats and trawlers under the Bénéteau, Jeanneau, Delphia, Wellcraft and Four Winns brands.

The commercial and after-sales service activities of the group's various brands are maintained.

As a result of the current situation, deliveries of boats to dealers are made complex, between the confinement of populations, the availability of transporters, the closure of certain marinas, the frequent absence of crane crews and the availability of dealer personnel.  This situation is all the more difficult for dealers as the current period is one of delivery and collection of a large part of their annual turnover. Against this backdrop, Groupe Bénéteau, through SGB Finance, is implementing financial solutions to support its network and enable it to get through this difficult period.

It should be noted that the presentation of the strategic plan, scheduled for April 29th, 2020, has been postponed to a later date.

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