Over the first 9 months of its financial year, the Catana Group (Catana and Bali catamarans, and YOT powercats) posted business growth of 16%. If the situation returns to normal in a difficult market, the Canet en Roussillon-based shipyard is announcing a diversification of its sales strategy aimed at a new clientele attracted by the unique features of its Bali catamarans.

In line with the trend seen in recent quarters, Catana Group has maintained a good rate of growth over the first 9 months of its current financial year, which should be around 10% for the 2023/2024 financial year.

While market conditions are tightening, with rising interest rates, geopolitical and economic uncertainties, and sharp rises in boat prices, the French group is maintaining a solid level of business, buoyed by the success of its highly innovative Bali range of catamarans.

Catana Group's 9-month sales came to €167m, compared with €144m in Q3 2023 (+16%).

The last few months have enabled the Catana Group to regain composure in its logistical and industrial organisation, which has been under heavy pressure over the last two years, a period that saw the Group double its business, against a backdrop of severe shortages of components, with some suppliers favouring sectors other than the yachting industry.

While the current economic climate is tending to slow the market and make it less clear in the short term, the Group is continuing to implement its strategy, continuing to build long-term growth drivers.

Among these levers are two key elements for Catana Group: the product plan and the sales strategy.

Firstly, the product plan will see the continued roll-out of the Bali range, in particular towards larger units, and the development of the power catamaran or powercat offering.

In this context, Catana Group will launch two new, highly strategic models this year.
September 2024:

• the BALI 5.8, the BALI brand, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, is entering a new size in which it was not previously present, strengthening its growth potential. All the ingredients that have made the BALI concept such a worldwide success (very large spaces, multiple living areas, open-space concept) take on a whole new dimension in this new large boat, enhanced by an even more elitist design.
• The YOT 41 will mark the second stage in the launch of the Group's new motorboat compartment, YOT. Following on from the success of the YOT 36, the first model in this ‘outboard’ range, which was presented in Europe throughout the year, the arrival of this second model completes the range at just the right time, and will be able to count on the ramp-up of the new factory in Aveiro (Portugal) from the end of 2024.

Then there's the sales strategy.

Until now, the Catana Group's strategy has been to target the major professional charter companies with its Bali brand, which has been literally acclaimed by private individuals wishing to charter a pleasure catamaran, thanks to its unique features. The Group has now decided to focus most of its efforts on small and medium-sized charter companies, which account for 70% of the world charter market.

This effort confirms a process, already noticeable in this financial year, of reducing the weight of large leasing companies in the business.
in the business, as these companies are considered to be at risk by management due to possible conflicts of interest
conflicts of interest arising from recent changes in their shareholdings.

To add to this strategic potential, the group created by Olivier Poncin is expected to offer a financing package tailored to the profile of small leasing companies in the coming months, thereby increasing the order potential in this segment.