96 AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2019 | International Boat Industry ibinews.com
Industry Insider
FRANCIS LAPP
Francis Lapp, founder, Sunreef Yachts Words: Jaroslaw AdamowskiP
oland’s luxury catamaran builder Sunreef
Yachts has carved out a share of the global
high-end leisure craft market by focusing on
customisable sailing and motor catamarans. Based
in Gdańsk on the Polish Baltic coast, the business
says that, while it sees an increased interest from
Polish customers, Sunreef Yachts continues to sell
its craft almost exclusively abroad. Some of the
boatbuilder’s main export destinations include
Western Europe, the Middle East, North America,
Asia and Russia.Your company recently appointed Speedo Marine as
its exclusive representative for China, managing your
marketing and sales activities
there. Are you expecting a major
hike in sales in relation to this
cooperation?
The Chinese market has
significant growth potential,
but Sunreef Yachts is focused
on the luxury segment of the
boatbuilding industry. Our
customers are interested
in top quality and seek
customised craft that respond
to their most refined needs.
The Gdańsk shipyard’s production capacity ranges
between 30 and 35 craft per year, so we’re far from
mass production, and things will remain this way.
Our offer for the Chinese market will be focused
on a new line of sailing yachts with a length of
between 50ft and 80ft. But we will also offer largerWe’re focusing on a new motor
range with 60, 70 and 80ft models
catamarans of more than 80ft. We’ve already built
craft for customers from China.Over the past months, you have also opened a new
sales office in Tivat, on the Montenegrin Adriatic
coast, at Porto Montenegro marina. Does your sales
strategy for European customers differ from that of
the Chinese market?
Montenegro is sometimes called the Monaco of
the Adriatic Sea; we believe it’s a great location to
show our yachts to potential customers. We also
have an office in Miami in the US, which covers
North American markets.
Regarding the product range for the office
in Montenegro, it’s the same.
We’re currently focusing on
introducing a new motor range
with 60, 70 and 80ft models,
and new sailing yachts in 50,
60, 70, and 80ft options. But we
have even larger models in this
category, up to 165ft in length.As part of your international
expansion in 2018, you opened a
new shipyard in Dubai. Do you
plan to produce catamarans at
this facility? Is it a joint venture, or are you the sole
investor of this facility?
The shipyard in Dubai is currently focused on
maintenance and servicing for our customers’
craft. We have a growing customer base in the
Middle East, and we believe this region has great
potential. This facility also supports our sales
across the region.Have you noticed any market trends that are likely
to shape your portfolio in the coming years? What is
the structure of the demand for your catamarans?
Sailing catamarans continue to be our bestselling
craft, but motor catamarans are picking up
in sales numbers. We’re in the process of
overhauling our product portfolio, and this
process will take some time. I believe that in a
year’s time, about 60% to 65% of our sales will
be generated by sailing catamarans, and the
remaining 30% to 35% will be generated by motor
catamarans.FOUNDER OF SUNREEF
YACHTS, French
businessman Francis
Lapp, also serves as
the president of its
management board. He
talked to IBI about the
boatbuilder’s foreign
expansion strategy;
its new facilities and
offices in the United Arab
Emirates and Montenegro;
the company’s increased
presence in the Chinese
market; and how Sunreef
Yachts aims to adapt its
product portfolio to the
changing needs of its
customers Tennis star Rafael Nadal’s new 80ft Sunreef power
catamaran will debut at Cannes 2019 and no doubt boost
the builder’s profile both in Spain and internationallyOur offer for the
Chinese market
will be focused on a new
line of sailing yachts
with a length of between
50ft and 80ft