Catana achieves record growth
The Catana Group has published its sales figures for the first quarter of the 2021/2022 season. The latter confirms the trend of the Catana and Bali catamaran builder to a strong growth. Compared to the first quarter of the previous year, the increase is +64.4% and even +66.8% in new boat sales. The quarterly turnover for new units alone is 27.86 million euros, and 29.74 million euros for the group as a whole. To maintain this growth, the shipyard hired 164 people, including 120 in France.
Catana Group expects to maintain a strong pace over the year and beyond, with potential annual revenues of ?160 million in 2021/2022 and a backlog already signed of ?190 million in 2022/2023 and ?80 million in 2023/2024.
Fountaine-Pajot's order book on the rise
The Fountaine-Pajot group is also showing a positive trend. At the end of the autumn boat shows, the Charente-based manufacturer had a volume of orders of 195.3 million euros, up 10.2%. Boats already invoiced represent 50.3 million euros, with 145 million euros remaining to be delivered during the year. The group is back above its pre-crisis covid levels. It plans to continue accelerating its production, with prospects for overall growth over the year.
Procurement and recruitment, the Achilles heel
The two major multihull builders are nevertheless highlighting the same challenges and questions. They point out the difficulties in sourcing equipment and raw materials, which are currently under control, but can easily get out of hand. Recruitment is also a challenge, given the tight job market in composites and the explosion of order books.
On the customer side, it seems that the turbulence experienced by tourism and part of the boat rental sector, traditional customers of multihulls, has mainly been overcome. The growth in demand for catamarans by private individuals also offsets this risk.
