/ 
A strategic project supported by Group management
On August 26, 2025, Catana Group Chairman and CEO Aurélien Poncin presented plans for a new industrial unit dedicated to the manufacture of large, top-of-the-range catamarans. This initiative is in response to the growth in the international market for units over 70 feet, now included in the standard catalogs of several major players.
The objective is clear: to reinforce the Group's production capacity by anticipating the evolution of standard dimensions in the multihull sector. Catana thus intends to consolidate its position among the world's top three catamaran builders.
A targeted location at the heart of Canet's nautical hub
The future plant would be located in the immediate vicinity of the current site, just a few hundred meters away, in the industrial zone of the Canet-en-Roussillon nautical cluster. The site selected covers more than 50,000 m² and is currently the subject of a land option validated by the local authorities. It adjoins the logistics and port infrastructures already operated by Catana, facilitating the integration of the new entity into the existing industrial ecosystem.
The project involves the construction of a 15,000 m² production building, double the surface area currently used by the shipyard in Canet. It will complement the Canet and Rivesaltes facilities, where the Bali and Catana ranges are already produced.
A response to changing market standards
Catamarans produced today measure between 50 and 58 feet. But according to Aurélien Poncin, the trend over the last few decades has seen a steady increase in unit size. What used to be a special âeuros order for units of 80 feet and over âeuros is now becoming a normalized expectation of the international market, particularly in the luxury cruising sector.
The new plant is designed to enable the production of these large-scale units under suitable technical conditions: extended assembly areas, modular production lines, specific lifting equipment. This industrial repositioning will also enable Catana to better segment its production flows according to model size and specificities.
20 million investment for 200 jobs
The total investment is estimated at 20 million euros. The Group plans to create 200 direct jobs initially, in addition to the 450 already existing in the Pyrénées-Orientales region. This increase in the workforce is intended to accompany the rise in production rates and the site's specialization in units larger than 70 feet.
According to the Group's management, the opening of this new plant marks Catana's last major structuring industrial project in France. It is part of a drive to consolidate the company's position in France, while also aiming to improve its export competitiveness.
Environmental procedures to be investigated
Part of the site is classified as a wetland. Before starting work, a series of regulatory environmental studies must be carried out by the French government. In particular, these studies must determine the possible presence of protected species and define the compensatory measures to be implemented.
The appraisal procedure is estimated to take 12 to 15 months. In the event of a positive outcome, work could begin as early as the end of 2026. Construction of the plant would then take 12 to 18 months, for an operational opening between November 2027 and spring 2028.
Support from public authorities
The prefect of the Pyrénées-Orientales region, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, reserved his first official visit for this project. Accompanied by the mayor of Canet-en-Roussillon and the president of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he expressed his commitment to facilitating the process, while reiterating his role as guarantor of the legal framework.
Catana's project is part of the industrial dynamic of the Canet nautical cluster, which aims to become a strategic center for the construction and maintenance of multihulls on the Mediterranean coast.
