Beneteau Yachts History & Heritage
Since its inception in 1884, Beneteau has maintained majority ownership within the Beneteau family, with the current custodian being Annette Roux, the granddaughter of the founder, Benjamin Beneteau. The rich history of Beneteau encompasses the construction of sailing fishing boats, evolving into a dynamic force in the boating market.
Throughout the years, Beneteau has been at the forefront of innovation, bringing about revolutionary changes in the industry. The company has enlisted the talents of iconic designers such as Philippe Starck and Sergio Pininfarina to infuse style and interest into its brands. Beneteau is known for its commitment to doing things a little differently, continuously pushing the boundaries of conventional boat design and manufacturing.
Beneteau, originally founded in 1884 by naval architect Benjamin Bénéteau, began as a shipyard constructing sail-powered wooden fishing trawlers in St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, a small town on France's Atlantic coast. This location remains the nerve center and corporate headquarters of the group. The company's evolution included a transition to engine-powered fishing smacks in 1910, a move that drew dismay from local fishermen who accused them of scaring away fish.
Control of the shipyard shifted to Benjamin's son, André, in 1928. Post-war, André Bénéteau played a key role in rebuilding the town's entire fishing fleet and specialized in building tuna fishing vessels. The mid-1960s witnessed the involvement of the third generation – Annette Bénéteau Roux and André Bénéteau – who introduced fiberglass construction and refocused the company on recreational boats. Sport fishers were introduced in 1965, followed by fast-planing motor cruisers in 1974. The last fishing boats were launched in 1975, marking a definitive shift toward exclusively producing recreational boats. Trawler yachts, such as the Swift Trawler range, were introduced in 1980.
In 1984, the group went public on the Paris Stock Exchange, with the Bénéteau family retaining a controlling interest. Further expansions included the opening of a boatbuilding factory in South Carolina in 1986 and the addition of Jeanneau to the group in 1995. The establishment of Monte Carlo Yachts in 2009 and the spin-off of Prestige as a separate brand in 2010 were significant milestones.
The Barracuda range of sport fishers debuted in 2011, and a factory for building Gran Turismo boats was opened in Brazil in 2012. Beneteau's motorboating portfolio was reinforced in 2014 through the acquisition of four American marques – Four Winns, Glastron, Scarab, and Wellcraft – along with a substantial production facility in Michigan.
Facing economic challenges in 2016, the group closed its residential house-building company and shifted focus to holiday homes. The motorboat factory in Brazil was also shuttered. Despite these adjustments, Beneteau maintained its leadership in the marine leisure industry, reporting modest growth even in challenging economic climates. In 2018, the acquisitions of Delphia and Seascape further solidified the group's position.
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