Groupe Beneteau plans large-yacht and refit hub in Canet

Groupe Beneteau has announced plans for a new 15,000-square-metre site in Canet-en-Roussillon, in the south of France. The project was unveiled at Les Occasions du Multicoque et du Refit. The group wants the facility to expand its services for large yachts and its capacity to refit pre-owned boats in the Mediterranean, and expects it to become operational in mid-2029.

The site builds on BMS, a Canet-based company that maintains, customises and refits large catamarans and joined the group in October 2025. Founded by Pascal Cantiran and Denis Ranjard, BMS has 20 employees and reported revenue of 3.3 million euros in 2025. The new facility will extend that work to the group’s large yachts, meaning sailing and power catamarans and monohulls over 60 feet. Preparation of new boats and the installation of their equipment will also grow.

“By combining BMS’s expertise with the Group’s resources, we aim to develop a Mediterranean hub in Canet dedicated to services for large yachts. We are convinced of the potential of refitting pre-owned boats and see this as a new opportunity to scale up Groupe Beneteau’s NEO program, with the ambition of making this site a global benchmark in the 60- to 80-foot segment,” said Clément Himily, Managing Director of Groupe Beneteau’s Sailing Business Unit.

Plans call for about 2,200 square metres of buildings, subject to the necessary studies and permits. That could double in a second phase, with an optional 10,000-square-metre extension of the land. The group is placing its service operations at sites with direct waterfront access. In Les Sables-d’Olonne, the future Port Olona 3 hub is expected to handle more of the preparation, customisation and commissioning of new boats.

Canet will also add capacity to NEO, the group’s refit programme for pre-owned boats. An expansion announced at the Cannes Yachting Festival took the range from two to eight models across the Lagoon, Beneteau and Jeanneau brands. The aim is to extend the service life of boats and make refurbished, upgraded models, restored by the company that built them, more accessible. Each refit starts from the original plans, the composite moulds and parts lists indexed by hull number, which define the work and identify the right parts. A full inspection and each brand’s standards are used to keep quality in check.

NEO completed two projects in the first half of the year, a Lagoon 42 and a Lagoon 450. The group is targeting 130 refitted boats a year by 2030, and by then Canet could take on around 10 large yachts a year, working alongside the group’s other hubs.

A second phase could also bring a dedicated space for owners and crews, with training in boat handling, safety and onboard systems, either on their own boat or on an equivalent model. The base would also host customer academies and events.

 

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