Groupe Beneteau, 140 years of innovation

With the 13 new 2024 models in its boating division, the group continues to mode upmarket: experience on board, technological innovation and durability. Pioneer from generation to generation for 140 years, the Groupe Beneteau reaffirms the values that underpin its strength and its capacity for innovation and transformation. 

At the Düsseldorf Boat Show 2024, Groupe Beneteau is celebrating its 140th anniversary under the banner of innovation. 13 new models were presented by the brands of its Boat division. The Group is continuing its strategy of moving upmarket, with enhanced on-board experiences, technological innovations and sustainability. The Group emphasised the values of Passion, Transmission, Conquest and Audacity, which have been its strength for 4 generations. These values continue to guide the Group's ability to innovate and transform itself, to deliver ever greater value to its customers.

SINCE BENJAMIN BENETEAU IN 1884, THE BENETEAU GROUP HAS NEVER STOPPED INNOVATING
"All began in 1884 in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, in Vendée (France), a small fishing village on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Benjamin Bénéteau built fishing boats there, with the aim of being ever faster to be the first to reach port," recalls Gianguido Girotti, Boat Division CEO, Groupe Beneteau. "His visionary influence was later passed on to his granddaughter, Annette Roux, who went on to define the modern concept of leasure boating. As a pioneer, she combined know-how with the series production of boats to make leisure boating accessible and distributed worldwide."

 
DELIVERING VALUE TO CUSTOMERS REMAINS A PRIORITY
Innovation has always been the driving force behind the Groupe Beneteau. Successive generations have always demonstrated the same desire to add value and meet the needs of their customers: first fishermen, then families, and more recently weekly charters. Over the decades, the Group has enjoyed remarkable growth thanks to the successive contributions of prestigious brands. BENETEAU, JEANNEAU, PRESTIGE, LAGOON, EXCESS, DELPHIA, FOUR WINNS and WELLCRAFT. They have all contributed to enriching the Group's offering,

BRINGING DREAMS ON THE WATER WITH RESPONSIBILITY
For Gianguido Girotti, " Bringing dream to water is not just our mission but more a kind of an obsession to ensure that we respect and protect our navigation area, the water. The Group's CSR approach, which has been underway for more than 10 years, has accelerated with the formalisation of the B-Sustainable programme in 2022. In terms of the environment, the Group's approach is based on an analysis of the life cycle of its different types of boats and sailing activities, in order to provide solutions with efficient impact. The Group's stated ambition is to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030."

 
PASSION, TRANSMISSION, CONQUEST, AUDACITY: 4 VALUES THAT DRIVE THE GROUP'S INNOVATIONS
For Gianguido Girotti, "throughout its history, the Group has faced up to difficulties with vision and a sense of anticipation, always relying on its 4 values, which today guide nearly 8,000 employees around the world".
The passion : 34 years ago, the launch of the BENETEAU Figaro 1 was a major innovation that gave birth to renowned skippers such as Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyaux, Armel Le Cleac'h and many others. In 2024, the Group is launching the Jeanneau Sun Fast 30 One Design, the first 100% recyclable boat specially designed to help the new generation of sailors reconcile sport, performance and eco-responsibility.
The transmission is considered a duty for the Group. Each new design, each cleat screwed onto a deck benefits from unique know-how that must be shared from generation to generation.In the 1960s, BENETEAU was the first builder in Europe to industrialise the production of polyester sailing yachts. In 2024, building on this unique know-how, the Groupe Beneteau remains at the forefront with the brand new Elium® Arkema resin process, which makes it possible to build hulls and decks that are entirely recyclable. The series production of the SUN FAST 30 One Design will enable this innovation to be deployed on 50' sailing yachts.
The conquest  is the Group's ambition to be the leader in the markets it invests in: already with the first series production in the 90s of the LAGOON catamarans, today the world leader in the multihull sailing segment, or more recently in smartboating with SEANAPPS, or on the charter market with DREAMYACHT and NAVIGARE. In 2024, the Group is massively opening up 2 new market segments with the Prestige M-line, which is the 1st "true" multihull designed to be a powerboat, and the Four Winns TH range, which will pave the way for a more responsible dayboating activity, with 30% less fuel consumption than a traditional dayboat.
The audacity  transcends the history of the Groupe Beneteau and drives its development. "In 1910, Benjamin Bénéteau launched the first motorised sardine fishing boat. It was a real breakthrough innovation, but it brought value to customers because fishermen could return to port more quickly to sell their fish," recalls Gianguido Girotti. In 2023, after streamlining its brands and product portfolio in 2020, the Group has invested heavily over the past 18 months to design and develop a new offering that will also bring more value to its customers: the New Prestige F-Line, with more space. For Jeanneau, the new SUN ODYSSEY 350 will also complete the range, for BENETEAU, the 7th generation of Oceanis with the 37.1 electric propulsion, the SWIFT TRAWLER 54 in response to expectations of autonomy, the LAGOON 60... In total, more than 13 new models offered by the brands of the Group in 2024.

THE GROUP DRAWS ON THE COMPLEMENTARITY OF ITS 9 BRANDS TO CONSOLIDATE ITS POSITION AS A MULTI-SPECIALIST IN ITS MARKET SEGMENTS
After 2 flourishing years for the nautical industry, the Groupe Beneteau and its boat division are approaching 2024 with a clear vision: to focus on its 3 market segments: dayboating, real estate on the water, and monohull and multihull sailing boats.

"The complementary nature of our brands is a major asset in meeting the diverse needs of sailing enthusiasts around the world," emphasised Gianguido Girotti. "BENETEAU, JEANNEAU, PRESTIGE, EXCESS, LAGOON, DELPHIA, the 2 American brands FOUR WINNS and WELLCRAFT, and GLASTRON dedicated to boat clubs, each bring unique expertise: which allows us to remain at the forefront of innovation across all our market segments."

INNOVATIONS IN 2024 UNDER THE BANNER OF THE ON-BOARD EXPERIENCE, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Beneteau « Avant-Garde in Boating »
Beneteau is celebrating its 140th anniversary with a remarkable history spanning 80 countries, 44 models in 6 ranges and 118,000 boats built. The brand continues to innovate in 2024 with the Oceanis 37.1, the latest model to feature electric propulsion, illustrating the constant advances made in terms of sustainability. The second major innovation is the Swift Trawler 54, a combination of tradition and innovation, with a Fusion hull by Bill Dixon, Sleipner vector fins and an elegant design by Pierangelo Andreani. Autonomy is a key feature, offering a range of 800 nm at 9 knots and advanced energy solutions, setting the ST54 apart from traditional trawlers. 2024 will also be a year of celebration for its 140th anniversary. In particular, Beneteau is organising the Great Loop Europe from June onwards, criss-crossing Europe from Sweden to Greece aboard a specially equipped Oceanis 37.1. The brand will also be taking part in the Vendée Globe, marking two decades of partnership.