Luxury Yacht Giants Unite: Nautor Swan and Sanlorenzo Group Merger

Nautor Swan has passed 60 percent of its ownership to Sanlorenzo Group, aiming for full ownership by 2028. Courtesy Nautor Swan

Nautor Swan, which is best known for building sailing yachts from 28 to 131 feet long, has passed 60 percent of its ownership to Sanlorenzo Group, which also includes the Sanlorenzo superyacht shipyard and the Bluegame range of open and fishing powerboats.

The plan is for Sanlorenzo Group to have 100 percent ownership of Nautor Swan by April 2028, at the end of a four-year transition period.

“I have dedicated 26 years, together with a skilled and professional team, to developing and transforming this already famous and iconic shipyard into an international brand recognized for quality, elegance and reliability, the key elements at Nautor Swan’s core,” Leonardo Ferragamo, Nautor Group president, stated in a press release. “Today, my goal is to propel forwards a brand that is so beloved and respected and ensure its longevity by entrusting it to one of the world’s leading nautical groups, led by Massimo Perotti, one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in the marine industry.”

Perotti, the CEO of Sanlorenzo Group, added in the same press release: “Signing this agreement represents another milestone for our strategy. … We are talking about a niche brand, ultra-exclusive, whose philosophy is aligned with the one we have in Sanlorenzo.”

Nautor Swan was founded in 1966. The Boatbuilding Technology Centre in Pietarsaari, Finland, is expected to remain the main production site for its yachts, while the partnership with Sanlorenzo Group will allow for more research and development, including the use of new materials and sustainability options in construction and outfitting.

The Sanlorenzo Group’s plans include pursuing such developments along with expanded markets while “always preserving the heritage and the exclusivity of the brand, respecting the competence and experience gained over the years by Nautor Swan. The union of the two brands Sanlorenzo-Nautor Swan—each with its own exclusive and limited offer, dedicated to a proper audience of connoisseurs, not overlapping—will create a unique nautical pole in the world. The best of motor and sailing yachting.”

Ferragamo will remain president of Nautor Swan, with Perotti as CEO and Giovanni Pomati as co-CEO.

Wait—doesn’t Nautor Swan build motoryachts too? Yes. The brand is best known for its sailing yachts, with close to 20 models stretched across Yacht, Maxi and ClubSwan lines, but there is also a Nautor Swan Motor Yacht Division. Its offerings include the Swan Shadow, Swan OverShadow and Swan Arrow. Overall, Nautor Swan has built more than 2,350 yachts in the past five decades.

Take the next step: learn more at nautorswan.com

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