Developing the yachting division in Europe and beyond. The goal is to grow and do it so quickly, says Gemma Gonzalez Ferrer, director of the Yachting Business Unit at Gruppo Boero
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Gemma Gonzalez Ferrer was appointed Director of Gruppo Boero Yachting Business Unit about a year ago and, as a sector expert, she started by taking stock. «The first thing that struck me about Boero YachtCoatings», she says «is the solid presence in Italy».
Yachting represents a significant percentage of the firm’s business, but the peculiarity is that it is very concentrated in Italy.
We produce a lot of boats in Italy, especially medium-sized and large yachts, and so over the years, Boero YachtCoatings has won the trust of a lot of Italian yards. «We are acting in concert with the property to expand abroad». This is the DNA of the CIN Group, the majority shareholder of the Gruppo Boero since 2021, actually, a multinational corporation with business in more than 50 countries, among the top ten painting manufacturers in Europe. «They have an international vision which will lead Boero YachtCoatings brand as an international player in the yachting industry», says Gemma.
The aim is to grow double digits of turnover year on year. That is an ambitious target, but one which can be achieved with a precise strategy. Gemma Gonzalez Ferrer says the international dealer network will be strengthened.
Boero YachtCoatings is currently a leader in Italy, in particular for newly-built yachts. When boats are launched and start to be used, they also travel beyond Italian waters. Most of the yachts which have used Boero YachtCoatings products are in the Mediterranean, and that is why it is essential to expand the dealer network, both for sales and assistance. «We have to encourage loyalty amongst our clients and follow them in the years that follow the yacht construction process. And then we have to expand our presence in the main European yards».
Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey are just the first countries on which Boero YachtCoatings is focussing, but the aim is to create a network throughout the Mediterranean. These are the home waters to 700 yachts, on average fifty metres long, which have used Boero YachtCoatingspaints, fillers or anti-fouling products. «Assistance, service, refitting, but also new yards that use our products».
EPOLIGHT WIN È UNO STUCCO EPOSSIDICO BICOMPONENTE, MOLTO FLESSIBILE E LEGGERO.
The quality of Boero products is now beyond question, thanks to innovation, which has always been well funded. Amongst the products, we should mention Magellan 630 Extra, an antifouling based on SPC technology, the “Self-Polishing Copolymer” Silyl acrylate. This means that during the sailing period, the antifouling film becomes smoother having less friction with the water. It helps save fuel and keep the CO2 emission low. Also, this product contains two special biocides, Copper thiocyanate, which does not create bioaccumulation, and DCOIT that, once in contact with water, rapidly degrades itself to a non-toxic material, meaning no long-term presence of this biocide in the sea. All these special features let this antifouling guarantee three years drydock (DD) interval and, after the service life, the remaining film has good adhesion and can be re-coated without removal, reducing dock time and application which means lower maintenance costs for yachts. These characteristics made Magellan 630 Extra the most sustainable SPC antifouling in the market according to Boero’s technical benchmarking among top seller SPC antifouling products.
All the products in the range are at the level of the international superyacht market requirements, and Magellan 630 Extra anti-fouling paint is not an exception, since the Biocide Product Regulation (BPR) have for some time now forbidden the use of biocides and components that can damage the environment. In fact, the firm, guided by its belief in being always more sustainable and respectful of the environment, is collaborating with Water Revolution Foundation (WRF) for the analysis of the entire life cycle of some antifouling products in order to verify their impact with the aim of reducing it even more. But
Challenger Pro è uno smalto bicomponente. La sua caratteristica è la capacità di proteggere le superfici dagli agenti atmosferici, in particolare i raggi UV del sole.
Boero YachtCoatings isn’t just synonymous with anti-fouling paints; its range for the full paint system also includes many primers, fillers, paints, and varnishes. «Fillers are essential for the New Building market. They have an excellent reputation globally thanks to their principal features of Flexibility and Lightness. The lightest on the Market», Gemma said. Epolight Win is a two-component epoxy filler that is very flexible and thus easier to apply, while also being the lightest in the market. This is an important feature because yachts of fifty metres and more, for example, use an enormous amount of filler. Keeping weight down means it doesn’t affect the boat’s displacement, in fact, it allows fuel saving and reduction of CO2. Epolight Win is, at the same time, the most flexible filler in the world which means that it remains very elastic also in critical conditions, avoiding the risk of cracking and, consequently, lengthens the DD interval reducing maintenance costs for yachts. Thanks to its high-tech solvent-free resin, this product is also “good news” for applicators, because it is safe to use and it is non-irritating for the human skin.
«Proud sponsor of The Ocean Race Genova – The Grand Finale, Boero YachtCoatings is elevating its yachting network worldwide with a legacy of over 50 years of painting solutions», said Gemma. «By supporting this international event, we seized this remarkable opportunity to connect with our valued customers, both Italian and international, engaging them for friendly networking and leisure activities, reinforcing our partnership. With the final leg of the race, from Alicante to Genoa, we’re sailing alongside our many partners, supported by our new dedicated yachting strategy, and making waves of excellence together».
(Gruppo Boero, rolling back the boundaries – Barchemagazine.com – August 2023)
