Five Questions to... Fabio Planamente Ceo Cantiere del Pardo

FABIO PLANAMENTE CEO CANTIERE DEL PARDO

by Désirée Sormani

How have you dealt with this lockdown period and how are you handling the recovery? Our lockdown has been quite short, just twenty days. We closed on 27 March and reopened on 16 April after a municipal agreement that authorised us to restart production through local institutions. Fortunately, raw materials carried on arriving and this enabled a safe recovery that has meant we’ve been able to deliver our yachts in time for summer.

How have you found the market after the reopening? We build craft between 10 and 24 metres in length, all for the top end of the market, which has not suffered too much. We’ve had no cancellations from anywhere in the world. The crisis has made itself felt more in the lack of opportunity to travel – many owners found it impossible to get to their boat in the Mediterranean or come to exchange their current yacht for a new one. This situation eased gradually and sales have picked up again. Fortunately, in February we’d already sold the boats we produced in 2020. Although things were critical in the USA we experienced very good sales, as yachts are seen as an island to escape to with the family and friends. We see 2021 in a positive light – our books close on 31 August every year, and 2020 will show a 35% increase in turnover compared to 2019.

At a time of global crisis caused by Covid-19, Cantiere del Pardo has purchased a new brand, VanDutch. Excellent news… Yes, and it’s a testament to the health of our yard. We can look forward with confidence, and targeted acquisitions in sectors that are strategic for us will drive our growth. VanDutch, a brand launched in the Netherlands in 2008, complements our Cantiere del Pardo, it’s not a competitor. In America, our main market for motoryachts, it’s a very highly-regarded brand – there’s always a Van Dutch moored off Miami and Fort Lauderdale, but it’s also popular on the Cote d’Azur and the Balearic Islands.

How did you come to set your sights on VanDutch, a Dutch yard, to include in an Italian group? This acquisition is a source of pride for us. A VanDutch build is a top-quality craft – we’re talking about pure lifestyle and very high-profile clients. It’s also a win for us Italians, as we’re always being accused of selling our brands abroad! Doing the opposite is a feather in our cap, and it will generate new growth because the production will be in Italy. We’ll still be using the same Dutch studio, Mulder Design, but construction will be handled by us at Forlì. We’re happy because it will provide more work for people in the region. We believe in supporting Italy despite the bureaucratic hurdles this often involves. The Made in Italy concept is still seen as something special by people abroad.

The other three prestigious brands, Pardo Yachts, Grand Soleil Yachts and Grand Soleil Custom, mean that the Cantiere del Pardo group is becoming even bigger. Is this a deliberate strategy? Yes, it’s strategic, but with our feet planted firmly on the ground. The difference between Cantiere del Pardo and other companies is that we’re lean, streamlined – we take decisions quickly and are always up with market changes. This combination has enabled us to enjoy rapid growth.