YPI the brokerage house hosted a yacht builders seminar with FIPA Italiana Yachts at an event in Monaco to which many in the superyacht community were invited. This was the 2nd such Seminar to take place and followed on from the success of the Feadship reunion the company hosted in June last year
One broker said of the event, “It is so refreshing to be able to meet face-to-face the top people and decision makers from the quality shipyards…this is the new face of yachting.”
FIPA Head of Sales, Luca Guidetti said “People are always pleasantly surprised when they come to visit our sites in Viareggio. For 30 years we have been building yachts based on a solid reputation communicated by word-of-mouth. That says a lot for our work.”
Founded in the 1970s, FIPA Italiana Yachts is a family-run business and is made up of no less than four major Italian yachting brands – AB Yachts, MAIORA, CBI Navi and Intermare – FIPA now builds custom yachts in GRP, steel and aluminium, Kevlar and carbon from 20 – 80 metres in length.
Attendees at the seminar also benefitted from an insightful look into the state of yacht building today and some of the battles the industry now faces courtesy of Theo Hooning, Secretary General of the superyacht builders association, SYBAss.
“SYBAss is a body that is genuinely working hard to make a difference for yacht builders and the industry as a whole,” says Head of YPI Management Franc Jansen. “This whole area of yachting is going through some monumental changes today; focusing on these changes and ensuring the industry is protected has to be top priority for all of us.”