The boating industry? Still downhill, although somewhat less “vertical” than expected: Ucina released data on the industry’s business volumes over 2013, and it turns out that the market contraction was -3% (vs. at -4% expected), with total sales of 2.4 billion euros. A difficult situation that outgoing president Anton Francesco Albertoni leaves to his successor, presumably Massimo Perotti, president of the Sanlorenzo shipyard
EXPORTS GROW, BUT NO NEED TO CELEBRATE
The export share of domestic shipbuilding production is definitely growing: 93 percent compared to 54 percent in 2008 (in 2012 it was at 86 percent). But this is not an entirely positive figure: it indicates the competitiveness of domestic shipbuilding and the falling in love of foreign customers with Italian brands, but also the steady decline in domestic demand. Therefore, Italian companies are implementing new “foreign” business strategies (including offshoring) to survive.
OUR SPANISH NEIGHBORS.
And in other countries what is happening? The Spanish boating industry confederation (ANEN, Asociacion National de Empresas Nauticas) has released some interesting data: in April alone, 397 new boats were registered in Spain, 23.68 percent more than in the same month of the previous year, and an overall +11.85 percent over the first four months. Several Spanish shipyards have resumed hiring: they are recovering, while in Italy we are still in the downturn phase. A sign of a more concrete policy of the Iberian government to support boating. We just have to take our cue.
