From socks to yachts. Mr. Calzedonia buys Cantiere del Pardo

The Calzedonia Group, among Italy’s leading apparel and underwear manufacturers, announced that it has reached a binding agreement to purchase Cantiere del Pardo with Wise Equity, the investment fund that took over the majority stake in the shipyard three years ago. Ownership passes into the hands of the Veneto-based group headed by entrepreneur Sandro Veronesi, founder of Calzedonia, but Cantiere del Pardo’s historical managers, Planamente and Servidati, remain on board with a minority stake.

Cantiere del Pardo is acquired by the Calzedonia Group

Founded in 1973, Cantiere del Pardo since its inception has launched more than 5,000 boats under the Grand Soleil brand and more recently, under the Pardo Yachts and VanDutch brands. The company has grown significantly since the arrival of investment fund Wise Equity, which entered ownership in 2020, both in revenues and corporate structuring.

The success of the powerboat line Pardo Yachts, conceived in-house and developed with the collaboration of prestigious design firms, can be considered one of the greatest exploits in the recent history of world boating, given the significant growth since the introduction of the first model in 2017 to projected sales of more than 150 yachts in the past year.

Today Cantiere del Pardo changes hands again, 50 years after its inception, with the Calzedonia Group acquiring the majority stake (Wise Equity held 60 percent of the shares), while Servidati and Planamente, the two managers and proponents of CdP’s success, will remain partners in the company continuing the current development strategy based on quality, excellence and respect for tradition.

Pardo Shipyard, 50 years of history

Half a century ago one of the most famous realities of Italian boating was born. Cantiere del Pardo, the one of the legendary Grand Soleils, just celebrated this milestone during the Grand Soleil Cup 2023 in Sistiana(read how it went here).

A history, that of the Forlì shipyard, which is linked to two important names in Italian sailing: Giuseppe Giuliani Ricci and Raul Gardini. The first is the founder of Grand Soleil, then Cantiere del Pardo. Thanks to a loan of 3 million lire obtained from Raul Gardini, the man who would bring an Italian team to the America’s Cup for the first time with the Moro di Venezia, he managed to acquire the Sailboats shipyard, by then close to bankruptcy, in composition with creditors. This is where the story begins, with a mythical model being Finot’s Grand Soleil 34. Out of the box at the time, short deckhouse and huge stern, it was a huge success, with 300 examples and a production run of 11 years.

Today the shipyard produces sailboats between 34 and 80 feet, under the Grand Soleil brand, and powerboats under the luxury brands VanDutch, acquired in 2020, and Pardo Yachts. VanDutch is also partnering with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, to whom it is providing a VanDutch 48 as the AC75’s “tender boat” for the upcoming America’s Cup campaign.

Who is Sandro Veronesi (mr. Calzedonia)?

Sandro Veronesi is the entrepreneur who founded the Calzedonia brand in 1986, with the idea of promoting the sale of socks and swimwear through a chain of specialized stores. Created from nothing after a brief stint at Golden Lady, today the group has more than 3 billion in sales.

44000 employees and 5000 specialized stores in 56 countries are the numbers of the Calzedonia Group. Cantiere del Pardo is just the latest acquisition of a holding company that now has 9 brands, most in the clothing sector, including Falconeri, Tezenis and Intimissimi. In 2012 Veronesi founded Signorvino, a chain of wine stores specializing in the sale of excellent Italian wines, diversifying the group’s business and opening himself to new entrepreneurial challenges. Challenges he now shares with his three sons, Marcello, Matteo and Federico, all in their 30s and each leading a brand.

James Barbaro