Beneteau Group buys Portuguese shipyard

Beneteau Group has announced the acquisition of Starfisher, thereby strengthening its production capacity for 25 to 35-foot powerboats by establishing itself in Portugal.

Located in Campos, in northern Portugal, a few kilometers from the Spanish border, this production site covers 50,000 square meters, including 15,000 square metres of factory and warehouse space.

“The Beneteau Group has great ambitions for development in all the markets it addresses and, in particular, the dayboating* market, which is particularly dynamic. This acquisition will enable us to strengthen our production capacity for small motorboats and to establish ourselves in Portugal, adding up to the three other plants dedicated to these markets located in Poland and the United States,” explains Jérôme de Metz, chairman and CEO of Groupe Beneteau.

It employs 200 people and, after having produced boats under the Starfisher brand, has been operating for several years as a subcontractor for other brands, including some from Beneteau since the beginning of 2021.

* Dayboating market: powerboats below 40ft in length.