Groupe Beneteau acquires French service centre
Sailing Atlantic Services team with Beneteau chair Bruno Thivoyon
Groupe Beneteau has acquired Sailing Atlantic Services, a Vendée-based company in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
Sailing Atlantic Services has worked with the group for 25 years and specialises in installing navigation and safety equipment, as well as boat customisation, maintenance and storage services.
The company prepares between 130 and 150 boats each year, primarily for charter fleets operating in France and internationally.
Sailing Atlantic Services, founded in 2000, employs 11 people and generated revenue of €1.8m in 2025. Following the transaction, the business will retain its regional base and governance structure under the leadership of Denis Fauvet, CEO.
“The acquisition of Sailing Atlantic Services is part of our commitment to building an ever more comprehensive range of services to enhance our customers’ experience,” says Bruno Thivoyon, chair of the Groupe Beneteau executive board. “It draws on recognised expertise and strong regional roots, which are an integral part of the group’s DNA.”
According to Fauvet: “This merger is the natural progression of many years of partnership based on trust. It will enable us to expand our range of services and bring more to our customers.”
Investment in Port Olona 3
Alongside the acquisition, Groupe Beneteau has also confirmed an investment project in Les Sables d’Olonne involving the development of a nautical services centre in the Port Olona 3 area, where the activities of Sailing Atlantic Services are expected to be relocated.
This follows the group’s acquisition of the catamaran shipyard BMS in October 2025, in Canet-en-Roussillon, in the south of France.
Groupe Beneteau plans to invest €3.3m in the new facility, with total investment potentially reaching €4.5m if options are exercised. The centre is designed to handle up to 300 launches per year, compared with around 120 currently. Commissioning is targeted for December 2027.
A preliminary sales agreement was signed on Tuesday (17 February 2026) for a 7,000 m² firm tranche of land in the Port Olona 3 zone, with an additional optional tranche of 5,000 m² that may be exercised within five years. The building permit application is scheduled for September 2026.
The project involves constructing a building capable of accommodating larger Lagoon and Excess multihulls, as well as Prestige models manufactured in Vendée, increasing flexibility for higher-specification yachts. The group says this facility will help expand its capacity for boat customisation, personalisation and commissioning, particularly for boats delivered through the Vendée production sites.
The technical specifications include environmental measures such as installing photovoltaic panels, installing a green roof and optimising surfaces to limit soil sealing.
“Les Sables d’Olonne is a key location for the group in the Vendée region: with this new hub at Port Olona 3, this investment will enable us to get closer to our customers and improve the quality of our service, so that we can support each customer with their sailing projects,” adds Thivoyon.
Founded in Vendée 140 years ago by Benjamin Bénéteau, Groupe Beneteau now operates 16 production sites and maintains a global sales network.
The group generated sales of €850m in 2025 and employs more than 6,400 people, primarily in France, the United States, Poland, Italy, Portugal and Tunisia. Through its nine brands, the boating division offers more than 135 pleasure craft models across sailing and motor segments, including monohulls and catamarans.
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