Cecchini: "Cantiere delle Marche is doubling its construction and looking to the US."

A more than solid 2021, even exceeding expectations, and a very promising future, in line with a four-year business plan that should double current production value. Underpinning everything is a full order book for deliveries through 2025, providing both peace of mind and, above all, a sound basis for growth planning.

CEO Ennio Cecchini reveals the numbers and medium- and long-term plans of Cantiere delle Marche, an Ancona-based brand specializing in the construction of explorer yachts, to SUPER YACHT 24 in this exclusive interview, granted immediately following a particularly important board meeting.

What was decided in this Council?

The Board of Directors has approved the 2022-2025 business plan, which will mark a period of strong growth for us: from the €33,2 million in production value we closed 2021 with, we will increase to €60 million this year, gradually increasing to €70 million in 2025. In practice, the current figure will more than double.

Where does all this optimism come from?

"From the fact that we already have signed orders for €174 million, which means guaranteed work for the shipyard for years to come. We've definitively put the lockdown year behind us, which for us meant three months of total shutdown and then a slow restart—too slow, I'd say. Not being able to meet customers in person and show them the boats for a long time was a major obstacle for a business like ours. Fortunately, we overcame it, and at the last Cannes boat show, we had excellent sales results."

How did you manage that critical period?

"First of all, I want to say that we haven't had a single hour of furlough, and for us, the care and satisfaction of our employees and suppliers is fundamental. Then we looked at other markets, for example, opening an office in Australia, which has helped us a lot. For our clients, who are looking for explorer yachts, a 'base' like Australia is a significant logistical support."

Where do the Cantiere delle Marche shipowners come from?

"We have a truly global clientele, from the United States, Mexico, Latin America, the Far East, and Russia, but our boats are also very successful in Great Britain and Germany. We're keeping a close eye on the American market, especially the West Coast, because we're already well-known in Florida and the Atlantic coast in general."

Do you plan to expand your production range?

"Not for now. To the explorer range, which has always set us apart and remains the core of our offering, we've added the RJ line, which is a bit more 'yacht-y' in the traditional sense but retains the spirit of the explorers. We're focusing on highly customizable semi-custom steel and light alloy boats and fully custom/one-off, full-displacement explorer yachts, with an average length of around 43-44 meters; we're not interested in going beyond that. Our annual production will be 4-5 boats a year. We're focused on quality, and we don't want to waste energy on too many models. We currently have seven yachts under construction in Ancona and two recently launched, so that's fine."

What investments did you rely on to achieve them?

At the end of March, work will be completed on a new 2.500-square-meter warehouse, which will allow us to build up to two boats of 47-48 meters at a time. At the same time, we will also be growing our workforce: today we have about forty direct employees, which will increase to about fifty by the end of the year. We especially need project managers, who will follow the boat's construction process with the client practically from start to finish, and designers. The average age of our employees is also very low, another factor that makes us look to the future with optimism.

You were the founder of the shipyard, which was founded in 2010: have you achieved the goals you set?

I'm from Fano, and my past experiences as an entrepreneur in shipbuilding have been very varied, from fishing vessels to gas tankers. With Cantiere delle Marche, we wanted to create a company that would bring together the excellence of an area—the region stretching from Ancona to Pesaro—which is rich in expertise in the nautical and shipbuilding sectors, as well as in artisanal skills: carpenters, furniture makers, etc. We've been working with the same suppliers for a very long time, who guarantee the quality we seek, and when necessary, we've even supported them financially.

Ancona today, also thanks to other production companies such as CRN and Palumbo/Isa, Has it become an important hub for megayachts in Italy?

"We're certainly on par with the Viareggio shipyard, even though we don't have the same size. As Cantiere della Marche, we've built a network of top-tier suppliers and companies we trust completely. We want to continue this way, working with them: a winning team doesn't change."

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