Vitters Shipyard and Management of Claasen Shipyards Join Forces

Two of the leading superyacht builders in the Netherlands have joined forces. Vitters Shipyard and the management of Claasen Shipyards have together acquired Claasen Shipyards and will now form the new owners and management team of the yard.

The combination creates significant added value for Vitters and Claasen as they leverage on their individual strengths to operate in tandem while continuing their yachtbuilding activities in the manner that has earned both yards an excellent reputation.

“Claasen Shipyards has a fine team of people with considerable skills and experience, and we are delighted to welcome them as colleagues,” comments Louis Hamming, CEO of Vitters Shipyard. “The yard has built an impressive fleet over the years and the exceptional expertise of the Claasen craftsmen is completely in line with the identity of Vitters. Moreover, their rich knowledge and experience of building and engineering a J-Class yacht will be a major asset to Vitters.”

Green Marine, builder of many famous composite yachts, residing in Southampton in the UK is member of the group. Green Marine will still build hulls for third parties and will have the opportunity to be fitted out at both Claasen and Vitters. This is another opportunity for Vitters, Green and Claasen to benefit from each other’s markets and expertise.

“Joining forces with Vitters Shipyard is a great chance for Claasen to grow further in the niche market in which we operate,” adds Joachim Kieft, CEO of Claasen Shipyards. “This development will make it possible for us to achieve our ambitious goals for the coming years.”   

The individual business formulas and working methods of the companies will remain the same within the new set-up. Both yards will retain their distinctive brand identity and serve specific areas of the superyacht market. At a management level, Claasen and Vitters will make and share agreements with each other in regular meetings. There will also be closer ties in the project management, with the two yards working with the same suppliers/contractors in the first-class maritime infrastructure in the Netherlands. Marketing activities will also be combined, starting with a joint stand currently at the Boot Dusseldorf show 2016.