AMEL SHIPYARD
One year after the health crisis: assessment and outlook
THE AMEL SHIPYARD IS ADAPTING AND STRENGTHENING ITS LINKS OF PROXIMITY
WITH THE DECLINATION OF “AMEL PRIVATE TOUR” ONLINE
AMEL SHIPYARD – Since the first lockdown in March 2020, the AMEL sites have been constantly adapting to maintain production at 20 units per year (AMEL 50 and 60) and respect their customer’s deadlines. To maintain the link with customers and prospects, the availability of the Amel teams have been enhanced with the help of new communication tools. After having organized, during autumn 2020, AMEL “Private Days” with the teams from La Rochelle and Hyères (South of France), the shipyard opens today, Tuesday May 4, 2021, access to its “Amel Private Tour” website.
With most boat shows being cancelled, meeting customers and sailing fans on the pontoons has proven to be impossible. That’s why the AMEL sales team has set up “AMEL private days”, by reservation and in compliance with health rules, to show the sailboats and workshops, and answer all questions from customers or future customers.
A practice that the shipyard wanted to adapt to an “online” version with the “AMEL Private Tour” website. “We are still together, but differently. With video appointments, anyone, wherever they are in the world, can be guided on a tour of the workshops, or an Amel 50 or 60, and have answers live and in images. », summarizes Stéphanie Rullier, communications director.
The “AMEL Private Tours” is a space dedicated to talking with the AMEL team and finding out more about these yachts:
• A question about us or about ours boats? Chat with our team! (Demonstrations, visits, video exchanges …)
• Discover in video the opinions of those who have already tested the AMEL 50 and AMEL 60
• Follow us for a tour of the AMEL shipyard and its “savoir-faire”
• Deepen your knowledge of AMEL yachts down to the smallest detail with our photo and video galleries
Review of the year 2020 and outlook
1 – Preserved production and respected commitments:
Apart from 15 days of production stoppage in March 2020 to organize work in compliance with sanitary rules, the AMEL shipyard succeeded, thanks to the involvement of their teams, in respecting delivery deadlines and maintaining production of 20 units per year. On the supply side, they had to quickly organize to anticipate the situation generated by the health crisis. “Thanks to the confidence of our customers, who all kept their orders, we were confirmed to put in place measures, such as the decision to over-stock. Maintaining good relations with our suppliers and being able to meet our payment deadlines help us a lot (confidence is there!)”, says Ludovic Gibouin, Purchasing Director. The “small quantities” that AMEL needs also play in the right direction: It is easier to find 500 kg of resin than 50,000 for “large” sites. Today, the purchasing department continues to anticipate limiting the effect of shortages and rising prices. Having a majority of French and European suppliers is a real advantage in this context.
2 – A good year for business
The shipyard has seen an increase in interest in its sailboats with a significant increase in visits to its website and social media pages during periods of travel restrictions. While the onset of the health crisis and the first lockdown in March 2020 put commercial activity on hold, contacts and requests for information resumed in April, with regular orders since that date.
“Containment and travel restrictions put in place around the world have created a real need for escape, nature and freedom. What could be better than an AMEL yacht to experience the adventure in complete safety! In such uncertain situations, the yachting world is seen as a haven and the yachting market is doing well. And indeed, we are seeing an increase among our clients of long-distance sailing projects, especially with families. The AMEL yachts being particularly well suited for this type of program, we are undoubtedly benefiting from this positive effect of the crisis. », comments Antoine Rioton, AMEL La Rochelle sales director. “The year 2020 has been rich in new contacts with a strong trend: a rejuvenation of our customers and prospects,” he continues. Since 2019, nearly 90% of new AMEL customers are foreigners. Nationalities are quite varied, around 25 countries are represented, between European countries, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, Turkey, Russia … Wishing to increase its share of sales on the French market, the shipyard is strengthening its actions and its communication at the national level.
“The “family” dimension and team spirit which characterize our work site are a real strength, which takes its full measure during periods of crisis such as the one that began in 2020. The trades which constitute the heart of the work sites AMEL, has shown great solidarity and made real efforts not only to maintain the quality requirement which is the hallmark of “AMEL”, but also to develop our skills, our production methods, and the sharing of experience with our customers. There are difficulties, of course, but we overcome them “together”. This dynamic, paradoxically driven by a health crisis, holds great promise for the future.”, sums up Emmanuel Poujeade, general manager of Chantier AMEL.
The AMEL team will welcome you, answer all your questions on the following show:
• Palma International Boat Show: June 3 – 6, 2021 | Spain
• Cannes Yachting Festival: Sept. 7 – 12, 2021 | France (Mediterranean)
• Genoa Boat Show: Sept. 16 – 21, 2021 | Italia
• Grand Pavois La Rochelle: Sept. 28 – Oct.3, 2021 |France (Atlantic)
• Annapolis Sailboat Show: Oct. 14 – 18, 2021 | USA
