Since 1884, Benjamin Beneteau and today the Beneteau Group have continued to innovate, transform and conquer new markets for a universal mission: to make dreams on the water accessible to as many people as possible: “Bringing dreams to water”.
The sea, a place where we dare to dream, where we dare to spread our sails, guided by a passion for discovery and a thirst for adventure.
A dream where the sea is no longer an obstacle but a path to humility and respect for others and nature.
Celebrating its 140th anniversary means looking to the future without forgetting its roots.
Celebrating its 140th anniversary means celebrating the talent of the Group’s 7,200 employees worldwide at 18 production sites, and highlighting their expertise and the complementary nature of our teams.
It also means recalling the strength of each brand in the Group’s success and mission.
It was an ideal moment to express our thanks to our stakeholders, contributors to this success: our supplier partners, dealers, and, of course, our customers.
In celebrating our 140th anniversary, we highlighted the Group’s strengths and, above all, its ability to adapt to build the future and ensure its sustainability. Groupe Beneteau is built on a solid foundation (teams, stakeholders, projects, values) that is more focused than ever on tomorrow, and it is on this basis that we can look to build and navigate the future.
2024 was an opportunity to rediscover our history, our strengths and our commonalities, to share what has inspired us for four generations: our values of passion, transmission, conquest and audacity.
We are continuing our wonderful adventure by looking to the future, positioning ourselves as a key player in the nautical industry of tomorrow, focused on innovation and sustainability.
OUR ADVENTURE, A STORY WRITTEN WITH THE TEAMS' PASSION
On BOARD! one book, many stories
To tell the story of this collective epic, the Group has published an anniversary book, entitled À BORD!, dedicated to the people who, day after day, have built this adventure. A sincere tribute to the commitment of all generations of employees, which also showcases the strength of innovation and the richness and diversity of the know-how that is passed on.
An evening, one location, a source of pride
More than 350 people gathered at the Poiré-sur-Vie site for the Explore evening, organised in partnership with Ouest-France. For the event, the expeditions building was transformed into a conference room, thanks to the remarkable work of the teams. The evening focused on three main themes: our employees, the Group’s local roots and its vision for the future. Guests included site staff, the Vendée Prefect, the mayors of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and Les Sables d’Olonne, as well as Michel DESJOYEAUX, Annette ROUX, Bruno THIVOYON and Gianguido GIROTTI.
Groupe Beneteau in the news
“140 years of navigation and daring” was the headline in the Ouest France newspaper on the occasion of the Group’s anniversary. After several months of meetings with journalists, a four-page dossier has been published, tracing our history through the eyes and stories of those who bring it to life on a daily basis. Each employee received a copy in their workplace on the day of publication – a great way of sharing collective pride.
Odyssey: the voice of employees
The Odyssée podcast was created to mark the Group’s 140th anniversary and gives a voice to those who have been driving the Group for four generations. Anecdotes, memories and authentic testimonials won over more than 50,000 listeners, guided by the voice of skipper Michel DESJOYEAUX.
The Group at the heart of the Vendée Globe
For the Vendée Globe 2024, Groupe Beneteau was present at the Start Village with a stand dedicated to innovation. 150 employees took it in turns to share their passion and expertise with 60,000 visitors. At the centre of the space, the legendary Figaro Beneteau 3, a veritable springboard to legendary racing, embodied the Group’s “racing DNA”.
Thank you to the 7,200 men and women who grow the 18 Groupe Beneteau brands every day through its two divisions: Boat and Boating Solutions: Beneteau, Jeanneau, Prestige, Lagoon, Excess, Delphia, Four Winns, Wellcraft, Scarab, Band of Boats, SGB, Your Boat Club, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare, Seanapps, Wiziboat, and Yacht Solutions.
Thank you also to each of the brands; they are the driving force behind the Group’s success both locally and internationally through our 23 production sites.
We are proud of the progress we’ve made since 1884; challenges and encounters have punctuated our history, and this is what has shaped who we are today.
We all embody the Group’s values: PASSION – TRANSMISSION – CONQUEST – AUDACITY
“May all those who were present to celebrate these 140 years keep these ancestral values, remain aware that whatever the operation they will have to carry out, that together they will create a work in which our client will place his trust to face the sea, an element which requires humility and respect.”
Annette Roux, President of the Beneteau Foundation.
THEY TELL US ABOUT THEIR BEST MEMORIES WITHIN THE BENETEAU GROUP
Architect, designer, supplier, partner, collaborator… all of them participate in the history of the Groupe Beneteau and share here an anecdote or two linked to their own history with the Group.
CONTACT PRESSE
Barbara Bidan – Director of Internal and External Corporate Communications
presse@beneteau-group.com
