Italian builder Wider has been acquired for an undisclosed sum. The new owners include Nautical Hybrid Tech, Zepter Group and Hopafi Holding Srl.
The company will be based in Monaco. A statement said the group of investors will “contribute to accelerate the company’s growth” and take Wider public in three years.
Marcello Maggi of Nautical Hybrid Tech will serve as Wider president, as well as director of sales and marketing. Born in Ancona, Italy, Maggi was involved in the strategic development of builders such as ISA, which he co-founded in 2001, and CRN superyachts. He lives in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
“We are aiming to continue the leadership in hybrid motoryachting, boosting innovation and research in all the yachts to come,” Maggi said in the statement. “Wider will be working in a niche segment and focusing on quality and custom-built hybrid motoryachts. One of the main reasons for proceeding with the acquisition was the incredibly high level of management team and staff, besides the extraordinary performance of the yachts in terms of comfort, noise, vibration and their eco-friendly soul.”
Zepter Group owns such companies as Swisso Logical, Bioptron and Tesla Hyperlight Optics. Hopafi Holding, the investment vehicle of the Giovannetti family, controls two publicly listed companies in Italy and Eastern Europe, and holds interests in several companies related to energy and sustainability.
Wider, founded by Tilli Antonelli in 2011, has launched the Wider 32, Wider 42, Wider 150 and Wider 165.The boats’ hybrid propulsion and lack of noise and vibration garnered awards in Europe and Asia.
The statement noted that Wider will focus on aluminum hybrid boats. It has signed a license agreement with the German shipyard Lloyd Werft for hybrid yachts larger than 250 feet, which will be produced in Bremerhaven.
