33 companies and organisations named as potential winners for this year’s Awards, to be honoured at a spectacular dinner within Amsterdam’s historic National Maritime Museum on November 13 during METSTRADE 2018.
The shortlisted nominations for the Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement 2018, in association with Raymarine, have been announced. With more than 60 nominations still to be considered after a first round of assessment, the 27 shortlisted companies from 12 countries named by the judges are considered the standout entries at this stage and it is from this group that the Winners and Honourable Mentions will be announced on November 13.
Now in its fourth year, the prestigious Boat Builder Awards recognises and rewards the outstanding business achievements of individuals and teams across key areas in the global leisure boatbuilding industry. Between 250 and 300 guests are expected to attend an extraordinary gala dinner celebration, which is held under the glittering dome of the National Maritime Museum.
Chair of the judging panel and IBI Editor, Ed Slack, commented: “This year’s Boat Builder Awards set the panel of judges many challenges, to identify the very best of the best from a strong entry field. It is informative to look back over just the one year and see how rapidly the boatbuilding industry is evolving to deal with its key pressures – such as addressing changing customer preferences, improving manufacturing efficiency and quality, reducing environmental footprint and tackling skills shortages. There are impressive examples within our shortlist of responses to these pressures. The Awards is a not only a great opportunity to celebrate the efforts of individual boatbuilders, but also to reflect on our industry’s impressive capability to reinvent itself with the times.”
Group Director Maritime at RAI Amsterdam, Irene Dros, added: “The innovative work of boatbuilders has so much influence over the products that are exhibited by more than 1600 exhibitors at METSTRADE. Our celebration of the huge achievements of global boat manufacturers, shipyards and their supply chains, has become a firm fixture here in Amsterdam – which for the three days of METSTRADE becomes the beating heart of the global marine industry. On behalf of our partner, IBI and title sponsor, Raymarine, I very much look forward to welcoming our largest audience yet to the Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement 2018 on our new Tuesday evening date, November 13. It will be a night for stars, under the stars, and a fantastic opportunity to network with friends and new faces.”
The shortlist is as follows:
- Retail Marketing Initiative
- Groupe Beneteau
- Princess Yachts
- International Distributor or Dealer Development - sponsored by Wells Fargo
- Brig
- Sea Ray
- Collaborative Solution between a production boat builder and its supply chain partner - sponsored by Ultraflex
- Axopar Boats, working with Brabus
- Prestige Yachts, working with Lewmar
- Sealine, working with Lewmar
- Sunseeker International, working with Lewmar
- Solaris Yachts, working with Sailectron
- Collaborative Solution between a superyacht builder and its supply chain partner - sponsored by Lumishore
- Benetti, working with Naiad Dynamics
- Lürssen, working with BSS Baumann Sicherheitssysteme
- Innovative Onboard Design Solution - sponsored by Fusion
- ENATA Marine Galeon Mastercraft Boat Co Princess Yachts SEAir
- Innovation in a Production Process - sponsored by Dometic
- Absolute Yachts Amer Yachts
- Environmental Initiative - sponsored by UCINA
- Amer Yachts
- Discovery Yachts
- Silent-Yachts
- Vita Yachts
- Best Apprenticeship or Training Scheme - sponsored by Marine Resources
- Group Beneteau
- Marine Industry Association of South Africa and National Department of Trade
- NZ Marine and Composites Industry Training Organisation
- Princess Yachts
- South Devon College Noss Marine Academy and Korea Marine Education Academy
- Rising Star - sponsored by Gurit
This special new category celebrates those aged 35 or under, working for a boat builder, who have been making a growing impact on any aspect of their business. The judges will be selecting a winner, to be announced on the evening. - Lifetime Achievement - sponsored by Side-Power
The awards evening culminates with the much-anticipated Lifetime Achievement Award, presented in the previous three years to Paolo Vitelli of Azimut Benetti, Robert Braithwaite, CBE of Sunseeker International and David King of Princess Yachts.
About the Boat Builder Awards
The IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards is jointly organised by METSTRADE, the world’s leading platform for professionals in the leisure marine equipment industry with its flagship Marine Equipment Trade Show, and International Boat Industry magazine (IBI).
METSTRADE is the world’s largest trade exhibition of equipment, materials and systems for the international leisure marine industry. It is organised by RAI Amsterdam in association with ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations).
International Boat Industry (IBI) is celebrating a special birthday this year by doing what it has done for the past 50 years – tracking the world’s leisure marine market with unrivalled insight and intelligence. It remains the only business magazine and website to investigate and analyse commercial developments in established and emerging leisure boating markets across the globe. The magazine and its related daily email newsletter, ibinews.com, are received by over 14,000 professionals in the industry in more than 120 countries.
Tickets are selling quickly, so please don’t delay your order. Visit www.boatbuilderawards.com to order online.
For more information about IBI, please contact Nick Hopkinson, Publishing Director, Boating Communications Ltd,nick@ibiplus.co.uk +44 (0)7966 159 981
For further sponsorship packages and opportunities, please contact Phillip Pereira, Commercial Director, Boating Communications Ltd, philip@ibiplus.co.uk + 44 7866 462 577 or Philippa Drysdale, Advertising Director, philippa@ibiplus.co.uk +44 7511 121 833
