Next Yacht Group buys SIMAN, backs deal with €20M plan
What's the deal? Next Yacht GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired SIMANDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a La Spezia-based metal fabrication company, to expand its capabilities in the metal superyacht segment. The move strengthens the Italian group's industrial supply chain across Viareggio, Pisa, and La Spezia.
Who's who? Founded in 1988, SIMAN specialises in mechanical engineering, propulsion systems, and refit and maintenance for yachts up to 60 metres. It also works in the commercial maritime and defence sectors, with ongoing contracts that include major projects for the Italian Navy.
The buyer: Next Yacht Group was founded in 2021 through the acquisition of the FIPADealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → shipyard, uniting the MaioraDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and AB YachtsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → brands. It builds across 67,000m² of shipyards between Massa and Viareggio.
What's the endgame? The deal is a milestone in Next Yacht Group's vertical integration plan, adding in-house metal fabrication for its Maiora and AB Yachts lines. A new division dedicated to metal superyachts will be established using SIMAN's facilities in La Spezia and Pisa.
The money: An industrial development plan accompanies the acquisition, backed by €20 million in total investment — €11 million already deployed. It aims to boost production, consolidate the order book, and reach full profitability by 2027.
Why now? New metal yacht projects for both brands are already in development, and the first 50-metre Maiora is under construction. The first new models will be unveiled by the end of 2026.
SIMAN's 70 employees will remain, and Next Yacht Group plans to recruit 30 more. SIMAN is expected to add roughly 15 new positions.
What they said: "The acquisition of SIMAN represents a natural evolution of our industrial growth strategy," said Mario Petroni, chairman of Next Yacht Group. He added that it "creates new opportunities for growth, innovation and employment."
The signal: The deal reflects a broader push among yacht builders toward vertical integration, bringing specialised fabrication in-house to control quality and capacity in the high-margin metal superyacht market.
Read more: First Peninsula Marine
Image credit: Mosh70
