Italian yacht builder Wider has announced that the Monegasque group Nautical Hybrid Tech – headed by Marcello Maggi – Zepter Group, and Hopafi Holding Srl has acquired the entire ownership of the company. The company said that this is beginning of a new era for Wider.
“Led by Marcello Maggi, a prominent player in the nautical industry for more than 30 years, Wider will boost its leadership in green energy yachting. The new group of investors will contribute to accelerate the company’s growth and eventually list it in the stock exchange within three years,” the company said.
Marcello Maggi has been appointed President and Sales & Marketing Director and will be based in the Monaco office. Born in Ancona, he has lived for more than 20 years in Monte Carlo. He has been an ambassador of Italian shipyards, strategically developing companies like ISA, which he co-founded in 2001, and CRN.
Zepter Group has an ample spectrum of activities and markets but its name has always been associated with high standards, technological research and exclusivity. Zepter Group owns companies including Swisso Logical skin products, 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 has already made its mark on the industry with the cutting-edge technology of WIDER 42 and WIDER 32 and established itself with the two multi awarded superyachts WIDER 150 and WIDER 165, pioneering the use of hybrid and green energy mega yachting.
The WIDER 165 not only lived up to all the expectations but also presents multiple features, unique in her competitive set, such as a 3-person submersible, a 14-metre seawater swimming pool and a touch and go helipad. Both vessels set new records with RINA, obtaining a perfect score for levels of sound and vibration holding a class notation of COMF (Y) 100/100, never assigned beforeon motor yachts.
“I am very thrilled to take this new challenge and honoured to be part of the Wider team,” Marcello Maggi said.
“We are aiming to continue the leadership in hybrid motor yachting, boosting innovation and research in all the yachts to come. Wider will be working in a niche segment and focusing on quality and custom-built hybrid motor yachts. One of the main reason for proceeding with the acquisition was the incredibly high level of the management team and staff, besides the extraordinary performance of the yachts in term of comfort, noise, vibration and their eco-friendly soul.”
Wider will be focusing on aluminium hybrid vessels and has concluded a license agreement with the German shipyard Lloyd Werft for hybrid yachts over 250’ that will be produced in Bremerhaven, confirming and consolidating the good relationship between the two brands.
PHOTO: The Wider 165
