Berard Martineau The wonderful story of Beneteau, made in USA

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Berard Martineau
The wonderful story of Beneteau, made in USA
In June 1987,when Gerard Martineau left Saint-Gilles Croix-de-Vie for Marion (South Carolina), he left for the summer to accomplish
the task of setting up the all new Beneteau USA subsidiary. This took 2 months and he never came back! In fact, it was just a few weeks;
enough time to convince his wife Gislhaine to follow him in this amazing adventure with their two children.
It was
spring
Beneteau
1987. Scarcely
dropped
of the Atlantic
subsidiary
Ocean, setting
in Marion,
a section
20 to 40 foot
the brand
On a
yachts
it aimed,
on site and
the image
of
out of production
can imagine
were
"We were
of a key player
in the
in this new
of
North
sailing
Although
industry.
Towards
late
1986, when
made
in the
USA were
at the head office
of producing
the first
they were already
the all new
Oceanis
thinking
yachts
in
Martineau,
thirty,
wasted
parent
company.
the
"18 to
no time
with
32 foot
for
enthusiasm
under
this subsidiary,
few
A word
weeks
there
to the
after
wise
this
a touch
of
was
nostalgia
A
"the
third
Frenchies'
armed
of English and a great deal of
with rudiments
enthusiasm".
Their French
two months
to set up the resources
start producing
"boss"
gave
them
and
to
left,
supervise
and
train
had
to
machines
them.
When
they
arrive,
they
a building site, 80% of which was
than a screed,
be
done.
and
on which
They
tools, find
train them. 50 beneath
106
they would
things, and recruit teams if necessary
discovered
no more
with the aim of passing
They imagined
had
to
everything
install
the personnel
we
quite
a
is that
trying, but nobody
the
and
a sunny 40°C Carolina
He is now
company
the
Industrial
numbering
site,
agree to prolong
he thinks back over his career, he looks upon it
with modesty,
more than paid
Oceanis
more
that
complex
of models
to
of the
"Then
the
Industrial
in
the
specific
didn't
that
they asked
their assignment.
Gerard and
Gerard had
him with their
he was
trusting
me with
and got his hands
career
we
had
tWO
young
When
were
450
of
produced
maintaining
the
too difficult
and it was 'straight
Gerard's
had finished
their
You cannot
two
to be
her job
in four large
on'!" At the end
assignments,
partners,
returned
who
to
ask Gerard why he stayed,
there were too many reasons.
with a laconic
from
team
"I felt good
"oceanls
discussions
by his industrial
first
(most
a considerable
accompanied
He just answers
there!" This means
of which
site,
over
were
American
sailing
the Sense
attracted
of 9,000
player
industry
and
yachts
and
Beneteau
in the North
last
October
a lot of attention
boat
show
at its
"A great
says Gerard. "I remain a boat maker
and will never be a salesman,
this yacht
and
the last 23 years,
the Oceanis.
at the Annapolis
moment",
235 yachts
value), Gerard has
the production
on the Marion
debut
First
still sailing
USA is now an important
of a year,
many
captivated
6,000
our belongings
the
dirty with us. All through
have
that everything
and we gathered
it
to decide
He came with us on the first trip
with my future
resigned
company,
take him more than 3 weeks
30,
so it wasn't
responsiveness
to this family-operated
assignment".
my
in the USA With all
and the amazing
intelligence".
production
of the team if they would
My wife
of
50, with the
to return to France and convince
was possible,
Manager
the brand, he was the one that I volunteered
and I was often
to have a permanent
"I was scarcely
suitcases
it were a wonderful
as though
of me and the feeling
convincing.
a
When
Beneteau.
to Beneteau.
his wife to follow
of
employees.
and finding
expert
two other members
Manager
300
staff was not
in the number
aid of Yvon Beneteau,
Vendee.
cooking!
Technical
the
serious
was becoming
specific
three weeks
Carolina-style
became
qualified
were
felt the need
on
role as the
and become
gift and he feels like saying thank you to Yvon
1987, the gamble
constraints
In
down,
to convince
"We had
Christian tscovici, the manager
subsidiary
on her new
to for a small campaign
with the increase
produce,
ahead
on this know-how
that
End August
children.
the Oceanis 350.
So our pioneers
either.
mix.
had settled
of the Marion site.
the simplicity
team
application,
he refers to with
"We were ten colleagues,
you from
the production
should
enough!
informal
brand,
was
boats were finally ready to sail. Conscious
to take
need
the Beneteau
suppliers
you
Coordinator
Oceans."
Mauritians,
all the Americans
off and the three first long-awaited
benevolent
I offered
on its great
subsidiary
people
wonderfully
officially
always easy".
unit,
taken
of the family
at South
of
as Beneteau
if the
our man took part in what
expedition".
the
"As soon
head
Gerard
at the
assembly
his wife had
no
expert
suppliers and attracting
manager
French
50
under
his career as a production
up an assignment
arise."
just
in his career
yacht"
eye of Yvon Beneteau.
had created
was
He was floor
and he embraced
man
who
our nights
What is great about America
everyone
Gerard
and
stress.
and
he and his family
was
above
in 2010,
prevents
addition,
with
Canadians,
and
an
finding
challenge.
nobody
waits
America.
then,
Americans,
Africans
all, we had
and
land and
today,
so you
in which
South
growing
way of work',
pot of this burgeoning
desire to build our credibility
who love the sea know
back
delivered,
there
confident
the phenomenal
to one
First 235s
our days
'the American
the melting
was due to
end August,
However
development
American
what
like."
boat
that he likes working with boats,
his' teams,
to do the job for us.
1 of this beautiful
an importer
the
Vendee had not had
to, "we rolled up our sleeves
that no one was going
come
The idea was
to step from
time to adjust
The No.
purchased
on which
to build its nest.
sky which our men from
and it was "hands on"! We quickly understood
reconversion,
company"
of wasteland
to produce
enable
Carolina.
industrial
"French family-run
little by little,
before,
up its American
South
huge plain undergoing
the
a year
its anchor on the other side
is going
ready to welcome
and yet I feel
to do well over here. I am
the "Frencnies'
team"
they come to pass on the production
when
secrets!"