Australia's Maritimo on a roll with new USA network and team

Maritimo X60 Cockpit © www.maritimo.com.au

Australian luxury motor yacht manufacturer, Maritimo, flush with a healthy forward order book out to 2021, is celebrating the first birthday of its restructured USA sales operation with a doubling in overall sales on the year before.

Maritimo Americas' President Dave Northrop said the past 12 months had been exceptional with an overall jump in sales valued at $35 million.

"After Maritimo reorganised its sales force and its dealer network we have seen a huge increase in sales and we expect to see that continue in the next 12 months," said Northrop.

"The driving factors have been the extremely well received new product, expanded distribution networks with a combination of Maritimo Company Retail outlets in key centres and expansion of the dealer network.

"The product range we can now offer the boat building public is diverse and of extremely high quality and that is resonating with USA boaters.

"The X60 sport yacht, recently released X50 sport yacht and the new generation M51 and M59 models are really a step up in terms of style, design, functionality and performance. " Our buyers recognise that and they have acted accordingly."

He said six X60's and five X50's had been sold and five more flybridge motoryachts sold in the past 12 months compared to the previous period.

Northrop said the Maritimo outlets in Florida and the West Coast of the USA along with the appointment of key dealers in other areas like the Great Lakes, Chesapeake had set the foundation for an extremely bright future.

"We have the right people, the right product and positive economic conditions overall and that's a perfect mix," he said.

Northrop said Maritimo had recently bought onboard seasoned and respected company sales executives, Peter Helebrand, Sheryl Northrop, and Mike Swift to add to the strength of the Maritimo sales and support network.

"Peter works from the Fort Lauderdale company sales office and is fluent in multiple languages having previously led a very successful Maritimo Dealership in Venezuela," said Northrop.

"Sheryl Northrop also works from the Fort Lauderdale office and she has a lengthy marine Industry resume having led product development and engineering teams before bringing her experience to the sales arena.

"Mike is well known in the marine industry having operated sales, service and marina operations in the USA and he brings a well-rounded dimension to our distribution network. This Eastern USA company team works closely with the veteran duo Bill and Michelle King who have been the key representatives for Maritimo on the West Coast working out of the Newport Beach office since 2006.

"The focus and success of the company sales team has been a great compliment to the Dealer Organization, with the addition of productive new dealers in the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake, rounding out the overall dealer team in North America and the Caribbean."

Maritimo's Australian based CEO, Garth Corbitt, said the cornerstone has now been set in the USA for Maritimo to achieve its strategic goal of expansion in that market.

"It has always been part of our strategic international expansion plan to have a strong presence in the USA," he said. "After our first year under the new guard I am pleased to say we are well and truly on track.

"Dave and his network are thorough professionals and the results are evident.

"The future is looking very bright for us in that part of the world."