GROOT AMMERS – Zeelander Yachts of the Netherlands finished 2022 on a high note after a year of steady expansion and growth. This year, the Dutch yard added 40% to its capacity and launched the restyled Zeelander 6. Meanwhile, a detailed rebranding exercise created a new visual identity for the brand.
Zeelander also completed a successful recruitment drive to enlarge its workforce by 45% this year. The new staff is supporting the extension of the yard itself, which has been able to grow on land adjacent to the waterside site in Groot-Ammers, the Netherlands.
“Strong demand for Zeelander’s yachts, especially in the US and the Netherlands, persuaded us of the wisdom of investing in sustainable growth,” says founder Sietse Koopmans. “Fortunately, we have been able to do this at the existing waterside site in Groot-Ammers, where we have added building sheds, office space, and a dedicated paint booth.”
“We may be growing, but it is not our ambition to be the biggest,” he added. “We remain committed to being the best. Each of our boats is unique, built individually to an unparalleled quality standard. Owning a Zeelander will always be something very special.”
Boats up to 25m (82ft) in length can be accommodated in the paint booth, meaning that Zeelander yachts can be entirely spray-painted in-house for the first time.
“By adding capacity to our shipyard we have created new build slots which weren’t previously available,” adds Koopmans. “It means that a select few will have the opportunity to order a new Zeelander yacht in 2023, where they would otherwise have had to wait several years.”
Rebranding has gone hand-in-glove with expansion to create a more coherent range of yachts that fully reflects Zeelander’s visual identity. The brand has moved away from naming boats according to their length in feet, preferring the more straightforward convention of using a single digit instead.
Meanwhile, Zeelander says that clients have been enquiring about a larger boat. “We were always clear that we would increase the model range once we had simplified our offer and perfected our styling,” says Koopmans. “When the first new Zeelander 5 is launched in the spring of 2023, that process will be complete, and we will be able to lift the covers on a new, bigger yacht.”
