It’s all aboard the digital speedboat for Cape Town’s Manex Power and Marine which reports exponential growth of online sales over the past two years on the back of a robust boatbuilding sector.
Manex managing director Gary Sindler says online sales continue to skyrocket as clients embrace the online retail revolution. Monthly online sales during 2023 were more than total online sales for the whole of 2022 – and figures have continued to grow this year.
Sindler says marine suppliers are profiting from the ongoing boatbuilding bonanza, evidenced by a number of major new projects as well as continuous demand for top-end leisure boats.
“As per BlueCape’s recent estimate of 17% boatbuilding growth over the past year, we can feel it — our supply has increased, also probably in that region, to various boat yards,” Sindler tells SABBEX. “ There are more and more hulls in production and more and more boats getting launched. A lot of projects came on line in January and it is very encouraging.”
Sindler singled out the success of local yard 40 Knots, which produces high-end ferries for the Maldives, as well as the mercurial rise of the Cape31 racing yacht. He said the sector also continues to feed off the success of global heavyweights like Robertson and Caine, which contribute essential skills-training initiatives.
“I think the big recipe for success has been, first, if you compare our boats ten years ago to now, our quality has improved dramatically – it’s on a par with most of the yards overseas now. It’s apples for apples these days whereas in the past our boats looked a bit scruffy compared to some of these other vessels.”
“Another fact is that people like to get their boats built in South Africa because when they come to view how the build is getting along we have a great county for them to visit with their families. Most of these buyers have families who are very sports-orientated. We have all the facilities for them to go play while they have a great holiday. And the rate of exchange makes it a very cost-effective holiday for these guys,” Sindler said.