Fraternale (Wider): “This is how the shipyard is going to relaunch its operations before moving to Fano”

How is Wider’s relaunch developing? When is its long-awaited new ship going to be launched? In order to understand it, SUPER YACHT 24 visited Wider’s headquarters in Ancona to meet the company’s management who undertook the challenge to manufacture again superyachts and catamarans with a brand that in a few years of activity had managed to become internationally established for its outstanding vocation for innovation and technology.

This is a demanding challenge, but definitely not thoughtless, because this new phase of Wider’s history – following its take-over – relies on solid foundations, as confirmed by the recent announcement of the starting of the Moonflower 72 superyacht construction, a joint project with Nauta Design.

Managing Director Fabio Fraternale, boasting significant experiences in Pershing and Itama, was both informal and kind, as well as determined and practical in our interview, thus confirming that the newly-launched plan is very ambitious.

Few and very clear ideas, business approach, undisputed expertise, medium-long term vision and solid financial base thanks to the support of the Luxembourg group W-Fin: this is all based on a great passion for this sector, which emerges clearly.

Let’s start from Wider’s current situation.

“Our relaunch plan is developing well. We already took off. When I arrived we were a few, but we hired new employees, thus doubling the number of persons in the past six months. In particular, we hired the project managers who will focus on new boats under construction. Our relationship with the owner (Marcello Maggi, former CRN and Isa, and its shareholder) is excellent. Maggi’s wide business and entrepreneurial expertise, combined with my managerial expertise, as well as our years-long mutual esteem allow us to complete each other, both in terms of skills and character. In the past month, we reorganized our business management, as well as our engineering and communication and, though without great proclamations, we are always working in a serious and steady manner”.

Wider had a very special identity. It was a brand that always came up with very innovative and almost revolutionary ideas. Will you continue this approach?

“Yes, we will try to keep this gap in our favour, in particular as concerns the project of the new 28 meters long Widecat 92 unit, a catamaran designed by Luca Dini and by our Style Centre on which we definitely count on for upcoming years since it is a serial unit. The first responses from our prospective customers, from brokers and experts are very positive. As concerns the superyacht sector, with “one off” projects, our philosophy is obviously different, but we want to provide our customers with the best quality and the latest technology available”.

When will you launch your first Widercat 92?

“In May 2023. We are currently completing its mould. We already booked the slots for its construction with our subcontractors, whom we know very well and who provide the reliability guarantees that we are looking for”.

What are the main features of this catamaran?

“Its significant width of 12 meters, its great stability and the complete silence during sailing, as well as its very reduced emissions thanks to its hybrid propulsion and to the possibility to sail in Zero emission mode. On top of that, the unit features 170 sq m of solar panels and lithium iron phosphate batteries. Widercat 92 shipowners will be able to cut the yacht’s operating costs significantly, thus reducing their crews and enjoying more space on-board, with a 67 sq m beach club and a deck area of over 100 sq m”.

How about your production sites? Where are you carrying out your activities, and where will you carry them out?

“For now, we will work in Ancona, in the warehouse where we are currently located, but we plan to move to Fano, in the port area between the old fishing boats port and the Cesari Marina. This is a significant investment for an 11,000 sq m seafront area, with a wide quay, where we plan to create a covered shipyard including four wide bays almost 100 meters long”.

This is an ambitious project: what are you waiting for before moving to Fano? 

“It’s only a variant. We are collaborating with the Municipality, which understood the importance of our plan. Our objective is having at least the first extract by the end of the year”.

Marcello Maggi and his team are a very motivated and close-knit working group who will allow the brand created by Tilli Antonelli in 2010 to enter its new increasingly green era.

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