March 11 2014

Silver Arrows Marine

From America's Cup to the first Granturismo if the seas...
Swiss shipyard starts works on first Silver Arrows 'MERCEDES BENZ STYLE' motor yacht

GENEVA 11 March 2014: Silver Arrows Marine's innovative new Mercedes-Benz Style 14m luxury motor yacht, dubbed the 'Silver Arrow of the Seas' for its sleek automobile-inspired design, is to be built by a world-leading constructor of racing yachts in Switzerland, it is confirmed today.

"With two America's Cups and five Jules Verne Trophies to its credit, Group Carboman SA is our perfect constructor," said Silver Arrows Marine Ltd Chairman Ron Gibbs.

"We were always looking for more than just a shipyard – we wanted a partner as passionate about this project as we are," added Mr Gibbs. "In Groupe Carboman we have found that partner and I am pleased to say work on the first ARROW460 – Granturismo is now under way on the shores of Lake Geneva."

Groupe Carboman SA is the new name for two of the most respected companies in composite race boat construction, the French firm Multiplast SAS and the Swiss company Décision SA. After several years of collaboration the companies combined in January 2014 in a new industrial group.

Groupe Carboman Commercial manager, Bertrand Cardis, said: "It is a great honour to be part of a project to create such a motor yacht – what has been called the Mercedes-Benz S-Class of the seas. It is a challenge but we always thrive when faced with the most ambitious of technical challenges. With Groupe Carboman's know-how, quality and attention to detail the Silver Arrow will be truly unique."

The collaboration with Groupe Carboman forms a crucial last piece in the jigsaw for Silver Arrows Marine, its design partner Mercedes-Benz Style and their long-held desire to bring to market a luxury motor yacht unlike all others. The final exterior and interior designs for the debut model, the 14m ARROW460 – Granturismo, were unveiled by Mercedes-Benz Style at the Monaco Yacht Show in September 2013, just one year after presentation of the first drawings.

The ARROW460 – Granturismo displays hallmark design features of Mercedes-Benz automobiles, all inspired by classic automobile proportions. Innovative new design solutions and materials such as nubuck leather, synthetic mesh and eucalyptus wood panelling deliver a whole new dimension in motor yacht aesthetics, as well as in functionality.

"The first Silver Arrow is certainly no ordinary motor yacht and in Groupe Carboman we now have an exceptional boat builder," said Silver Arrows Marine Chief Executive Officer Jacopo Spadolini. "We have found a shipyard that shares our passion for innovation and technology – we have a common language that can now take this most exciting and adventurous of projects forward at top speed."

An order book has opened for the Edition 1, a special limited-numbers debut version, with the first examples to be delivered to customers in 2015.

The Edition 1 version of the Arrow460 - Granturismo can only be ordered directly from Silver Arrows Marine.

March 6 2014

Decision win an JEC Award

From the 11th to the 13th of March 2014, Decision is at the JEC in Paris on the Multiplast booth.

On this occasion, our facilities, technological innovations and latest projects in composite materials are presented.

At the awards ceremony, Decision receives Innovation Award category Marine to achieve the 2 platforms TPT ® (floats and wings) of the Hydros C Class.

January 30 2014

30 years of Decision S.A.

Today we are proud to announce that Decision is celebrating its 30th Birthday!

Our company entried the commercial register of Geneva on January 30 1984.

December 20 2013

Together to be stronger

The french company Multiplast SAS and the Swiss one Decision S.A. are bringing together their work force in a new group: Groupe Carboman S.A.

With this partnership, this new industrial group, chaired by Dominique Dubois and specialising in the manufacture of composite parts, becomes the European leader in race boat building and the production of large industrial parts.

Carry out the most ambitious projects

This alliance is an obvious next step after several years of collaboration between the two companies, especially the MOD70 trimaran project and the next Volvo Ocean Race one-design boats.

Multiplast and Decision both started their business in the early '80s and share the same vision and values: An attention to the highest level of detail, embracing the newest technologies and forging meaningful, team spirit. The two companies made their names through a high level of expertise in manufacturing composite structures, the large number of winning race boats that have been produced in their boat yards, and their capacity to take up the most ambitious technical challenge.

Bertrand Cardis, Commercial manager of Groupe Carboman said: « By joining our design office teams and our human resources, and by combining the production capabilities available in Decision in Switzerland and Multiplast in France, Groupe Carboman can now offer a global answer to major contractors. »

The aim of the new group is to keep opening the business to the major players in a number of industry sectors, such as aerospace and communication, as well as the luxury goods industry. It also serves to confirm the business's position as a leader in the world of racing yachts.

Two America's Cup titles, five Jules Verne Trophies ...

The roll-call of winners associated with the company is unique: Two America's Cups, five Jules Verne Trophies, one Whitbread, one Volvo Ocean Race, one Imoca world championship, six Atlantic Crossing record, 16 Bol d'Or, one International C Class Catamaran Championship and many Atlantic crossing races.

Dominique Dubois, CEO of the new group, said: « Groupe Carboman has been established so as better to respond to the demands of our industrial customers. They want to have suppliers and sub-contractors that are stronger, more structured and capable of working with businesses worth several million Euros. Our intention is to build a European group which is a leader in the field of composites materials and we are already thinking about expanding to the U.K. Obviously, race boat construction remains at the heart of the group and will always stay a part of the activity, not least because it is a great source of development through the R&D work that it generates. »

December 3 2013

Bekking and Brunel back and they mean business

Dutch sailor Bouwe Bekking will skipper a new campaign launched by Brunel on Tuesday in Amsterdam. This will be his seventh participation and the sponsor's third involvement in the race – both Bekking and Brunel are back to win the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15.

For both sailor and sponsor, it is a case of "unfinished business". Bekking, 50, has competed in the event twice as skipper without winning and Team Brunel will be having their third crack at the race on the new one-design Volvo Ocean 65.

Team Brunel is the fourth campaign to announce its participation in the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. The team joins all-female campaign Team SCA, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and the Chinese challenge Dongfeng Race Team in the 2014-15 line-up announced so far.

For Bekking, this latest challenge from one of the world's leading nautical nations is a chance to put the record straight having twice finished runner-up in an event that is part of Dutch sailing heritage having had three winners over the event's 40 years.

"Our nation is known around the world as the country of windmills, dykes, tulips, cheese, wooden clogs – and the Volvo Ocean Race. The race is just in our blood."

Referring to his partnership with Brunel, the global project management, recruitment and consultancy company, Bekking added: "It is a great opportunity to reinforce to the world what Brunel stands for:  diverse, international and dynamic. The Volvo Ocean Race is the perfect vehicle to showcase this message."

Brunel CEO Jan Arie van Barneveld stated: "We are really happy that Brunel has again its own team and own sailing machine in the most exciting and prestigious sailing regatta in the world."

"The formula of the race has been improved significantly: the boats are identical so it's the teams that make the difference. It is about the quality and cooperation between the people. That is Brunel! We go for the people, the sport and the victory," he added.

Source: Volvo Ocean Race

October 15 2013

Volvo Ocean 65 wins thumbs up from SCA crew

With the first Volvo Ocean 65 now sailing, it’s time to hear what the sailors have to say about their new one-design machine. We met Team SCA’s Annie Lush, Sam Davies and Liz Wardley on the dock for a debrief on their first sailing impressions.

Team SCA received their Volvo Ocean 65 in late September and have been constantly sailing since then. With less than a year to go to the first In-Port Race on October 4, 2014, the all-female team are wasting no time learning all about a brand new boat – and a brand new class.

"It's all about discovering something completely new and exciting," said British sailor Sam Davies. "It's going to be a real challenge for everybody to learn how to sail this new boat, to really see what she can do and how she's going to look after us."

Fellow English sailor Annie Lush agreed, adding: "We first have to learn how to sail this boat fast. It's going to be a really long process because no one sailed this boat before.

"It's quite different from the Volvo Open 70 PUMA that we've been training on. I like it."

In some ways, moving to one-design will reset all sailing skills and every team will have to learn how to trim and steer the Volvo Ocean 65s to try to win a nine-month round the world competition.

"Sensations are really different under your feet," said boat captain Liz Wardley. "For a one-design boat, it's everything you could hope for. Now, we actually have it to play with it and sail on it and work on it. This is what we've got to focus on."

Source: Volvo Ocean Race