Yachts For The World

YACHTS FOR THE WORLD

(written in yr. 2000)

Bavaria Yachts offer new models, good quality and an outstanding value for the money.  This is how a German yard has placed itself on the scene for the last several years.

The competition is puzzled. How do the Bavaria makers do that?

Giebelstadt, in Germany has four Gasthauses, a small hotel, two churches, a gas station and two super markets. There is everything that 3,000 citizens need for living. It’s a common German community nearly 28 km from Wurtzburg.  There is also an industrial area at the outskirts of this town. The newly-built, by-pass road leads you directly to the main employer of Giebelstadt, Bavaria.

Brand new sailing yachts in the range of size from 32 to 51-feet, stand on the asphalt surface of the large company terrain. It does not matter whether it is the Baltic Sea, North Sea or the Adriatic Sea. The closest coast is at least 700 km away from Giebelstadt.

The yachts, which are all produced here, roll via low-loader to Heiligenhafen, Koper, Port Grimaud or Barcelona for European distribution. Other Bavarias are being reloaded at overseas ports on board big cargo ships and their ports of destination are the United States, Japan, Malta, the Caribbean and Australia. A world-wide distribution network of dealers and charter companies take care of annual sales of thousands of yachts built in Giebelstadt.

What sounds like an economic miracle of the fifties is today’s reality. Some representatives of the European ship-building industry are surprised as the “Franconian” yard has placed itself on top of the German yacht yards since the previous six years, disregarding all recessions and economic crisis.

Behind this success you can find a concept of production that is unique on the boatyard scene realized and implemented by the chief of Bavaria, Winfried Herrmann (56).

Herrmann granted the journalists of the leading nautical magazine in Germany, YACHT, an exlusive view behind the stage of his big series production. The upper floor of the building contains the first key to the success of rationalized and inexpensive production. It’s an administration which is to be described as extremely “lean”. A staff of exactly 18 people is dealing with the complete transaction beginning with the receipt of orders up to the invoicing, personnel department, marketing and sales department inclusive. Administration comprises of less than 10% of the complete number of employees (only 385).

Two doors of steel and a hallway painted with friendly light colors separate the office tract of the construction building. Like fingers of a hand, the five pre-productions are spread out:

-         CNC Fraise for decks, bulkheads and furniture.

-         Carpentry/furniture completion.

-         Varnishing for the interior wood finishing.

-         Laminating room for bull, deck and floor timbers.

-         Locksmith’s workshop (stainless steel) for pulpits and pushpits, handrails and installation fittings.

Advantage by technology – Bavaria ensures this by a modern CNC Fraising system. It is the robotic cutting tool for large plates of shipbuilding-plywood being controlled by intelligent computer software. It enables not only precise cutting of bulkheads, but by a 12-fold, programmed change of tools, this system automatically cuts nuts, roundings and borings in and at single parts of wood. It’s an extremely important pre-condition for the later assembly in the carpentry and at the production line.

            An elevating platform, which has been exclusively designed for the yard, ensures feeding the highest possible number of identical parts such as doors and trap doors for the whole fleet, to help reduce costs.

            Module production of separate segments such as berths & benches, or the galley, outside of a narrow hull, allow a fast, but at the same time, high-quality work. The production of parts at Bavaria Yachtbau amounts to almost 65%. This is uncommonly high compared to the modern industry of other business lines. But, compared to the competitors of the shipbuilding industry, this percentage is deemed to be very low.

            In addition to the parts which are commonly supplied in shipbuilding, e.g. engines, rigs, sails, deck fittings, upholstery, etc., by reputed suppliers, the yard works with high-class products from specialized companies which manufacture these parts in large series and not only for the yachting business.

            Due to the high production number and a conscientious principle of identical parts, a large yard can certainly negotiate over other purchasing conditions more so than a small company. Good funds and a solid basis of financial policy allow a general discount on all invoices. The result: Annual discount amounts up to the 6-figure range, in the opposite minor interests.

            Price advantages in purchasing? The yard passes them over to the customer!

            But, at the same time, Bavaria Yacht hull & deck components are through-out products made in Germany. Hulls and decks are laminated in Giebelstadt. The only exception is, non-supporting elements such as the synthetic lining of the sanitary areas. They are produced by a supplier and this is only in accordance to yard internal quality standards. But, a superior dollar value cannot be reached by Bavaria Yachts with only all these production advantages alone. The main point is our production line.

            It has to be harmonized as well as an ingeniously directed orchestra such as the correct beat of time at the point of hull completion. An example would be the right part or section has to be there ready to be fitted in place. This is where the last key to the successful series of production can be found. Logistics and perfect storage of components have to function just at the right time.

            An example of the time beating function of Bavaria is illustrated in these viewpoints:

                        1. Teamwork

                        2. The staff is divided into groups where, like as the auto industry, each member of the group has the competence to take over another person’s job in case of absence due to illness or vacation.

            The line, which measures 180 meters long, transports the yacht hulls and decks to each station of construction where specialized groups take out their work in the following order:

                        1. Deck fittings and teak decks (where applicable)

                        2. Floor groups/inboard auxilliaries and tankage.

                        3. Hull interior construction with bulkheads and sections of furniture.

                        4. Hull to deck joint.

                        5. Electrical systems.

                        6. Interior lining.

                        7. Keel and rudder installation.

                        8. Cabin sole, table & upholstery.

                        9. Final control and test for total function.

                        10. Rework, if necessary.

                        11. Clean up and finish work.

Quality guarantee:

            This guarantee is not only taking place by continuous controls during and in its final stages on the line, but also in the certification of Lloyd’s Register. This still is not enough for the approval by the General Management. This system to quality findings is being re-examined every week via regular meetings held by Chief Herrmann in all the offices of the company

            All production experts take part when the sales department, marketing and customer services are fielding complaints and suggestions from customers. This is how Winfried Herrman ensures that all experts in the yard are aware of what his customers want: Quality over and over.

            Problems are reduced enormously in a very short period of with this approach of a Monday meetings. Chief Herrmann stresses that this does not mean that we supplied poor quality in the past, but only illustrates how we are even better today and how we will continue to improve.

An example of correct yard policy:

            For each model of the large Bavaria range of production, the yard has developed a steel pattern system.

Frames of steel and profiles affix to the hull, deck and interior elements on defined points. The pattern system data will be entered into the series production after the final completion of the proto-type and this way grants a stable measurement of the large series production. The result is each Bavaria Yacht has identical dimensions and measurements at each point with her model sisters.

            With this innovative structure, Bavaria has an advantage far ahead within the shipbuilding business. Although the German location has continuously become more expensive, Bavaria proves that producing a larger and better yacht for less money, and to sell it for less too, does not stand as a conflict in between their target. Chief Herrmann’s recipe for the yard is: There are 4 preconditions to ensure our success: 1. a solid financial basis. 2. A product with a ready market. 3. A strong dealer network and 4. A rationalized production system. Bavaria pays wages and salaries far over common tariffs to their employees. The result is a very low turnover of staff and a high-quality working performance. Thus, Chief Herrmann holds onto the German location, last but not least, because of the high qualifications of his staff.  “Technically sophisticated products do have a future when we succeed in producing them in a rationalized method”.

            But, competition does not sleep. Other firms also start with rationalized production. Chief Herrmann knows that he can only hold his advantage by turning the wheel continuously. “We still have a lot of ideas and for future competition, we are perfectly equipped.”

            Without any doubt, this man can be trusted in consideration with this modern boatyard in Giebelstadt. The boat owner can truly be satisfied and the trend changes within shipbuilding shows and guarantees that sailing yachts will be even more affordable in the future.