For Immediate Release

May 25, 2006

Marion, SC… Today, Beneteau USA celebrates its 20th anniversary of building boats in Marion, SC which coincides with the completion of its 6000th sailboat, marking a significant milestone within the American boating industry.

The Beneteau USA plant arrived in the Pee Dee region in 1986, and since then the factory has nearly doubled in size. Today there is almost a quarter of a million feet of facility space and it is the most advanced production cruising sailboat plant in the United States. A loyal team of 300 American families living in South Carolina craft 400 to 500 "floating dreams" each year. Beneteau is the third largest industry in beautiful Marion, SC - a county that is in the center of a traditional, historically rich area where strong family/work ethics still prevail.

"Completing our 6000th boat symbolizes an important triumph in our manufacturing process. With over 300 individuals pulling together to make the finest boats in the most efficient way possible, it is gratifying to have realized such a significant goal at creating such beautiful floating dreams for over two decades," said Wayne Burdick, president of Beneteau USA.

"This excellent performance by our team insures the viability of our future. Twenty years ago we broke ground to begin building boats in the US. Now as we complete our 6000th there is no one to thank more than our dedicated and hard working team," remarked Gerard Martineau, Vice President of Manufacturing.

Beneteau USA, the American division of the world’s largest sailboat manufacturer, builds hundreds of 32 to 49 foot production sailboats, as well as the Swift Trawler 42, in Marion, SC and it imports sailing yachts up to 57 feet in length from its parent company in France. The boats are sold through a network of over 40 dealers from the north in Alaska all the way to the southern tip of Chile.

Erika Gay
Marketing Manager
Beneteau USA
(843)629-5307