Leisure Pools takes over the Beneteau Marion SC facility
Mar 11, 2021
When Beneteau opened its plant in Marion, SC in 1986, the writing was on the wall for the large Canadian sailboat manufacturers, C&C, CS and Hinterhoeller. Beneteau had demonstrated that it could build very appealing boats that offered more contemporary looks and accommodation than the then-dominant Canadian companies. Not only were the French-designed boats pretty, they were now duty free thanks to their US builds and the NAFTA treaty.
Somewhat ironically, Groupe Beneteau is now a huge builder of powerboats in the US. Long time American builders, Four Winns, Glastron, Scarab and Wellcraft are now part of Beneteau and their plants, while consolidated, continue to build fine boats on this side of the Atlantic.
In September 2020, The Leisure Pools Group, one of the world’s largest composite fiberglass swimming pool manufacturers, announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the Groupe Beneteau manufacturing facility in Marion, South Carolina.
The previous June, Beneteau had stated that it would be hibernating the facility by the end of 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The Groupe announced that they would be gradually slowing down operations beginning in mid-September 2020 with an eventual closure by the end of the year.
The 225,000 square foot facility located on 40 acres has been home to Group Beneteau’s North America yacht manufacturing division since its opening in 1986. Groupe Beneteau is a worldwide leader in the boating industry and has been building sailing yachts and powerboats for all types of boating practices since 1884.
The workforce clearly knew their way around fibreglass manufacturing so the conversion makes sense. Employment has been maintained and the former boat plant is now happily producing pools.
-JM
