Business Type: Equipment Distributor
UK & International Business Sales and M&A News
The new Antal Group has been created after the acquisition of XPO by marine components specialist Antal.
XPO – Xavier Phelipon Organisation – is a specialist in the design and supply of equipment for sailing boats and pleasure craft. Its brands include Clamcleat, PROtect tapes, Tylaska, Allen and Ropeye, supplying cleats, carabiners, mainsail in-boom furlers and adhesives.
Launched in 1998 and based in La Rochelle, France, it works alongside shipbuilders, design offices, shipyards, sailmakers and racers, using a network of dealers nationwide.
XPO will continue to be led within the new group by its founder and CEO Xavier Phélipon. A renowned French sailor, competing in the America’s Cup with French Kiss to the Seoul Olympic Games, he will remain as CEO and mentor, providing the Antal Group with technical continuity.
He said:
“Taking a step back in ownership in order to take a step forward in development was the right choice. Together with Antal and Karver, we are creating a synergistic and innovative entity with no precedent in the history of the sector.”
Xavier Phélipon - Founder and CEO of XPO
Antal specialises in technological and functional innovation in the sailing world – offering a catalogue of more than 1,000 items of sailboat deck equipment, including deck blocks, clutches, winches and full batten, with each piece designed, manufactured, and assembled directly at its facility in Padova, Italy.
Originally a foundry in 1950, the Carraro family’s factory became metal toy producers in 1965, evolving to become Antal by Gastone Carraro in 1977.
With a network in 21 countries and collaborations with Italian and international shipyards, the Antal Group offers a complete catalogue of deck equipment for small leisure boats to the most sophisticated superyachts.
Enrico Gomiero, Chairman of Antal, commented:
“Antal has always had a family spirit and what we are doing is honoring this legacy. Xavier has never been only a commercial partner; he is an integral part of our history.
“By working for years with Roberto Carraro, he helped create the Antal range by sailing and testing each piece. With him at our side, we are taking the first step toward a consolidation that sees us ready to write a new chapter, combining Italian quality with the momentum of international markets.”
Enrico Gomiero – Chairman of Antal
The acquisition of XPO represents a move into the French sailing landscape by Antal. Utilising the La Rochelle location, together with XPO’s expertise in the design of deck plans, Antal is no longer limited to supplying components, but increasingly becomes a strategic adviser from the earliest phases of designing a vessel.
For shipyards, this means an immediate technical interface for the development of custom solutions, reducing the time between prototyping and series production and, for customers, there will be after-sales support and technical consultancy, supported by the La Rochelle logistics hub.
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