The administrators of Fairline Yachts have secured additional funding and launched a formal sale process to find a buyer for the historic British boatbuilder.
The Northamptonshire-based shipyard, which employs approximately 250 staff across two sites in Oundle and Suffolk, entered administration in January 2025, just two months after its acquisition by Arrowbolt Propulsion Systems Limited.
The insolvency process was initiated by the company’s primary lender, DF Capital, which has now provided additional funding to keep the business operational. It’s understood this funding will allow Fairline to continue the production and sale of its yachts while safeguarding the jobs of its 250 employees.
Fairline Yachts, founded in 1967, produces four yacht ranges, spanning from 33ft to 68ft (10 to 20.7 metres), which are sold worldwide both directly and through a global dealer network.
Michael Magnay, joint administrator at Alvarez & Marsal, states: “Fairline Yachts is an iconic brand with a committed and passionate team of experts who have established deep relationships with dealers and end customers over many years. The business is known throughout the world for the quality of its craftsmanship and the innovative design of its yachts.
“We expect that it could have broad appeal to international investors as well as domestic. We encourage interested parties to make contact with us to discuss the opportunity to acquire this exciting business.”
Fairline has faced financial turbulence before. In 2015, under the ownership of private equity firm Wessex Bristol, the company went into administration, resulting in 380 job losses before being acquired by Russian investors the following year. More recently, despite experiencing supply chain disruptions during the pandemic, and a labour shortage, Fairline maintained a strong order book, which was valued at £100m in early 2024. However, its latest accounts indicated a decline in turnover, dropping from £48.3m in 2022 to £41.1 million in 2023, though forecasts for 2024 had anticipated a rebound.
The administrators are now inviting potential buyers, both domestic and international, to express interest in acquiring Fairline Yachts.
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