Produktionsplanen går ut på att bygga 24 båtar under september, även om ingen ny finanisär dykt upp.

Ingen köpare har ännu tagit över bankrutta Bavaria Yachtbau. Men det hindrar inte fabriken från att planera för att bygga 24 segel och motorbåtar i september. Den siffran kan jämföras med de 60, som fabrikens temporäre VD Tobias Brinkmann uppgav levererades i juni.

Det var i april, som amerikanska investerarna Oaktree and Captital drog tillbaks sitt stora satsade kapital efter att verksamheten i Bavaria visat på förluster om 25 - 30 miljoner Euro. Utan deras kapital kunde fabriken varken betala skulder eller löner till de 600 anställda. Lönerna har under de första tre månaderna kunnat betalas med statlig lönegaranti, men måste nu när produktionen går igång efter semestern, dras från lnkomna betalningar för levererade båtar.

Förhandlingar med möjliga investerare pågår uppger Tobias Brinkmann till tyska tidningen Float Magazine och IBI. Bland de som nämns är konkurrenten Hanse, som uppger att man utan att ta kontakt, har synat Bavaria. Florian Nierich, ansvarig för marknad och kommunikation på Hanse, säger att man har sett på Bavarias afärsmodell, men fann att den inte passade in i Hanses koncept. 

Även franska Beneteau ska enligt norska Seilmagasinet ha övervägt köp, men Benetaugruppen förvärvade i augusti polska Delphia och slovenska Seascape. 

Frågan är nu om ett rävspel pågår - ju längre tiden går, desto lägre köpesumma. Eller om det alls finns investerare villiga att ta över 600 anställda och som kan vända storförlust till vinst. Det sista är den stora utmaningen med tanke på att båtarna länge har byggts med förlust. 

Bavaria har försökt att putsa på sin lågprisprofil sedan 2017, med tre nya lyxigare modeller ritade av Maurizio Cossutti på 45, 50 och 57 fot. Plus en 65-fotare, som man tagit över från Salona Yachts i Kroatien, Jason Ker ritade f d Salona 65.

Enligt Tobias Brinkmann (TB) har Bavaria 170 båtar i order och man ställer ut i Cannes i september även om en ny investerare inte tagit över. Tanken är att överlämna en bra orderbok till en ny investerare. Trots den oklara framtiden, vågar svenske importören visa Bavariabåtar i Henån i helgen och nästa helg vid sitt kontor i Barnvik på Värmdö.

Importören har varit påverkare och en maktfaktor sedan 1997 och har följdriktigt övertygad sagt att en köpare defintivt kommer att ta över fabriken. Dock har försäljningen av nya Bavaria i Sverige stagnerat, vilket Bavia Yacht kompenserar med sina Diva, senast nya 34SC.

Stora pengar står på spel om Bavaria inte klarar att stå för sina skulder, många leverantörer som Selden, Volvo Penta, Lewmar, Jefa, Spinlock löper risken att påverkas negativt om en ny ägare inte snart kommer fram.

Hela intervjun om Bavarias framtis i Float Magazine (FM) återges här:

FM: Tobias Brinkmann says company hopes to restart under new ownership by September. Tobias Brinkmann, interim managing director of the over-indebted yard, told float magazine  in july that it would take a few more weeks to successfully complete the sales process after the Bavaria insolvency.

TB: The investor process for the sale of Bavaria Yachtbau, started in May, is at an advanced stage. We are negotiating with several interested bidders and want to reach a conclusion as soon as possible in August,” says Bavaria in a statement.

FM: In a remarkable spurt, Bavaria says it completed numerous orders at the start of the season and delivered a three-digit number of new boats to customers in the past three months. The aim was to maintain the trust of customers and dealers. And while the German Employment Agency paid the salaries of around 600 employees at the Giebelstadt plant in the past three months, the money now comes from the company itself – namely from the insolvency estate. According to Brinkmann, there were no more layoffs than usual for the season.

FM: How many boats have been produced since the insolvency report in April?

TB: In insolvency proceedings, which is the time period from 23 April to 1 July, we delivered 123 boats. A considerable amount was added in July, bringing the total to around 170. This can only be achieved if the company is fully maintained, the employees work well and the suppliers deliver. Everything went well.

FM: Which models were produced? Also novelties from 2018, a C 65 maybe?

TB: Of course we also produced new models which we presented at boot Düsseldorf in January 2018, especially the C 57 and the C 45 for sailboats. The C 65 is a special boat, because this ship is not built in Giebelstadt, but by a supplier in Croatia. We picked up one C65 immediately after submitting the insolvency application, another one was completed there by a customer in the application procedure. But that is not the model on which we have focused. We have concentrated on the boats, which are manufactured in our own production site.

FM: Have all dealers been served with the ordered boats

We supplied almost all dealers according to contract. In some cases, individual special insolvency regulations had to be made. This applied particularly for boats, which were fully paid as the insolvency application was submitted. This was extremely important for the dealers, because otherwise subsequent bankruptcies could have been possible. This is very positive for the shipyard because customers are paying us back with their trust and orders for the new financial year.

FM: How many boats have you been able to acquire?

TB: A clear three-digit number. This is a substantial foundation with which a future owner can start anew here.

FM: After the insolvency, the German Federal Labour Office took over the labour costs. Who pays the salary from now on?

TB: Insolvency money is only available for a maximum of 3 months before the opening of insolvency proceedings, which was here on July 1. As of July 1, wages must be paid out of the insolvency estate again.

FM: Have there been layoffs since April?

TB: There were only a small number of layoffs, we have an almost stable core workforce. However, there was a seasonal reduction in temporary staff.

FM: Will the entire workforce be transferred to August?

TB: Yes, but for seasonal reasons we applied for short-time working on July 1.

FM: When do you start again? A buyer is to be presented in the course of August. Would the regular start be on September 1?

TB: Full operation would resume in September.

FM: What if this were to drag on longer? Will you start up again first?

TB: No. We would like to close in August because the company needs a new owner. But we are confident. We’re negotiating with several interested bidders and want to achieve a conclusion as soon as possible in August. But Bavaria is not sold until the contract is signed.

De nya Bavariamodellerna från Maurizio Cosasutti på 45, 50 och 57 fot syftar till att putsa bort varvets lågprisprofil.