The Groupe Beneteau announced a 15,000-square-meter development project in Canet-en-Roussillon on October 23, 2026, aimed at establishing a Mediterranean hub for large vessels and boat reconditioning. Slated for mid-2029, the initiative builds on its recent acquisition of BMS and targets annual production of 130 refitted boats globally by 2030.
Beneteau Builds Canet-en-Roussillon Facility
Unveiled during the Les Occasions du Multicoque et du Refit trade show, the new site will occupy a 15,000-square-meter footprint within the local nautical hub in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. The initial construction phase plans for approximately 2,200 square meters of built space. Project leaders have also secured an optional 10,000-square-meter land extension that could double the built area during a subsequent phase.
Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole is committing 12 million euros to the expansion, while Canet-en-Roussillon is contributing over 3 million euros to support the underlying infrastructure. Pending final administrative studies and regulatory permits, the facility targets a mid-2029 operational launch.
BMS Expertise Expands to Large Vessels
The initiative centers on BMS, a local specialist in maintenance, customization, and refitting for large catamarans that was integrated into the parent company in October 2025. Founded by Pascal Cantiran and Denis Ranjard, BMS generated a 3.3 million euro turnover in 2025 with a staff of 20 employees.
The new Mediterranean center will extend this technical expertise past catamarans to encompass monocoques and motorboats exceeding 60 feet across the corporate portfolio. The site will handle the preparation and installation of equipment on newly manufactured vessels in addition to refit operations.
NEO Reconditioning Program Scales Up
The facility will provide capacity for NEO, the company’s boat reconditioning program. NEO aims to extend vessel life cycles.
The reconditioning process relies closely on original manufacturing blueprints, composite molds, and specific hull-number parts catalogues. Following early trials earlier in the year that successfully overhauled a Lagoon 42 and a Lagoon 450, the enterprise targets a global output of 130 reconditioned boats annually by 2030. The Canet-en-Roussillon site is projected to process roughly ten large vessels each year by that milestone.
Canet Will Become a Mediterranean Hub for Vessel Services
The expansion is expected to yield tangible economic dividends for the region.
A secondary development phase envisions a dedicated base camp for vessel owners and crews. This area would host training sessions covering navigation, safety protocols, and onboard systems, alongside client events and brand gatherings.
With the expertise of BMS and the resources of the Group, we want to develop a Mediterranean hub for services to large units in Canet. Convinced of the potential of used boat reconditioning, we see it as a new lever to deploy the Groupe Beneteau’s NEO program on a larger scale, with the ambition of making this site a global reference in the 60- to 80-foot segment.
Clément Himily, Managing Director of the Sailing Business Unit at Groupe Beneteau