Wichard Group

What Wichard Group does

Wichard Group is a French industrial group founded in 1919 and headquartered in Thiers, France, that designs, manufactures, and distributes marine hardware, forged safety components, and personal protective equipment through a portfolio of nine complementary brands. The group reported approximately €110 million in annual revenue in 2024 and employs around 650 people across thirteen industrial sites — eight of them in France — plus two international subsidiaries in the United States (since 1992) and Australia (since 2003). Since 2023 the French private equity firm Azulis Capital has been the principal shareholder, partnering with management under President Jean-Claude Ibos to fund both organic growth and an aggressive brand-acquisition strategy.

The group's core manufacturing capabilities are built around proprietary stamp forging (estampage) developed over a century, complemented by plastic injection moulding (Maillard), carbon fibre mast production (Lorima, Axxon), high-speed machining, and complete rigging assembly under one roof in French workshops. Marine product lines span Wichard Marine fittings, Ronstan blocks and winches, Andersen stainless steel winches, Profurl and Facnor sail furling systems, Lorima and Axxon carbon masts, and Sparcraft aluminium masts. Industrial and PPE lines include Wichard Industrie forged safety parts, Peguet Maillon Rapide quick-link connectors, Courant ropes and personal protective equipment, and Maillard plastic-injection subcontracting services. The group holds ISO 9001, 14001, 9100 (aerospace) and 13485 (medical) certifications, enabling participation in safety-critical applications across automotive, aeronautics, medical devices, parachuting, lifting, and railway end markets.

Wichard operates a hybrid go-to-market model: direct sales in France, two wholly-owned subsidiaries abroad, and a distributor network reaching more than 40 countries through three regional hubs. Revenue is generated primarily through B2B hardware sales at quote-based commercial terms to boat builders, sailing professionals, industrial OEMs, and professional PPE users, with no consumer retail pricing publicly disclosed. Notable customer relationships include the Chantiers de l'Atlantique SolidSail consortium for cruise-ship decarbonation (served through Lorima and recognised with a 2023 JEC Composites Innovation Award), as well as maxi-yacht, ocean-racing, and offshore-cruising segments served through Facnor, Sparcraft, and Lorima brands. Marketing concentrates on international nautical trade shows (METSTRADE, Cannes, Boot Düsseldorf, Annapolis), brand-specific websites, and LinkedIn engagement.

Name

Wichard Group

Legal name

DECK TEAM Société par actions simplifiée

Website

https://wichardgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wichard Group is a French industrial group that designs, manufactures, and distributes marine hardware, forged safety components, and personal protective equipment through nine complementary brands. The €110 million-revenue company serves yacht builders, sailing professionals, industrial OEMs, and PPE buyers across more than 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Deck Machinery & Mooring Systems (Winches, Windlasses, Capstans) (IMAJAIAA), Fasteners & Joining Consumables (Bolts, Rivets, Welding Wire/Rods, Flux) (IMAJAKAI), Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)

Keywords

• Marine hardware manufacturing
• Sailboat rigging equipment
• Forged safety components
• Carbon fiber masts
• Personal protection equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiers

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Marine Hardware Manufacturing and Distribution: Design, manufacture, and distribution of marine fittings, winches, blocks, rails, masts, sail furling systems, and rigging components through 9 complementary brands targeting the global sailing and pleasure boating market
2. Industrial Hardware Manufacturing: Production and sale of forged safety parts for diverse industrial sectors including automotive, aeronautics, medical, parachuting, lifting, and railway industries through Wichard Industrie brand
3. PPE and Rope Manufacturing: Fabrication of personal protection equipment (EPI) and rope systems through Courant and Peguet brands for professionals in tree pruning, rope work, firefighting, rescue, and military applications
4. Contract Manufacturing: Subcontracting services through Maillard for plastic injection, machining, and assembly serving both group brands and external industrial clients in nautical, sanitation, medical, and electrical sectors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wichard Group designs, manufactures, and distributes marine hardware and industrial safety products through 9 complementary brands. The marine portfolio includes fittings, shackles, winches, sail furling systems, aluminium and carbon masts, and rigging; the industrial portfolio covers forged safety parts, metal connectors, ropes, and personal protection equipment. The group operates 13 industrial sites (8 in France) and serves customers in more than 40 countries via direct subsidiaries and a global distributor network.

Product overview

Wichard Group is a portfolio of 9 complementary brands serving the marine/sailing market and industrial/PPE markets. For the sailing market, the portfolio includes Wichard Marine and Ronstan (maritime fittings, winches, rails), Profurl and Facnor (sail furling systems), Lorima and Axxon Composites (carbon masts), and Sparcraft (aluminum masts). For industrial markets and PPE, it includes Wichard Industrie (forged safety parts), Peguet/Maillon Rapide (metal connectors), Courant (ropes and PPE), and Maillard (plastic injection). The group operates 13 industrial sites (8 in France) with over 650 employees and serves customers in more than 40 countries through a distribution network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wichard Marine: Marine fittings, anchors, shackles, snap hooks, safety equipment including lifelines and rescue devices
• Ronstan
• Andersen
• Profurl
• Facnor
• Sparcraft
• Lorima
• Axxon Composites
• Wichard Industrie
• Peguet
• Courant
• Maillard

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in industrial production capacity through new facility
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and flagship.

• Blue Océan / Kévin TroalesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Kévin Troale, managing director of Blue Océan and former sales representative for Ronstan and Andersen, engaged to facilitate integration of exclusive distribution rights for Ronstan and Andersen products in France. Advises Wichard France sales team on product knowledge and market development.
• SolidSail / Chantiers de l'Atlantique ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2023Lorima is part of a consortium including Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Avel Robotic, Bureau Veritas, CDK, Hexcel, Meca, Multiplast, and SMM developing the SolidSail project for solid composite sails targeting cruise ship decarbonation. Awarded JEC Composites Innovation Awards for this innovation.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spinlock: UK-based maker of rope clutches, jammers, deck hardware and safety equipment for sailing; closest peer to Peguet/Maillon Rapide connectors and Courant PPE in life-critical rope and deck hardware.
• Seldén Mast: Swedish manufacturer of aluminium spars, masts, booms and rigging systems; the most direct global competitor to Sparcraft in aluminium spars and to Wichard's standing rigging business.
• Harken: Leading US-based manufacturer of blocks, winches, travelers and sailing hardware; competes directly with Ronstan and Andersen in winches/blocks and with Wichard Marine in deck fittings, serving the same global yachting and performance-sailing customer base.
• Karver Systems: French-headquartered designer of furling systems, halyard locks and rigging hardware; small but technically focused peer to Profurl, Facnor and Wichard Marine fittings in the European sailing hardware market.
• Allen Brothers (a brand of Fulton): UK-based marine hardware maker serving both leisure and commercial marine; comparable to Maillard plastics and Wichard Marine fittings in the broader marine fittings and accessories market.
• Antal Srl: Italian manufacturer of sailing hardware including winches, jammers and furlers; competes with Andersen winches and Profurl/Facnor furler systems, especially in European OEM and aftermarket channels.
• Lewmar: UK marine hardware specialist covering winches, anchors, deck hardware and rig fittings; overlaps with Wichard Marine fittings, Ronstan/Andersen winches and Sparcraft rigging across recreational and OEM channels.
• Future Fibres: Composite rigging and carbon mast specialist serving America's Cup, maxi-yacht and superyacht programs; direct comparable to Lorima and Axxon Composites in high-performance carbon spars and rigging.
• Reckmann Benelux: German manufacturer of headsail furling and reefing systems for cruising and racing yachts; competes with Profurl and Facnor across the furler category globally.

Broad incumbents

• Mersen: French industrial group with expertise in specialty materials, safety components and electrical solutions; broader incumbent comparable to Wichard Industrie in forged safety parts for automotive, aeronautics and industrial customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFtSwQf6uTIY
• Facebookfacebook.com/wichardgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wichard Group