What CDK Technologies does

CDK Technologies (CDK Technologies SAS) is a Brittany-based specialist builder of high-performance composite structures for competitive sailing, founded in 1984 in Port la For\u00eat and now operating three sites (La-For\u00eat-Fouesnant, Lorient, La Rochelle) with 120 employees. The company designs and manufactures complete racing-yacht platforms, masts, booms and foils across all major offshore classes (Ultime maxi-trimarans, IMOCA 60-foot monohulls, Ocean Fifty 50-foot trimarans, MOD 70, Orma), plus refit services and a small industrial-composites line. Its differentiating tooling \u2014 50-meter autoclaves, a 36-meter oven, and a 25m x 4m autoclave \u2014 is among the largest composite-curing capacity in Europe and underwrites its ability to fabricate structures (including a 42m mast for Banque Populaire IX and the AC75 mast for INEOS Britannia) that competing yards cannot physically produce.

Core technology is autoclave curing of pre-impregnated carbon-fiber laminates, supported by CNC cutting of pre-preg fabrics, CNC machining, and an in-house Bureau d'Études that translates designs from leading naval architects (VPLP, Guillaume Verdier) into manufacturable structures. The business model is B2B project-based: bespoke build or component contracts with professional sailing teams, syndicates, and individual skippers, plus industrial composite work via the Chantiers de l'Atlantique Solid Sail Mast consortium (JEC Composites Innovation Award 2023). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by reputation and race results rather than marketing \u2014 6 Vend\u00e9e Globe victories in 10 editions (5 consecutive) and 44 boats built since 1984 are the principal commercial proof points.

Ownership is private, with Inspiring Sport Capital holding a majority stake acquired in March 2022 and Keroman Technologies (Lorient) operating as a core wholly-owned subsidiary. A formal CEO succession is underway: St\u00e9phane Digard will retire in July 2026 after Ronan Lucas joins as Director of Operations in August 2025, reflecting an intentional bench-building exercise aligned with the company's planned scale-up.

Name

CDK Technologies

Legal name

CDK Technologies SAS

Website

https://cdk-technologies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CDK Technologies is a French composite-manufacturing specialist that builds high-performance racing yachts (IMOCA, Ultime, Ocean Fifty), masts, booms and foils for professional sailing teams, leveraging Europe's largest autoclave capacity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Composite Yacht Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Catamaran (Power & Sail) Manufacturing (IMAJAMAF), Luxury Yacht Systems Integration & Commissioning (Shipyard) (IMAJAMAI)

Keywords

• Composite yacht manufacturing
• Racing yacht construction
• Carbon fiber autoclave
• Marine composite parts
• High-performance masts

Headquarters

HQ city

Lorient

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom yacht construction: Turnkey construction of racing yachts including platforms, decks, hardware, and systems for multihull and monohull vessels. Revenue generated from complete boat builds as demonstrated with Ocean Fifty PLANET R and various IMOCA/Ultime class boats.
2. Mast and component manufacturing: Production and sale of high-performance masts, booms, foils, and structural components for racing yachts. Supply of key structural parts to sailing teams.
3. Yacht refit services: Refit and optimization services for existing racing yachts including structural repairs and performance upgrades.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDK Technologies designs and manufactures high-performance composite racing yachts and large-scale structural components — including hulls, decks, masts, booms, and lifting foils — using pre-impregnated carbon fiber and large-format autoclave curing. The company delivers turnkey construction projects across multiple racing classes (Ultime, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty, Mod 70, Orma), as well as cruising and luxury motor yachts, industrial composite parts (including the Solid Sail Mast for commercial shipping), and aftermarket refit services.

Product overview

CDK Technologies is a boat builder specializing in high-performance composite structures for racing yachts. The company operates two facilities in Brittany (Port-la-Forêt and Lorient) equipped with 50-meter autoclaves and 36-meter ovens, enabling it to manufacture the largest composite parts in Europe. CDK's product portfolio spans multiple racing yacht classes: Ultime maxi-trimarans, IMOCA 60-foot monohulls, Ocean Fifty 50-foot trimarans, Mod 70, and Orma multihulls, plus cruising yachts and luxury motor yachts. Core product offerings include complete yacht platforms (both turnkey projects and partial construction), mast manufacturing (up to 42m for Ultime and America's Cup AC75 yachts), booms, and foils. The company also provides refit services and industrial composite parts. With 44 boats built in 40 years and 6 Vendée Globe victories across 10 editions, CDK is recognized as the leading offshore racing yacht constructor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ultime Class Yachts Large maxi-trimaran platforms (Ultim 32/38 class) for ocean racing, including CDK-built platforms, masts, and composite structural parts such as foils.
• IMOCA Class Yachts 60-foot monohull racing yachts for the IMOCA class featuring foil technology. CDK has built 17 IMOCAs including winners of multiple Vendée Globe and Transat Jacques Vabre races.
• Ocean Fifty Yachts 50-foot trimaran multihulls for the Ocean Fifty class, delivered as complete turnkey platforms including deck hardware.
• MOD 70 Yachts 70-foot multihull racing yachts for the MOD 70 class featuring CDK-built composite structural components.
• Orma Class Yachts Racing yachts for the Orma multihull class, with CDK providing composite construction expertise.
• Cruising Yachts Cruising sailing yachts for recreational use, applying CDK's composite manufacturing expertise to leisure sailing vessels.
• Luxury Motor Yachts High-performance luxury motor yachts combining composite construction with premium amenities for the luxury performance market.
• High-Performance Masts Composite masts up to 42 meters in length, built using pre-impregnated carbon fiber and autoclave curing, for Ultime trimarans (Spindrift II, Banque Populaire IX) and AC75 America's Cup yachts.
• Composite Booms Composite booms for racing yachts manufactured using high-performance materials and autoclave technology.
• High-Performance Foils Lifting foils and planing foils for Ultime and IMOCA class yachts, manufactured using specialized autoclave processes and numerical simulation, including complex surfaces for ULTIM and IMOCA boats.
• Yacht Refit Services Refit and renovation services for racing yachts, maxi yachts, and offshore racing multihulls, including winter maintenance, structural repairs, and performance upgrades.
• Industrial Composite Parts High-performance composite parts for industrial applications beyond yachting, including the Solid Sail Mast for cargo ships and passenger liners developed in partnership with Chantiers de l'Atlantique.
• Turnkey Yacht Construction Complete yacht construction services including platform, deck hardware, systems assembly, and delivery; CDK has delivered turnkey projects such as Ocean Fifty PLANET R and Maxi Banque Populaire XI.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 Vendée Globe wins in 10 editions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MerConceptcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffshore racing team management and project engineering company founded by François Gabart. Long-standing collaboration on IMOCA and Ultim projects including construction management and boat development. MerConcept handles project management while CDK provides manufacturing expertise.
• VPLP (Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost)coreTechnology or IntegrationNaval architecture firm designing many CDK-built yachts. Collaborative relationship on design implementation and structural optimization. CDK works with VPLP designs including Ocean Fifty PLANET R and various IMOCA class boats.
• Chantiers de l'AtlantiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Solid Sail/AeolDrive project developing sail mast solutions for large commercial vessels. CDK Technologies involved as industrial partner for mast fabrication. Recipient of JEC Composites Innovation Award 2023.
• Guillaume VerdiercoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading naval architect whose designs are built by CDK Technologies. Designer of Apivia and numerous other IMOCA class boats. Collaborative relationship on aerodynamic and structural design implementation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Decision SA: Swiss composite engineering and racing yacht builder, known for Alinghi and other America's Cup campaigns. Directly comparable high-performance composite manufacturing capability and customer overlap in top-tier sailing.
• Magma Composites: French composite parts manufacturer supplying structural components for Ocean Fifty and IMOCA trimarans, including co-manufacturing on the PLANET R project with CDK. Operates in the same high-performance composite niche.
• Southern Spars (North Spars): New Zealand-based high-performance carbon mast and rigging manufacturer for America's Cup and maxi racing yachts. Direct competitor to CDK's mast division for the same top-end racing customers.
• Persico Marine: Italian composite racing yacht builder producing IMOCA and other class boats using autoclave and prepreg technology. Competes for the same professional sailing team customers as CDK.
• Multiplast (Groupe Carboman): French composite shipyard based in Vannes building racing multihulls and monohulls (including Ultim and IMOCA class). Directly competes with CDK for the same team customers and is even co-partner in the Solid Sail consortium with CDK.
• Gepeto Composite: French composite boat builder producing central hulls and floats for multihull racing projects including Ocean Fifty. Competes for component-level scope on the same class of vessels CDK builds.
• Lorima: French manufacturer of high-performance composite masts for racing yachts (including America's Cup and Ultim). Direct head-to-head competitor to CDK's mast business and co-partner in the Solid Sail Mast consortium.

Broad incumbents

• Chantiers de l'Atlantique: Major French shipyard and Solid Sail consortium lead. Strategic customer/partner for CDK's industrial diversification into wind-assisted commercial shipping, but a far broader incumbent spanning cruise ships and naval vessels.
• North Technology Group: Marine-focused technology holding (owns North Sails, Southern Spars, Future Fibres, and others). Indirect competitor via its mast/rigging subsidiaries and broader reach across the professional sailing supply chain.

Emerging players

• Premier Composite Technologies: UAE-based advanced composite manufacturer serving marine, defence and aerospace. Comparable autoclave-driven composite manufacturing approach with growing overlap in foils and structural components for high-end sailing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdk_tech
• Facebookfacebook.com/CDKtechnologies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdk-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdk_technologies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CDK Technologies