SVB
SVB is a family-owned German e-commerce retailer founded in 1989, specializing in over 30,000 marine equipment products from 300+ brands for individual recreational boaters, professional boat yards, and sailing clubs globally, with two physical boutiques and direct-to-port worldwide shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersBremen, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SVB does
SVB (SVB Spezialversand für Yacht- und Bootszubehör GmbH) is a family-owned German marine equipment retailer founded in 1989 by Thomas Stamann and headquartered in Bremen, with an additional retail boutique in Kiel. The company operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (svb.de) selling over 30,000 products from 300+ water sports brands across categories including marine electronics, outboard motors, safety equipment, sailing accessories, ropes, electrical systems, antifouling, and technical clothing. SVB serves individual recreational boaters and sailors as its primary segment, with secondary segments in professional boat yards and sailing clubs, including an exclusive spare parts supply relationship with Bavaria Yachts.
The company's core technology infrastructure centers on an 18,000 m² facility in Bremen housing an automated small-parts warehouse (AKL) that enables 60-minute order-to-dispatch and up to 3,000 daily packages, combined with real-time inventory visibility (95% in-stock rate), online configurators for custom rope splicing, wire crimping, and cable assembly, and a multilingual platform supporting 17 languages. Supporting tools include the "Carl" virtual purchasing advisor (a wizard-based guided selection tool), the MyBoat digital boat management community platform, and a customer-to-customer Q&A ecosystem with over 400,000 registered participants and 206,680 verified reviews.
Revenue is generated through three streams: direct hardware sales at fixed website-listed prices, custom fabrication and professional services (rope splicing, cable assembly, boat lettering, chart programming), and maintenance services for life jackets and life rafts. Distribution relies on the proprietary e-commerce storefront supplemented by two physical boutiques in Germany and global shipping partnerships with DHL, UPS, and air freight carriers offering direct-to-port delivery. The company is managed by the Stamann family (Thomas, Justyna, Judith, and Andreas) with no external investors or parent company, and remains entirely under founding-family ownership.
SVB firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SVB
- Legal name
- SVB Spezialversand für Yacht- und Bootszubehör GmbH
- Website
- https://svb.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SVB is a family-owned German e-commerce retailer founded in 1989, specializing in over 30,000 marine equipment products from 300+ brands for individual recreational boaters, professional boat yards, and sailing clubs globally, with two physical boutiques and direct-to-port worldwide shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SVB industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Equipment Retail
- NAICS
- Boat Dealers (441222)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Marine Safety & Navigation Electronics Retail (PFDs, EPIRBs, GPS, VHF) (CRAMAIAH)
Keywords
Where SVB is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bremen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SVB business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product sales (hardware and equipment): SVB generates the majority of its revenue through the direct sale of marine equipment, yacht accessories, and water sports products. The company offers over 30,000 products across categories including electronics, navigation, safety equipment, clothing, engines, and spare parts. Products are sold at fixed prices displayed on the website, with periodic promotional discounts and top deals.
- Custom manufacturing and fabrication services: SVB offers made-to-order services for rope splicing, wire cable assembly, cable pressing, boat lettering/signage, and chart programming. These value-added services are charged in addition to product prices and contribute to revenue through professional services.
- Maintenance and servicing: SVB provides maintenance services for life jackets and life rafts, adding a service revenue stream alongside product sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard EU shipping (DHL Standard) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | UPS Standard and Express delivery |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Freight / Spedition shipping |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Cash on delivery (Nachnahme) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
SVB product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SVB is a specialized online and mail-order retailer selling more than 30,000 technical products for sailboats, motorboats, catamarans, and inflatable boats, drawn from over 300 brands and spanning marine electronics and navigation, outboard motors and thrusters, safety equipment, ropes and sailing hardware, electrical systems, antifouling, and technical sailing clothing. The company complements retail with made-to-order fabrication services (rope splicing, wire rope, cable assembly, boat lettering, chart programming) and is the exclusive spare parts supplier for Bavaria Yachts. It operates its own automated warehouse and ships globally via DHL and UPS, including direct-to-port delivery.
Product overview
SVB (Spezialversand für Yacht- und Bootszubehör) is a German online retailer and specialist mail-order company for yacht and boat equipment, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Bremen with operations in Kiel. The company operates as a one-stop platform for water sports equipment, offering over 30,000 products across more than 300 water sports brands, making it Europe's largest mail-order retailer for sailing and motorboat equipment. The product portfolio centers on technical boat equipment including marine electronics (GPS/chart plotters, fish finders, autopilots, AIS, radar), outboard motors and thrusters, safety equipment (life jackets, life rafts, distress signals), sailing accessories (winches, blocks, ropes), electrical systems (lighting, batteries, solar, inverters), and sailing clothing. SVB distinguishes itself through proprietary services including the SEATEC private label brand for equipment and clothing, the MyBoat digital community platform for boat management, a virtual purchasing advisor called 'Carl's Advisor' for guided product selection, and custom configuration services for ropes, wire ropes, and cables. The company is an exclusive replacement parts supplier for Bavaria Yachts and maintains physical retail boutiques in Bremen and Kiel alongside its e-commerce operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SEATEC: SVB's own private label brand offering marine equipment including inflatable boats, SUPs, safety equipment, sailing clothing, and related accessories.
Products and services
- SEATEC Private Label Brand
Quantifiable outcome
- 60-minute average order-to-dispatch time for in-stock items
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use SVB
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SVB technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
SVB partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Bavaria YachtscoreSVB is the exclusive spare parts supplier (exklusiver Ersatzteillieferant) for all Bavaria Yachts original parts. SVB stocks and supplies genuine Bavaria Yacht replacement parts including wiper blades, shower taps, water heaters, radios, helmsman seats, and over 25,000 products total for Bavaria boats.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SVB competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Defender Marine: US-based mail-order and online retailer of marine equipment, parts, and accessories for sailboats, powerboats, and yachts — directly comparable specialist e-commerce model serving recreational boaters globally.
- Boats.net: Online retailer of marine parts, accessories, and OEM replacements with strong search and configurator tools for identifying correct parts by boat make/model. Comparable specialist e-commerce model focused on technical content.
- West Marine: Largest US marine equipment retailer offering a comparable assortment of sailing hardware, electronics, safety gear, and accessories across stores and e-commerce. Closely aligned business model (specialist marine retail, broad SKU depth, technical content), though materially larger and US-focused.
- Wholesale Marine: US online distributor of marine parts, supplies, and accessories with a comparable high-SKU, mail-order-driven model and significant OEM replacement parts business.
- Fisheries Supply: US-based marine retailer and distributor serving commercial and recreational boating customers with broad marine equipment assortment and technical expertise. Comparable mail-order heritage and customer base.
- Compass24: German online retailer of sailing and motorboat equipment, water sports gear, and marine clothing. Operates in the same DACH market with a directly overlapping product assortment, customer base, and e-commerce-first GTM.
- A. W. Niemeyer (AWN): Established German specialist mail-order retailer for sailing equipment, nautical accessories, and marine clothing. Closely comparable specialist marine retail model headquartered in Germany.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon (Marine & Boating): General e-commerce incumbent expanding technical marine and boating assortment, putting pricing pressure on specialist marine retailers like SVB. Relevant as the dominant cross-category alternative for many of SVB's product lines.
- Decathlon: Global sporting goods retailer with dedicated sailing, kayaking, and water sports categories. Comparable multi-brand, price-competitive assortment in entry-level and mid-tier marine accessories and clothing.
- Marinepool: German marine apparel and accessories brand with both own-brand products and multi-brand distribution. Overlaps with SVB in sailing clothing, safety gear, and water sports accessories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SVB social profiles
Digital presenceSVB financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SVB leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SVB funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SVB M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SVB
What does SVB do?
SVB is a specialized online and mail-order retailer selling more than 30,000 technical products for sailboats, motorboats, catamarans, and inflatable boats, drawn from over 300 brands and spanning marine electronics and navigation, outboard motors and thrusters, safety equipment, ropes and sailing hardware, electrical systems, antifouling, and technical sailing clothing. The company complements retail with made-to-order fabrication services (rope splicing, wire rope, cable assembly, boat lettering, chart programming) and is the exclusive spare parts supplier for Bavaria Yachts. It operates its own automated warehouse and ships globally via DHL and UPS, including direct-to-port delivery.
Is SVB a public or private company?
SVB is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was SVB founded?
SVB was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is SVB based?
SVB is headquartered in Bremen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SVB make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product sales (hardware and equipment) is the primary driver. The others are custom manufacturing and fabrication services and maintenance and servicing.
Who are SVB's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Defender Marine, Boats.net, West Marine, Wholesale Marine, Fisheries Supply, Compass24 and A. W. Niemeyer (AWN). Broad incumbents are Amazon (Marine & Boating), Decathlon and Marinepool.
Does SVB have an API?
No public API is recorded for SVB.
What industry is SVB in?
SVB's product category is Marine Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAG, Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware), with a secondary code of CRAMAIAH, Marine Safety & Navigation Electronics Retail (PFDs, EPIRBs, GPS, VHF). Its NAICS code is 441222 and its SIC code is 5065.