Formula News
- 2 Dec 2006
Formula Yacht Spars and Black Flag Composite taking top award
Franco - British partnerships recognised at Paris Boat Show
The winners of the second Laureat Nautique Franco-Britannique Award were announced during the Paris Boat Show in December 2006. The 2006 overall winners were British company Formula Yacht Spars and French partner Black Flag Composite. The Franco-British award is supported by the UKTI and organised by the British Marine Federation (BMF) and Federation des Industries Nautiques (FIN) and recognises marine companies from France and the UK that have entered into successful partnerships.
Formula Yacht Spars, based in Lymington, Hampshire and Black Flag Composite of Mudaison, Montpellier were recognised for having shown a strong corporate drive to create strategic alliances, build expertise and knowledge across borders. The partnership has led to impressive growth in turnover, improved client service and enhanced credibility in the market place.
The partnerships between Performance Sailcraft (UK) and Direct Sailing (France) and Barton (UK) and Plastimo (France) also received highly commended recognition from the judges during the evening’s celebrations.
To celebrate their success the winners are invited to participate in the annual UK Marine Industry Regatta. The yacht is provided by the BMF and they will race alongside other UK partners in aid of the John Merricks Sailing Trust.
Toby Allies, Director of International Development at the BMF commented, “Formula Yacht Spars and Black Flag Composite are a great example of how companies can create new partnerships to drive forward innovation, deliver better service for clients and provide exciting opportunities for their staff. The BMF looks forward to continuing working and supporting them and all the highly commended companies as they continue to develop their businesses in the highly competitive international leisure marine market.”
Mark Merritt, Managing Director of winning company Formula Yacht Spars, added, “This award was a real bonus in an exciting year for Formula in which we have undergone considerable change and expansion. The acquisition of Black Flag Composite, a specialist composite spar maker in Southern France, has given us an important foothold in an extremely active market and strengthened our team of composite experts. This award has come as a very pleasant surprise to us and is in effect only the beginning. It is also a strong indication that we are now a formidable force in the European market and we are looking forward to the new year with considerable enthusiasm”
About the Award:
The companies are judged against a number of criteria including:
- Impact of the partnership on the French company’s business as well on the French industry
- Recognition by trade bodies and the industry
- Percentage increase in turnover, imports/exports as a result of the partnership
- Extent of the innovation of the partnership and the products within it
- Future of the Franco-British partnership in their business as a whole
For more information, please contact Rebecca Jackson at BMF on