on 21 Jul 2023
British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has acquired Team Italia/Onyx Marine, the Italian group specialising in yacht bridges and marine electronics.
After starting collaborating on joint development projects in 2019, Rolls-Royce and Team Italia/Onyx Marine have agreed that ‘the best way to realise strategic growth would be for Team Italia to become part of Rolls-Royce.’
Team Italia, established in 2000, designs and develops integrated bridges and marine navigation and automation systems – mainly for Italian yacht builders and shipyards positioned prominently on the global yacht market. Today, Team Italia systems are in service around the world on some 350 yachts between 30m – 100m in length.
The news marks the latest expansion into the yacht market for Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems business unit. In June, Lürssen and Rolls-Royce Power Systems confirmed they are developing a methanol demo system capable of handling the propulsion and hotel load of future superyachts.
In addition to a mtu propulsion system, Rolls-Royce offers integrated bridge products as well as regulation, control, automation and navigation systems for yachts.
“This acquisition is the next logical step on our way to becoming a provider of integrated solutions for the yacht industry,” says Denise Kurtulus, vice president of marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “Our products complement each other perfectly, and with this step, we expand our solutions portfolio significantly to enhance our market position and create further benefits for our customers.”
“We are proud and very happy to become part of the Rolls-Royce group,” says Massimo Minnella, managing director of Team Italia. “We strongly believe that in order to implement a structured expansion and maintain the high level of continuity and growth that will secure the future of our company, we need an excellent partner and marine expert like Rolls-Royce Power Systems at our side. We see excellent prospects for reaping benefits together in the global luxury yacht market.”
Daniele Ceccanti, technical director of Team Italia, adds: “Team Italia has always aimed to build products that make complex operations much simpler. By joining forces with Rolls-Royce Power Systems, it is moving another step forward in making increasingly complex systems that will equip the yachts of the future simpler and safer to operate.”
From left: Massimo Minnella, Daniele Ceccanti, Denise Kurtulus and Clemens Berger
With the new name Team Italia Marine, the company says it continues to operate in the Italian cities of Fano, Livorno and Forlì. Its workforce of almost 60 employees, including all managers and key personnel, will be taken over by Rolls-Royce.
Massimo Minnella will keep the role of managing director, and Daniele Ceccanti will remain the technical director. They will be supported by Nicola Camuffo, head of the Rolls-Royce mtu Yacht Competence Centre in La Spezia, Italy.
For more Yachting news click here.