FURUNO ELECTRONIC CO., LTD. is pleased to announce that the new subsidiary in Italy has been established on the 8th of November 2013 and will commence its business operation from the 1st of January 2014 onward. In Italy, ARIMAR S.p.A. has hitherto been handling the marketing and sales activities as well as technical service provision as FURUNO's national distributor. The new subsidiary, FURUNO Italia S.r.l. (henceforward "FIT") will be FURUNO's wholly-owned subsidiary company in Italy whose main task is to further enhance the sales activities as well as technical service provision scheme in the local market, which is viewed as one of the most important geographical locations with remarkable market potential in Europe.
Not only does Italy have one of the largest shipping communities in the world, in terms of ship registration, but it is also one of the world's leading shipbuilding as well as operating nations for cruise ships, in particular. What is more, Italy has the largest shipbuilding industry in the world in terms of mega yachts*, making it one of the most important markets for recreational marine segment of the industry alongside with France and Monaco.
FIT will, within the framework of FURUNO's network of worldwide distribution and service organization, cooperate with FURUNO head office and subsidiary companies around the globe to further solidify its activities in a wider global framework. Also, FIT will be acting as one of the central organs of FURUNO's network of distribution and service organization for all-embracing marine market segments for the Mediterranean area, in close collaboration with FURUNO France S.A.S. and FURUNO España S.A. It is strongly believed that, with the establishment of FIT, FURUNO will be able to further solidify and rationalize its operation, hence earning further confidence from the global maritime industry as a whole.
*Mega yachts are large (generally over 80-foot-tall) luxury power boats or sailing yachts.
Outline of FURUNO Italia S.r.l.