“A Riva, like a Ferrari, must make people say: it’s beautiful, I want it”. A sentence, the one pronounced by the CEO of Ferretti Group, Alberto Galassi, which says a lot about the expectations that reside in the brand and in the work of the workers of the La Spezia shipyard which was officially inaugurated this morning in its completely renewed form in Viale San Bartolomeo, in what is increasingly the heart of the La Spezia and Italian nautical district.
An appeal, that of Riva, which has its roots on the shores of Lake Iseo, but which in its yacht and megayacht declination has convinced people such as Elton John, David Beckam and Charles Leclerc in recent years, captured by the beauty and dynamism of the lines, as well as the made in Italy quality and the history that that name contains. Characteristics that today can also be appreciated in the new lounge area of the construction site inaugurated in the presence of the president Tan Xuguang, the CEO Galassi, a delegation from Weichai, historic shareholder of the group, the mayor of La Spezia Pierluigi Peracchini, the regional councilor for Infrastructure Giacomo Giampedrone, the general secretary of the Port System Authority Federica Montaresi, the municipal councilor for urban planning Patrizia Saccone and the director of Confindustria Paolo Faconti.
After cutting the ribbon of the new production structures, also renewed from a technological point of view, with the aim of producing all Riva yachts up to 40 meters in La Spezia, President Tan took the floor to greet the workers gathered inside a of the shipyard hangars. “In 2012 – he explained – we preferred to avoid the bankruptcy of the group for the good of the brand, covering the debt with an outlay which was initially very heavy but which today is repaying us for the choice made with a long series of successes. We also did it for the good of the 2,000 families of workers who counted and still count on us.”
The speech was welcomed with great applause by the workers of the La Spezia production site, which came into operation over ten years ago and which today plays a crucial role from an industrial point of view, employing over 750 workers, of which 200 direct employees, and representing a nerve center for Ferretti Group in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Sea areas.
The shipyard has been renovated in the production part, in the management part and in the lounge area which welcomes visiting owners with terraces overlooking the Gulf and interiors in full nautical style.
The total surface area is equal to 64,000 square metres, with 33 berths spread over 400 linear metres, and is made up of four sheds with 21 production stations, to which are added another 2 sheds dedicated to painting. The production hub, which in its new guise features photovoltaic systems and exclusive dedicated spaces such as the Riva lounge and the Riva boutique, is focused on the production of 7 Riva models from 76 feet to 130 feet and, when fully operational, exceeds 30 models per year. year.
The completely renovated Riva shipyard has been inaugurated
Particular importance was also paid to the social and environmental perspective of the plant, which sees measures implemented aimed at progressively reducing the environmental footprint as certified by Rina with the ISO 14001:20151 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications.
This morning’s ceremony, which also saw the technical launch of a Riva 110 which will soon set sail for Hong Kong, was also a fundamental moment to take stock of the goals achieved by Ferretti Group and President Tan confirmed once again appreciation for the work carried out by the management and expressed renewed trust in the team of top managers led by CEO Galassi.
