Elandra Yachts yesterday announced its official entry into the United States market with the appointment of an American representative to distribute its luxury motor yachts overseas.
The appointment of Michael Usina as President of Elandra Yacht Sales in the Americas fast tracks the company’s international growth as Australia’s newest brand in high-end motor yachts.
Elandra Yachts founder and Managing Director Luke Durman said the partnership was sealed after Mr. Usina came out for the Sydney International Boat Show this year and was “thoroughly impressed” by the quality and value of Elandra’s vessels.
“Michael is a much respected veteran of the marine industry in the US and with his appointment to trade under Elandra’s American company we are on track for our projected growth,” said Mr. Durman.
“The Americas is strategically a very important market and we have always had the intention of launching there, but with the strength of the US dollar now to the Australian, it has strengthened our resolve to be there.
“We already have an exceptionally valuable boat in the Elandra 53, but the softer Aussie dollar makes it even better value for the Americans, who engage in similar coastal cruising to the Australian market and are after long-range, fuel efficient, seaworthy, and spacious boats,” he said.
From his Florida base, Mr. Usina will coordinate direct factory representation with a select group of American dealers to secure sales of Elandra Sport Yachts, to be custom-built and shipped from the company’s Gold Coast plant on the east coast of Australia.
The first sale to the US is scheduled for delivery in mid 2016, with the brand’s impressive Elandra 53 model to show at next year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in Florida – regarded as the yachting capital of the world.
Mr. Usina said he was very excited to represent Elandra, and believed their yachts ranked as the finest product he had seen over the 30 years he had spent working for some of the USA’s most iconic marine brands.
“My first impressions of Elandra were very positive. In fact, I believe it may be the finest boat that I will have been involved in representing and promoting in my career,” Mr. Usina said.
“The level of quality that is apparent in its manufacture, the fit and finish, the detail and the choice of materials – everything that has been executed in that first boat I saw from Elandra was world class.”
He said the superior quality and design of Elandra’s yachts, which features a generous beam and internal volume, were ideally suited to American buyers, who particularly valued craftsmanship and spaciousness.
Elandra has fielded strong international enquiries since its launch, and projects expected turnover of 65 to 70 per cent from US sales over time.
The company is in a period of rapid growth, with $3.5 million committed to R&D over the next two and a half years.
Development in currently underway on new models, including a 50ft and a 60-foot plus model.
For more information, visit www.elandrayachts.com.
