Sunbeam Yachts is building a new 7,000sqm modern production facility in Upper Austria.
The family run business says it is investing in the future with the construction of the new shipyard after more than 75 years of yacht building in Salzburg and more than four decades at its Mattsee site.
The new site will be in neighboring Munderfing with the facility being built to meet the highest standards of quality, efficiency and sustainability in yacht building.
“With the new building, we are not only creating space for state-of-the-art production technologies, but also the conditions to fundamentally optimize our work processes,” explained Andreas Schöchl, managing director and third generation shipyard manager.
“This is an important step into the future of Sunbeam Yachts – and a clear commitment to Austria as a business location.”
Production processes
Key features of the new production facility will include a large production hall with integrated test basin and sprinkler system and a modern office space and technical infrastructure.
The facility will also include spacious storage and logistics areas and a separate 1,200sqm hall for winter storage and short-term buffering.
The aim of the new building is to streamline Sunbeam Yachts’ production processes, reduce transport and handling times, while also further improving the quality of the yachts that are built.
Completion is planned for mid-2026 with operations in Mattsee continue as usual until then.
A total of around 30 employees will work in the new shipyard.
Series production
Sunbeam Yachts dates back to 1838 when the Schöchl family founded their carpentry business. Boatbuilding began in the 1950s with the first series production of keelboats in 1965.
The shipyard exports to countries around the world including to the USA and Japan and has won several awards for its yachts.
The current facility at Mattsee was built in 1965 and has since been rebuilt and enlarged, with the latest expansion in 2001.
The shipyard has a range of yachts from 22ft to 32ft in length.
The latest Sunbeam to be launched is the Sunbeam 29.1, designed to be the ultimate weekender with more comfort, more flexibility and more performance.
Features of the yacht include a hydraulic swivel keel and the inclusion of sustainable materials including Resysta as an alternative to teak decking.
