Rolls makes marine acquisition

Rolls-Royce has acquired Team Italia/Onyx Marine, the Italian group specializing in yacht bridges and marine automation.

With this acquisition, Rolls-Royce said its Power Systems business unit is strengthening its position as a yacht market leader. Further expansion of its mtu portfolio for yachts will help it to realize its ‘bridge to propeller’ strategy. Having begun to collaborate on joint development projects in 2019, the two companies now agreed that the best way to realize strategic growth plans would be for Team Italia to become part of Rolls-Royce.

Team Italia, the Italian yacht bridge and automation specialist, is now part of the Rolls-Royce technology group. As a result, Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division is expanding its mtu product portfolio for solutions from bridge to propeller to include state-of-the-art integrated bridge products, as well as control, automation and navigation systems for yachts. Team Italia benefits from Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ worldwide distribution network, which provides access to global markets and yacht builders worldwide. (Image: 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.

“This acquisition is the next logical step on our way to becoming a provider of integrated solutions for the yacht industry. 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,” said Denise Kurtulus, Vice President Marine in the Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems. In addition to a mtu propulsion system, Rolls-Royce can now offer leading-edge integrated bridge products as well as regulation, control, automation, and navigation systems, and many other functions for yachts. Team Italia benefits from the Rolls-Royce Power Systems worldwide distribution network which provides access to global markets and yacht makers worldwide.

“We are proud and very happy to become part of the Rolls-Royce group,” said 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.”

“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,” said Daniele Ceccanti, Technical Director of Team Italia.

“Team Italia Group has proven its outstanding capabilities – not only in system design and integration, but in software programming and successful ongoing development of its bridge and integrated platforms,” said Clemens Berger, President Mobile Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “These capabilities and cutting-edge technologies fit perfectly with our vision for our mtu NautIQ marine automation portfolio. Together with Team Italia we extend our systems competence to serve our Marine customers with a holistic portfolio. Moreover, we strengthen our leading positions, diversify our offerings, explore new markets and will realize profitable growth,” Berger added.

With the new name Team Italia Marine s.r.l., the company continues to operate in the Italian cities of Fano, Livorno and Forlì. Its workforce of almost 60 employees including all managers and key personal will be taken over by Rolls-Royce, as Massimo Minnella will keep the role as Managing Director and Daniele Ceccanti as Technical Director. They will be supported by Nicola Camuffo, head of the Rolls-Royce mtu Yacht Competence Centre in La Spezia.

Today, Team Italia systems are in service around the world on some 350 yachts of 30 to 100m length. mtu propulsion will benefit from the specific, innovative solutions that Team Italia develops jointly with the R&D division of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “We will continue to develop and customize our integrated bridges and automation as adaptable products, always suitable and individual to the respective systems on board,” emphasized Nicola Camuffo.