Partnerships and Acquisitions

Antal Strengthening its Presence on Deck

Through a strategic alliance with Karver, the acquisition of XPO in La Rochelle, and now a technical collaboration with Ropeye, Antal has clearly revealed its ambitions in less than three months. For the Italian group, founded in 1977 and offering more than 1,000 deck hardware products, the objective is clear: to establish leadership worldwide — the brand is already present in 21 countries.

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Published 13/02/2026

By Véronique Largeau

Issue: 206

Published: apr. / may 2026

The agreement signed with Karver last November is based on the complementarity of their product ranges and on a unified design approach to deck systems. Both companies aim to deliver an integrated offering covering Racing, Custom, and Cruising segments, combining their engineering expertise and industrial capabilities. Founded in Normandy in 2003, Karver is renowned for its high-performance equipment used in numerous offshore racing projects, as well as for successfully adapting this expertise to the cruising market.

In January 2026, Antal took another step forward with the acquisition of XPO, a La Rochelle–based company specializing in deck layout design and technical distribution on the French market. This integration provides the Italian group with a direct technical and logistics hub in France, the world’s leading boating market. XPO will continue to be led by its founder, Xavier Phélipon, who remains in charge within the new structure.

As for the newly announced collaboration with Ropeye, it reflects Antal’s determination to strengthen its presence in the offshore racing sector. Founded in 2012 and operating a production site in Tallinn, Estonia, Ropeye develops composite and textile components, including ultra-light carbon fiber and Dyneema solutions. The company equips high-performance multihulls — including Ultims — and is involved in numerous performance-driven projects.

www.antal.it

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