Wim van der Valk retires & sells shares to management
Van der Valk Shipyard, based in the Netherlands, has announced the retirement of founder Wim van der Valk. Wim van der Valk has steered the shipyard since its foundation in 1967, and his retirement concurred with the festivities of his 79th birthday. A management buyout of the shares of Van der Valk occurred, which was financially supported by a family of experienced yacht owners who had previously commissioned three custom superyachts from Van der Valk Shipyard.
As explained by Van der Valk, "Van der Valk has firmly established itself in recent years as one of the only yards in the world with the capacity and flexibility to build all-custom superyachts up to 45 meters in length". Moreover, the shipyard's management can leverage decades of experience in the high-end yachting industry, and will still receive ongoing support from President Emeritus Wim van der Valk as an advisor to the board.
Van der Valk is based in Waalwijk in the Netherlands and boasts over 9.000 square meters of facilities. Furthermore, the shipyard also disclosed a full order book stretching well into 2026, including their largest superyachts built to date. As commented by Van der Valk's head of sales Yoeri Bijker, "The significant capital investment will enable Van der Valk to continue growing our unique niche in the market for bespoke yachts between 25 and 45 meters". Moreover, the new shareholders are fully committed to safeguarding the Dutch heritage, structure, and impeccable quality of Van der Valk Shipyard, thus maintaining a bright picture for the future. "Wim's unrivaled legacy could not be in safer hands".
