Made in Germany | A Boat Builder Goes Against the Current

Michael Schmidt is a sailing world champion, a boat maker and someone who thinks outside the box. With his long, gray hair, corduroys and laborer's hands he may not look like a typical CEO, but he's a certainly a successful one. Schmidt runs one of Europe's fastest-growing shipyards.

His company Hanseyachts, based in the north-eastern German town of Greifswald, employs 550 people. Michael Schmidt is a self-made man who took over the dilapidated former state-run shipyard after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He's specialized in creating sailing yachts for the masses. In 2007 Hanseyachts sold 850 such boats. While comfortable and chic, Michael Schmidt's vessels are still made for amateur sailors. Grit Hofmann paid this unusual boat builder a visit.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Deutsche
• Welle
• DW-TV
• Made
• in
• Germany
• Business

[egindin]

I like Michael - I can relate to the way he thinks. I also lived in a commune - in Munich - till 1980 when I moved to LA. If I were in the market right now I would seriously consider a boat from his company.