Press Releases

YVERDON-LES-BAINS, Switzerland, April 20, 2023 – Siemens Energy Italy S.r.l. has selected Leclanché SA (SIX: LECN) to provide its advanced battery storage systems for two hybrid megayachts being built by Sanlorenzo S. p. a., a premier builder of custom, high-quality motor yachts since 1958.

Leclanché, one of the world’s leading energy storage solutions companies, is one of the most experienced manufacturers of battery systems for all-electric and hybrid marine vessels. The company’s MRS-2 (Marine Rack System) is currently powering a broad range of ferries, container ships and specialty vessels on several continents. Leclanché’s new Navius MRS-3^TM is achieving wide industry acceptance having already been selected for several high-profile contracts.

Leclanché will be supplying two liquid-cooled battery systems with a total energy of 2.5 MWh for two projects over the next two years – all being built in Sanlorenzo’s shipyard in La Spezia, a port city in Liguria, Italy. The first, for a 58-meter luxury yacht, will be a 988 kWh MRS-2 system to be delivered in 2023. The next 1,498 kWh system will utilise Leclanché’s Navius MRS-3 system and will be installed in a 72-meter megayacht in 2024 based on the vessels’ construction schedules.

“Leclanché’s battery technology will be integrated in the Siemens Energy BlueDrive Eco diesel electric propulsion system, providing reliable and silent back-up energy for the latest generation of Sanlorenzo’s luxury megayachts,” said Guillaume Clément, VP eMarine, Leclanché. “We’re proud to be selected by Siemens Energy Italy for these projects following three prior e-ferry collaborations. In addition, everyone in the luxury yacht market knows the Sanlorenzo brand – it is the pre-eminent builder of high-end, bespoke yachts and it is a privilege to collaborate with them on these new projects.”

The contracts with Siemens Energy Italy enable Leclanché to expand its presence in the global yacht market, a segment expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11% between 2023 and 2027 according to market research provider Technavio™. The European market is expected to account for more than a third (34%) of the market’s growth – especially in the U.K. and Germany.

“Our battery systems, which are designed specifically for the maritime industry, enjoy an outstanding reputation for safety and reliability. Our latest Navius MRS-3 system is perfectly suited to megayacht and superyacht projects thanks to its compact footprint and low weight ratio,” said Phil Broad, CEO, Leclanché E-Mobility. “The growing demand for battery systems, all produced with our European-made cells and modules, has resulted in a significant backlog and highly visible wins throughout the maritime market.”

“Decarbonising marine transport is both important and complex,” said Paolo Menotti, Vice President of Siemens Energy South West Europe. “When it comes to superyachts, there is no one size fits all. That’s why we offer tailor-made systems and, in this case, we developed a propulsion solution with Leclanché technologies, making vessels environmentally friendly and economically efficient.”

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Navius MRS-3 is a trademark of Leclanché SA. All other tradenames are the property of their respective owners.

About Sanlorenzo

For over 60 years the Sanlorenzo shipyards have been producing high quality motoryachts, the result of a combination of craftsmanship, design and advanced technologies, made-to-measure according to the owner’s specific requests. Founded in 1958 by Gianfranco Cecchi and Giuliano Pecchia with the opening of the first shipyard near Florence, Sanlorenzo was taken over in 1972 by Giovanni Jannetti who launched the first fibre-glass hull boat in 1985 and moved the headquarters to Ameglia (SP). In 2005, Massimo Perotti - with a wealth of experience gained in over twenty years of activity in the sector - took the baton. Under the direction of Mr. Massimo Perotti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sanlorenzo, the shipyard has gone through a period of extraordinary growth, bringing consolidated net revenues from new yachts from a level of 40 million euros in 2004 to 585,9 million euros in 2021.

As one of the main producers worldwide of yachts and superyachts, Sanlorenzo has today four production plants: La Spezia, dedicated to the production of superyachts, Ameglia for the production of medium and large size yachts, Viareggio, for the production of fiberglass yachts over 100 feet and Massa, the center for the research and development of new models.

With the acquisition, Sanlorenzo received a significant impetus for innovation and over the years has successfully implemented numerous completely unprecedented concepts that have profoundly changed the yachting world. A major milestone in this journey was its opening to the world of design through the collaboration with renown designers such as Rodolfo Dordoni, Citterio Viel, Piero Lissoni (Sanlorenzo’s Art Director since 2018), Patricia Urquiola, John Pawson and Christian Liaigre.

This unique, innovative approach has also led the company, over the years, to bond with the world of art through the collaborations with major Galleries and cultural institutions. In 2018 Sanlorenzo has entered a global partnership agreement with Art Basel, the leading art fair for modern and contemporary art for the annual events in Hong Kong, in Basel and Miami Beach. In 2020, Sanlorenzo also became the Institutional Patron of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (the most important museum in Italy for 20th century European and American art). In 2022 Sanlorenzo decided to support the Italian art establishment by participating as main sponsor of the Italian Pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, a unique opportunity and an extraordinary milestone for the shipyard, the first in the world to commit actively to support and disseminate contemporary art.

About Leclanché

Leclanché is a world leading provider of low-carbon footprint energy storage solutions based on lithium-ion cell technology. Established in 1909 in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, Leclanché’s history and heritage is rooted in battery and energy storage innovation. The company’s Swiss culture for precision and quality, together with its production facilities in Germany, make Leclanché the partner of choice for companies seeking the very best in battery performance and who are pioneering positive changes in how energy is produced, distributed and consumed around the world. Leclanché is organised into three business units: energy storage solutions, e-Mobility solutions and specialty battery systems. The company currently employs over 350 people with representative offices in eight countries around the world. Leclanché is listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX: LECN).

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to Leclanché's business, which can be identified by terminology such as "strategic", "proposes", "to introduce", "will", "planned", "expected", "commitment", "expects", "set", "preparing", "plans", "estimates", "aims", "would", "potential", "awaiting", "estimated", "proposal", or similar expressions, or by expressed or implied discussions regarding the ramp up of Leclanché's production capacity, potential applications for existing products, or regarding potential future revenues from any such products, or potential future sales or earnings of Leclanché or any of its business units. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Leclanché regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Leclanché's products will achieve any particular revenue levels. Nor can there be any guarantee that Leclanché, or any of the business units, will achieve any particular financial results.