Taiwanese yacht builder, Johnson Yachts, celebrated its 30-year anniversary last year and while 2020 has not panned out the way anyone expected, the shipyard does not intend for its 31st year to be delayed by the Coronavirus.
There is new Johnson 80 ready to be shipped to the United States and two hulls currently under construction, the Johnson 70 and Johnson 115.
“Currently we are trying to maintain our production line, as Taiwan was not influenced so much by Coronavirus. However, our main market is the United States, one of the most affected area, that’s why we are facing some troubles in delivery and marketing planning due to cancelled events and other international business and operational restrictions that have been in place during this Pandemic.” says Leah Huang, Marketing Director at Johnson Yachts. “…We are taking advantage of the current situation by investing in new improvements, technologies and employee training.”
“In terms of marketing and sales, we keep in touch with our dealers and clients, in order to understand their local situation and satisfy their needs,” Huang added, “understanding that the impacts of this virus vary from business to business, but that communication is imperative for clients to feel well looked after. That’s why Johnson has started developing virtual tours, especially for new products like their flagship, the Johnson 115.
Johnson Yachts has adapted its operation to the onset of new regulations as a result of Covid-19, by checking employees’ temperature and ensuring everyone wears a face mask while working and other safety measures.
At present Johnson Yachts does not have any issues in terms of the build schedule and anticipates a surge in demand within the superyacht industry once the situation worldwide has calmed. “I’m sure that when the COVID-19 situation begins to slow down, people will be more than motivated to go out boating after many months of isolation, therefore, the demand should increase,” Huang commented.
