At the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show Marcello Maggi, co-founder of ISA Yachts in 2001, announced that he had acquired the Wider brand together with two investment partners, Zepter Group and Hopafi Holding. Then the Covid pandemic hit and things went quiet. During the Monaco Yacht Show 2021 he gathered a few members of the press together to announce further developments.
“The pandemic inevitably brought things to a halt, but I used the time to re-invest in human resources and develop new products in preparation for relaunching the brand,“ he told those attending.
Maggi announced plans to start the series production of fibreglass boats, including catamarans, alongside full-custom superyacht construction in steel/aluminium at a new facility near Ancona. Hybrid and sustainable technologies will figure strongly throughout the production.
Photo: Wider s.r.l.Maggi is committed to harnessing hybrid technology and renewable energy for yacht propulsion and hotel services. He has developed a proprietary ‘green' system (Wider Propulsion Management System) that also makes use of the latest generation photovoltaic cells for additional energy capacity. The aim is to make to make the yacht completely self-sufficient in terms of on-board systems and hotel loads, day and night. 
Photo: Wider s.r.l.In an exclusive interview with SuperYacht Times shortly after the takeover in 2019 he told us that it was the hybrid propulsion aboard the Wider 165 Stern and Wider 150 Bartali that first attracted him to the Ancona-based brand:
Photo: Merijn de Waard / SuperYacht Times“I was amazed by the total lack of noise and vibration in silent electric mode, which provides 5-6 hours of cruising at 5 knots, or a night at anchor without firing up the generators,” he said. Stern, previously named Cecilia, and Bartali before her set a new benchmark with a perfect score for sound and vibration levels in RINA’s Comfort Class, as well its Platinum Green Plus Award for their green credentials.”
Maggi has also restructured the company stakeholders. W-Fin, a Luxembourg financial group led by Maggi, has reacquired 100% ownership of Wider. Fabio Fraternale, whose previous experience includes spells with the Ferretti Group’s Pershing and Itama brands, has been appointed Wider CEO.
We will bring you more news from Wider as they develop.