For more than 150 years, Cranchi Yachts has represented Italian excellence in the marine and luxury yachting industry. Founded in 1870 on the shores of Lake Como, over the course of six generations the company has successfully transferred the mastery of traditional boatbuilding into an industrial manufacturing process dedicated to the production of yachts, luxury tenders, and bowriders.
THE CONTEXT
Having inherited his father Giovanni’s passion for boating, Aldo Cranchi took the helm of the shipyard in 1970. Well ahead of his time, he recognized the potential of mechanical machining technologies and advanced composite materials, setting a course that would transform the entire industry.
The introduction of fiberglass and the progressive industrialization of manufacturing processes led the company to develop the Piantedo Method, a production approach that combines advanced technologies, process control, and traditional craftsmanship within a fully internalized industrial process. In the production of yachts that are more and more technologically advanced and complex, the goal is to ensure high standards of quality and finishing precision for every component while maintaining reduced production lead times.
It was along this path of technological evolution that the partnership with Belotti began in 2003. Over more than twenty years, the collaboration has developed into a concrete example of Belotti’s long-standing expertise in the production of CNC machining centers specifically designed for the marine industry.
THE SOLUTIONS
The desire to integrate advanced milling technologies into the production process for the machining of fiberglass components led Cranchi Yachts to purchase three Belotti FLG Series machining centers: the FLG 12052, FLG 19555, and FLG 21062.
“The Cranchi and Belotti families first met in the early 2000s, when my father, Aldo Cranchi, recognized the need to introduce a new technology into the company, not so much for prototyping, but rather for milling boats intended directly for production. This need led to the acquisition of three CNC machining centers and marked the beginning of a collaboration with Belotti that continues to this day,” says Guido Cranchi, the company’s current CEO.
Equipped with two independent bridges, each capable of covering the machine’s full working length and simultaneously managing separate machining cycles, along with a 12-kW double spindle and two 16-position rack-type tool changers, the Belotti FLG 12052, FLG 19555, and FLG 21062 machining centers deliver high-speed machining and exceptional precision in the milling of hulls, decks, and composite components. These capabilities help make the production process more efficient while increasing machining accuracy and repeatability.
The partnership continued in 2008 with the purchase of a fourth Belotti machining center, a five-axis NAVY Series 26075, installed at the Seventy Plant 4 facility to support cutting and milling operations on increasingly large and complex Cranchi models.
Thanks to its two rotary heads equipped with 12 kW electrospindles, dual 24-position rack-type tool changers, and a fully enclosed cabin with an automatic door and fall-protection system, the Belotti NAVY machining center can meet any dimensional and technological requirement while maintaining high levels of flexibility, surface finish quality, and reduced machining times.
Nearly twenty years after its installation, the Belotti NAVY CNC machining center continues to play an active role in the company’s production process.
THE RETROFIT
To support the production of next-generation Cranchi yachts, increasingly sophisticated and characterized by extremely high-quality standards, including the Sessantasette 67 Corsa and the A46 Luxury Tender, Cranchi Yachts chose in 2025 to undertake a major technology retrofit project on the first Belotti FLG 12052 machining center installed in 2003.
After more than twenty years of operation, the machine was still performing efficiently. However, the evolution of manufacturing processes, machining strategies, and market expectations made a further leap forward necessary in terms of performance, productivity, and digitalization. The decision to upgrade rather than replace the machine stemmed from the desire to enhance an existing production asset already fully integrated into the shipyard’s processes, updating its components, functionality, and performance to meet the new requirements of premium yacht manufacturing.
The retrofit therefore marked a new phase in the partnership between Belotti and Cranchi Yachts: an initiative aimed not only at extending the machine’s operational life, but also at transforming a machining center designed more than twenty years ago into a technologically advanced and up-to-date production resource.
“Another very positive experience with Belotti was our decision to intervene on a machine not because it had stopped working or developed problems, but to upgrade its hardware and software. Together with Umberto, we took on the challenge of carrying out a retrofit: preserving everything that remained valid and not affected by obsolescence, while renewing all the components that required updating. It was a choice that allowed us to give new life to the machine, preserving the value of the investment while bringing it in line with today’s technological requirements,” says Guido Cranchi.
Among the most significant upgrades were:
- Machining unit upgrade, with the installation of two new 15 kW electrospindles capable of reaching speeds of up to 24,000 rpm.
- Enhanced tool-changing system, replacing the existing magazines with two new 28-position tool changers, providing greater operational flexibility.
- Implementation of an advanced vision system, consisting of four cameras installed at the machine corners plus a fifth integrated camera mounted on a dedicated tool holder cone inside the tool magazine.
- CNC control system upgrade, introducing the Siemens ONE platform and a single CNC capable of independently managing the two different machining processes.
- Digital integration of the MyB Suite, including the Teleservice, bCare, and bMaintenance modules for performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, productivity optimization, and the interconnection within the factory environment.
The result is a machining center that retains its original structural framework while integrating state-of-the-art machining, control, and data management technologies.
THE BENEFITS
Cranchi Yachts’ experience following the retrofit confirms the value of the investment. The machine’s new configuration has delivered significant benefits to milling operations, achieving improvements in precision, quality, and repeatability, while also making the production process more efficient, flexible, and controlled.
“One year after commissioning, the performance improvements delivered by the upgraded machining center have been fully confirmed. For this reason, we are ready to carry out retrofit projects on our other Belotti machines as well, because the advantages in terms of machining quality and precision are clearly evident,” concludes Guido Cranchi.
The story of Belotti and Cranchi Yachts goes beyond a simple supplier-customer relationship. From the first machining centers to the recent retrofit project, the partnership has evolved alongside the shipbuilding industry and its manufacturing processes, supporting the transition toward increasingly precise, automated, and digitalized operations.
In an industry where every detail contributes to defining the excellence of the final product, Belotti’s ability to listen to customer needs, tailor solutions to specific requirements, and ensure consistent performance over time has become the foundation of a partnership built on trust and shared growth.
For more information, please visit the following pages:
- Belotti NAVY Series Machining Centers
- Belotti Service Upgrade & Retrofit
- Belotti MyB Suite for Industry 4.0
