UK Sailmakers International (UKI) is pleased to announce that MAURIPRO Sailing has become part of UK Sailmakers. With over 50 lofts around the world, the addition of MAURIPRO is one more indication of UK Sailmakers continued growth.
UK Sailmakers and MAURIPRO have entered a strategic alliance that will enhance both entities’ ability to support sailors. MAURIPRO will be operating out of a service loft in St. Petersburg, FL, servicing the Gulf Coast from Tampa to New Orleans. That loft will work in concert with UK Sailmakers Texas in the Houston area. In addition, MAURIPRO will include South America in its coverage area with emphasis on Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Uruguay. As part of this effort, UK Sailmakers Texas will produce the high-end racing sails and one-design sold by the MAURIPRO and other UK Sailmakers’ lofts will produce cruising sails they will sell.
MAURIPRO was started by Juan Mauri in 1993 and has developed into one of the leading providers of sailing equipment and gear. Most recently, MAURIPRO has proven its capabilities by building and maintaining a website offering over 25,000 items including many of the most elusive sailboat components. They also have 38 retail stores around the world.
John Bennett, President of UKI, made the following comments, “I am truly excited about having Juan join our group. He is a great sailor and businessman, which is what’s needed to succeed in the marine industry. He has grown his online marine retail store to a worldwide brand, and we are excited that UK Sailmakers’ products will become part of MAURIPRO’s offerings.”
UKI is now able to service all Gulf Coast sailors with MAURIPRO’s service loft in St. Petersburg that is complemented by Pedro Gianotti’s UK Sailmakers loft in Houston, TX. Mauri and Gianotti are committed to work together to sell UK sails in South America where UK hasn’t had a presence since Pedro moved his loft from Buenos Aires to Houston in 2002.
“The ethos behind our two companies are perfectly matched and reflected in the following statement at the bottom of our “About Us” web page,” said Mauri. “That page says, ‘Even though our heart is on the Grand Prix racecourse and our dreams are full of cruising in the South Pacific, we understand that the core of the sailing community lives in the world of coastal cruising and club racing.’ We are fully committed to support and provide the ‘weekend warrior’ the information they will need to buy with sails and equipment with confidence.” “Buy with Confidence” is UK Sailmakers’ tag line and UK’s X-Drive sails are the long-lasting performance cruising and racing sails popular with club racers and performance cruisers.
