Elvström Sobstad sold

New ownership for leading sailmaker

Elvström Sails A/S has been sold to Peter Jørgensen, a Danish businessman. 42 year old Jørgensen will assume the role as Chairman of the Elvström Sobstad Group. He is married with four children and lives in Nørremølle close to Sønderborg in the southern part of Denmark.

The company has been sold following a personal decision by Claus Olsen, owner and chairman of the Group since 1980. Olsen willl, however, remain at the company in a management role to oversee the Groups subsidiary companies in the UK and Norway, plus purchasing and other foreign supply contracts. None of the other 100 employees at the main factory in Aabenraa will be affected including Andrew Smith, who remains as Group Vice President responsible for design, development and production

As Claus Olsen commented “I am happy to have sold the company to Peter Jørgensen with whom I have very confidence that he will continue to expand and grow the company in line with the many initiatives we have started”

As new owner of the company, Peter Jørgensen takes over an historic sailmaking brand. Founded as Elvström Sails in 1954 by Olympic sailing legend Paul Elvstrøm, today the company produces over 30,000 sails per year from its main factories in Denmark and France. The company is represented by over 50 dealerships worldwide and is preferred supplier to many of Europe’s best known yacht manufacturers including Bavaria Yachts, Bénetéau, Hallberg Rassy, Sunbeam, Dufour and Etap. In 2002, the company bought American sailmakers Sobstad together with its Genesis technology, and the company was renamed Elvström Sobstad.

As Peter Jørgensen commented: "I am delighted to be taking over such a well known and successful company as Elvström Sobstad. There will be no major changes to the company in the short term, but we will of course be looking to optimise many areas of the business and at the same time focus our efforts on developing our existing and new markets."