1987 ~ Establishment of Horizon Yacht
Founded in 1987 by Gong Shan Chiai, Cheng Shun Hui, and John Lu. John Lu named the company “Horizon Yacht” to reflect an image of broad scope, hope, and the desire to embrace the future. The Taiwan yacht building industry was booming, and John led the start-up team of just under 30 employees with passion and enthusiasm.

1988 ~ 1991 A shift in market focus
Horizon’s initial business model was as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), building motoryachts under 50 feet for customers in the U.S., Australia, and Sweden. Appreciation of the Taiwanese dollar, higher labor wages and rising raw materials prices began to impact exports to the company’s most important market – the U.S. – which forced John to change his business strategy and market focus. In response to the dip in the market, Horizon designed and developed its own 45 and 58-foot models and shifted focus from the U.S. to Europe and Asia. This move cemented the future for Horizon’s global business development and established a foundation for market segmentation and risk diversification.

1997 ~ 2001 Focus on quality and innovation
Horizon Yacht obtained the ISO-9002 certification and became the first quality assurance shipyard in Taiwan to receive the CE marking. At this stage, the company not only continued to expand its business in Europe, but also set up new brokerage houses in the U.S. to sell its own brand of Horizon yachts. To meet the demand for maximum production capacity, the company created the Atech Composites facility and Vision Shipyard.During company's rapid growth, John Lu gradually standardized administration and manufacturing processes via computer system to maintain quality and efficiency, with the goal of building Horizon shipyard as a world-class yacht company with its own brand and culture.

2007 ~ 2011 A crisis becomes a turning point
The unexpected global financial crisis rocked the yacht building industry, causing Horizon’s largest dealer Drettmann to go bankrupt and presenting Horizon with its greatest challenge since its establishment. Despite the financial impact and the cancellation of most orders, the Group adopted the strategy of “self-build, self-market” to complete ten superyachts – each over 105 feet in length – and six superyachts – each over 130 feet in length. At the same time, John Lu worked out a plan to withstand the economic ebb and flow through brand identity and awareness.

The global economic crisis demonstrated that brands with strong identity and less dependency on dealers could resist market downturn, so John set out to re-build Horizon’s brand identity. He implemented a brand re-engineering plan that would canvas the global market and create a cohesive brand spirit throughout the organization and its employees. The Group set up a marketing center dedicated to developing the Horizon brand by raising Horizon’s brand awareness, enhancing brand image and creating brand value.

Horizon's accolades and achievements are testaments to the company's strength, and Horizon has continuously invested in its facilities and equipment. The latest infrastructure investment comes in the form of a brand new 106,745sqft (9,917sqm) production facility constructed on the Horizon grounds in 2021. This new space can now accommodate seven yachts up to 120 feet in length and improves production capacity significantly, allowing the group to deliver 20 to 25 new builds per year.

With over 30 years of experience already accumulated, Horizon Group will continue our dedication to craftsmanship, technology, and quality on the global yachting stage.