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North Sails's Overview

Total employees1085
HeadquartersNewport
Founded1957

North Sails is the world's leading sailmaker, renowned for its pioneering technology, superior performance, and unwavering commitment to the sport of sailing. Founded in 1957 by Lowell North, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of sail design and manufacturing, introducing innovations like 3D molded sails (3Di technology). North Sails provides high-quality sails for a diverse range of watercraft, from small dinghies and club racers to Superyachts and Grand Prix racing campaigns. Beyond its core sailmaking business, North Sails also offers a collection of technical sailing apparel and lifestyle clothing inspired by its rich nautical heritage and dedication to innovation and quality.

Where is North Sails's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The Newport headquarters serves as the strategic command center for the North Technology Group, overseeing global operations, corporate governance, financial management, and long-term strategy for all its divisions, including the globally recognized North Sails.

Notable Features:

Situated in a key maritime hub, the headquarters benefits from direct access to the sailing industry's pulse, though specific architectural details of the office suite are not extensively publicized. Its location facilitates engagement with major sailing events and industry partners.

Work Culture:

The work culture at North Technology Group, including North Sails, is characterized by a passion for innovation, high performance, and the marine environment. It fosters collaboration, precision engineering, and a strong connection to the sailing community.

HQ Significance:

Newport's historical and ongoing prominence in the sailing world makes it an ideal and symbolic location for the headquarters of a leading global sailmaking and marine technology conglomerate, reflecting the company's heritage and market leadership.

Values Reflected in HQ: The choice of Newport as a headquarters location reflects North Sails' commitment to the core of the sailing community, dedication to cutting-edge technology, and its status as a leader in the marine industry.

Location:

North Sails maintains an unparalleled global footprint with a network of over 150 sales and service lofts, strategically located manufacturing facilities, and dedicated design centers across the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. This extensive international presence ensures that sailors worldwide have access to North Sails' expertise, products, and support. Key functions supported globally include custom sail design and consultation, advanced manufacturing (notably of 3Di™ sails), research and development, sales, comprehensive customer service, and on-the-ground support at major regattas and sailing events.

Street Address:

250 Esplanade, Suite 102

City:

Newport

State/Province:

Rhode Island

Country:

USA

North Sails's Global Presence

Minden, Nevada, USA

Address: 2400 S. C.O.D. Avenue, Suite A, Minden, NV 89423, USA

Acts as a primary manufacturing and R&D hub, particularly for the Americas. It leverages advanced engineering and patented production processes to meet the rigorous demands of both racing and cruising sailors worldwide.

Gosport, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Address: North Sails, North Meadow, Royal Clarence Yard, Weevil Lane, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1BP, UK

Serves the extensive European sailing market with bespoke sail solutions, expert advice, and after-sales support, while also contributing to North Sails' global R&D efforts and product development.

Vannes, France

Address: 1 Rue Henri Matisse, PIBS 2, 56000 Vannes, France

Caters to the strong French and European racing scene, providing cutting-edge sail technology and direct support to professional sailing teams and demanding sailors in the region.

Buying Intent Signals for North Sails

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of North Sails

As of April 2025, North Sails' leadership includes:

Sam Watson - Group CEO, North Technology Group
Tom Whidden - Executive Chairman, North Technology Group
Ken Read - President, North Sails (Sailmaking Division)
Marisa Selfa - CEO, North Sails Apparel
Ian Ainslie - CEO North Sails International Lofts

Investors of North Sails

North Sails has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Oakley Capital

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire1
Exits0

In July 2023, North Technology Group announced a key leadership transition: Sam Watson was appointed Group CEO, succeeding Tom Whidden, who moved to the role of Executive Chairman. This strategic change aims to drive continued growth and innovation across the group. Other specific executive hires or departures within North Sails divisions have not been widely publicized in the past 12 months.

New Appointments:

Sam Watson, Sam Watson was appointed as the new Group CEO of North Technology Group, succeeding Tom Whidden.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by North Sails

Discover the tools North Sails uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

North Sails Email Formats and Examples

North Sails, like many global corporations, likely employs standardized email address formats for its employees. Common patterns typically involve combinations of an employee's first name, last name, or initials. Based on industry conventions and data from email verification tools, the most probable formats are [first].[last]@northsails.com or [first_initial][last]@northsails.com.

[first].[last]@northsails.com or [flast]@northsails.com

Format

john.doe@northsails.com or jdoe@northsails.com

Example

80%

Success rate

News and media

Sail-World.comJune 13, 2024

North Sails introduces Helix NXT for ClubSwan 50 Class

North Sails announced the launch of Helix NXT, a new specialized sail design for the ClubSwan 50 class. This development highlights North Sails' ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge, class-specific sail technology to enhance performance for competitive sailors....more

NorthSails.com NewsMay 2, 2024

North Sails to Power New J/9 Daysailer

J/Boats has selected North Sails as the standard sail supplier for their new J/9 daysailer. The J/9 will come equipped with North Sails NPL TOUR Xi Grey sails, emphasizing the durability, performance, and strong partnership between the two leading marine brands....more

NorthSails.com NewsApril 10, 2024

North Sails Releases 2024-2028 Olympic Sails for ILCA and 470 Classes

North Sails has unveiled its latest range of Olympic class sails for the ILCA (Laser) and 470 dinghies, designed for the 2024-2028 Olympic cycle. This release underscores North Sails' dedication to supporting elite sailing athletes with top-tier, performance-optimized equipment for the highest levels of competition....more

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