Brunswick reorganizes saltwater and freshwater outboard brands
By IBI Magazine/Michael Verdon
Brunswick Corporation announced today in a statement that it would be consolidating its saltwater and freshwater boat brands into one division called the Brunswick Outboard Boat Group. Andrew E. Graves, most recently president of the Freshwater Boat Group, will lead the organization. He will report directly to Dustan E. McCoy, Brunswick chairman and CEO. The statement noted that Michael W. Myers, formerly president of the Saltwater Group, will leave the company. The Brunswick Outboard Group will be comprised of the Boston Whaler, Crestliner, HarrisKayot, Laguna, Lowe, Lund, Palmetto, Princecraft, Sea Boss, Sea Pro and Triton Brands. Brunswick's commercial and government products divisions will also report to Graves. "This is another step in fulfilling an imperative we articulated earlier this year, to have a flatter, more cohesive and agile organisation," said McCoy in the statement. "Among these brands and their primary markets, we see many common qualities and characteristics as well as the opportunity to move forward with common leadership. We also see the opportunity to provide a fuller and more competitive product offering for our dealers." McCoy told IBI that an "integrated manufacturing footprint, good strategic build materials and better quality" will be the result of a more streamlined organization. "Many issues that are important for the freshwater boat companies are also important for the saltwater brands," he said. "We are putting common business units together with common issues. That will allow us to sell more boats by having better product coming to market faster than the competition." Jay Povlin, vice president of sales, marketing and product integration for Mercury MerCruiser, has joined the Outboard Boat Group as president of the Bluewater Group. That sub-organisation includes the Laguna, Palmetto, Sea Boss and Sea Pro brands. McCoy said that the Boston Whaler brand would remain separate from the Bluewater Group, and that the Trophy fishing boat line would remain under the auspices of US Marine. "But Andy will be working with Trophy to determine what the manufacturing footprint should be," McCoy said.
(28 February 2007)
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