In announcing its acquisition of aluminum boat manufacturer Alumacraft, BRP announced today that Evinrude and Alumacraft will now operate as part of the newly-formed BRP Marine Group.
According to a press release announcing the moves, Tracy Crocker, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Evinrude since 2017, has been appointed President of the Group, and will be responsible for the strategic direction and operations of the BRP Marine Group while maintaining his duties at Evinrude.
Evinrude developed the first commercially viable outboard motor in 1909 while Alumacraft has been building boats for more than 70 years.
“This is an opportunity for BRP and is the first step of many towards our goal to become a leading marine company,” said Crocker. “The formation of BRP Marine Group with two iconic marine industry players in Evinrude and Alumacraft will open up a world of possibilities for us within the marine industry. Our key objective is to provide high quality, innovative opportunities that help families create unforgettable memories on the water.”
There will be no changes in day-to-day operations at either company. Terms of the Alumacraft transaction were not disclosed.
“This acquisition was a natural fit for us as the first step in our newly formed Marine Group,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP. “In the short term, we plan to focus on network optimization and dealer conversion to leverage both product lines’ strengths and gradually develop our presence in the industry. In about three years from now, we expect to be in a position to truly transform the marine industry. Along with our approach to innovation and design expertise, we will apply a buy, build and transform strategy to do for the marine business what we have done for the powersports business.”
