Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) today announced it will establish a manufacturing plant in Brazil to produce boats for South America’s largest country and the surrounding region.
The plant, which is to be located in the Perini Industrial Park in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, is planned to have nearly 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space, and will eventually employ up to 150 people to produce several Bayliner and Sea Ray sport boats and cruisers, which will be sold through a network of local dealers along with other Brunswick boat brands and models.
Brunswick plans to have locally manufactured product available in advance of the 2012 summer boating season. When in full operation, the plant will have the capacity to produce over 400 boats annually.
“With the eighth largest economy in the world, we believe Brazil and its expanding boat market offer us attractive opportunities for growth,” explained Dustan E. McCoy, Brunswick’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Latin America, in general, has provided Brunswick with solid growth as we have long served the region with our Mercury Marine engines and leading brands such as Bayliner and Sea Ray boats, Life Fitness exercise equipment, and Brunswick bowling products.
“For decades, Brunswick has sold and manufactured our recreational products around the world,” McCoy continued, “always believing that by being closer to a market, we can better serve our customers and anticipate emerging local trends. For these reasons we have long maintained local staff and operations that are intimately familiar with a market’s unique attributes and expectations. It is this local focus to serving the world’s markets that has led to over 40 percent of our 2010 revenues being provided by markets outside the U.S.”
“Brunswick has already completed considerable work in preparation for this exciting investment,” said Andrew E. Graves, president – Brunswick Boat Group. “We have been working closely with Brazilian officials to identify the best location for the plant as well as reaching out to Brazil’s marine market leaders to better understand their markets and to capture and develop the premier local distribution channel.”
“In Santa Catarina, we believe we have found the right combination of resources, suppliers and a talented workforce to deliver on the quality and value of the world-leading Bayliner and Sea Ray brands,” added William J. Gress, president – Brunswick Latin America Group. “Santa Catarina officials’ knowledge and cooperation were invaluable in helping us to make this decision. Their close cooperation helped bring this idea to reality.”
Brunswick anticipates it will begin hiring to staff its Brazilian operations within the next 30 days, Gress said, and will meet with its dealer base in the next few days.
About Brunswick
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill “Genuine Ingenuity”(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land ‘N’ Sea, Kellogg Marine, and Diversified Marine parts and accessories distributors; Arvor, Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris FloteBote, Hatteras, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Sealine, Suncruiser, Triton Aluminum, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Life Fitness and Hammer Strength fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables and foosball tables.By: Daniel Kubera
