Brunswick Corporation continues to set new records at the 2020 Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show
by Lee Gordon 10 Nov 2020 11:09 PST
Faster and higher © Brunswick
Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) and its industry leading brands, Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler, Sea Ray and Freedom Boat Club, all had a very successful 2020 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.
For the third consecutive year, Mercury Marine had the most outboard engines of any manufacturer at the show and increased its show market share for the fourth consecutive year, accounting for more than half of the total engines displayed at the 2020 show.
Despite the significantly reduced show attendance, Boston Whaler reported increased year-over-year show sales on many of its leading models. In addition, Sea Ray had a great show with many models selling at or above prior year results. Sea Ray also announced the all-new 370 Sundancer which will officially launch in February 2021 and features the brand's exciting new design language.
Freedom Boat Club's Ft. Lauderdale franchise, located at the Bahia Mar marina, also doubled its membership sales from a year ago, during the four-day show.
"Ft. Lauderdale has historically been a bell-weather of saltwater market trends and each year we look forward to showcasing our industry leading products and technology," said Dave Foulkes, Brunswick Corporation CEO. "Mercury continues to win saltwater market share as more and more OEMs make the shift to its industry-leading line-up of four-stroke outboards. Our premium boat brands had a very successful show, attracting returning and first-time buyers to their award-winning models. Freedom's growth this summer has been incredible and it's no surprise to see the new Ft. Lauderdale location continue to grow, as South Florida is one of the country's premier boating destinations."
To ensure the health and safety of its employees, Brunswick limited the number of staff attending the show and implemented extensive COVID-related health and safety protocols, even beyond those required by the show organizers.
"Our staff at the show did a wonderful job in unique circumstances," said Foulkes. "With carefully thought-out and rigorous safety measures in place, our team made sure that their own safety and the safety of our customers was the number one priority."