Marine Industry News as it happens - North American MarineBusinessWorld newsletter
by Peter Rendle 21 Mar 2022 13:00 PDT
CL Yachts CLB72 © Jim Raycroft and Marine Video Production
While events happening in other parts of the world make depressing reading, Marine Business World continues to bring you the news of our industry ensuring you receive the latest developments from all over North America. A few extracts from the website over the past two weeks appear below.
CL Yachts is riding high in the beginning of 2022, as the Miami International Boat Show proved to be a successful one for the builder, and gave them great momentum heading into the spring shows, most notably, the Palm Beach International Boat Show. In Miami, CL Yachts concluded two contracts with American clients for CLB72. Debuted at 2018, CLB72 has proven to be a popular model. CL Yachts continues the refinement on CLB72 for discerning boaters in the market for a seaworthy boat with a level of onboard luxury unseen anywhere else in its class.
As worldwide travel is slowly resuming after the impact of the pandemic, people around the globe are more eager than ever before to plan their adventures. A recent survey conducted by the Expedia Group indicates that 81% of respondents planned on taking a vacation with family and friends within the next 6 months. People are also planning to spend more, with 54% of respondents indicating that they intend to spend more money on their trips than they did before the pandemic.
Schmitt & Ongaro Marine Products, manufacturer of premium marine steering wheels, wipers, horns and related accessories for OEM and aftermarket, has posted year-over-year double-digit sales growth for its European warehouse. The growth is attributed to increased volume through distribution and the expansion of strategic OEM partnerships. Tim Schmitt, president, made the announcement.
Jérôme de Metz, Chairman and CEO of Groupe Beneteau, said "2021 was a particularly intense year in terms of human, industrial, commercial and logistics challenges, which our teams successfully rose to. I would like to sincerely thank them, along with our partners, customers and suppliers, who have also shown their agility and flexibility in a disrupted environment. Together, and despite the many operational difficulties mentioned, we have been able to continue moving forward with the Let's Go Beyond! plan around its three core pillars: marketing, industrial and new business lines. Thanks to a clear strategy, the interest in boat use that is taking shape on all of its markets, and its outstanding teams, the Group successfully got back on track for profitable growth, enabling it to look ahead to a dynamic year in 2022 in terms of both its business and its results".
Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, has provided its Mercury University curriculum along with 90hp FourStroke outboard engines and tools to high schools in Florida, New York and Virginia to help prepare the next generation of marine service technicians and address the industry's workforce shortage. In a survey conducted by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas prior to the pandemic, more than 85% of boat dealers suggested they had multiple positions in their businesses that were unfilled, and in total, marine dealerships across the United States had more than 31,000 unfilled positions due to workforce shortages. The pandemic has only exacerbated these shortages.
The Sea Tow Foundation is now accepting nominations for membership in its national Boating Safety Advisory Council, with applications being accepted through April 19, 2022. New appointees will be chosen by the current council and executive committee, notified in mid-May and serve a two-year term beginning June 1, 2022.
The METSTRADE Organisation invites you to actively contribute to a better world by nominating a worthy marine cause for this year's significant DAME Awards charitable donation. As part of their continued commitment to give back to society, the organisers of the METSTRADE show annually donate all DAME Design Award registration fees paid by entrants to a selected marine-related charity. This year, the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee will once again make its choice from a field of nominated charities to name the deserving organisation that will receive the proceeds.
The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) recently announced the International Boating and Water Safety Summit (IBWSS) Communication Award recipients recognizing Freedom Boat Club for its 'Boat Safe. Have Fun.' Initiative as the Community Impact award winner. The awards represent an annual celebration of the creative ways boating and water safety advocates are communicating with the public about safety on and in the water.
More industry news at www.marinebusinessworld.com/NorthAmerica
Keep safe,
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com
MarineBusinessWorld.com Editor