2026 has seen some important movements and company ownership changes, as some of the USA big boat groups extended there arm to big purchases. The most important purchase was that of Malibu Boats Inc who purchased Helsinki Finish boat builder Saxdor. On the other hand Beneteau Group decided to close the Cadillac plant in Michigan and stop production for the Four Winns, Scarab Jet and Glastron brands, while Whisper Marine purchased Fountain Powerboats and NauticStar.
The Saxdor sale to USA Malibu Boats Inc was the most unexpected, as the 2019 Finish boat builder has been a record grower since its founding. Founded by Sakari Mattila, this highly respected figure in the boating industry has established a track record of creating successful nautical brands. Before launching Saxdor he founded Aquador in 1994, Paragon in 2004, Axopar in 2012, and co-founded XO Boats in 2008. Saxdor was probably his fastest growing success, definitely helped by the Covid-19 boom to boating, but also for being in the good place in the right time. With the success of Axopar in the twenty-tens, what an idea to create its biggest competitor.
Sold to Malibu Group Inc past March, Saxdor is in good hands, considering the track record the American company has shown in recent years with brands like Cobia and Pursuit. I really like how Pursuit has been moving forward since Malibu bought it in March 2018. The Pursuit success also happened for not changing the staff inside and leaving the people of the brand do the managing, but also thanks to current President Christopher Gratz who has been with Pursuit since 2006, and climbed the ladder to Presidency step by step. If they keep the same philosophy at Saxdor, success is guaranteed.
The sale of Fountain is important for the record breaking famous brand, who has gone down as the powerboat genre declined in the past years. Fountain has since then renewed itself offering center-console and dual-console bow rider but the brand is still not were it should be. For example I think it never targeted the performance center console market, as dominated by Midnight Express as it should. Considering the pedigree of Fountain, success might be guranteed.
Beneteau Group selling some of its US portfolio is no surprise, today the French Group main brands; Beneteau and Jeanneau are well known in the USA. Four Winns has potential, but the genre it used to dominate of sport cruisers is much smaller today, while Glastron heritage has since then gone out of the Window. It will be interesting what the new owners will do with both these famous American names.
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