During the unveiling of Mercury Racing’s new 450R outboard in Nashville recently, Brunswick CEO David Foulkes outlined the company’s growth strategy in an acronym.
This story by Eric Colby originally appeared in Trade Only Today.
ACES stands for autonomy, connectivity, electric and shared access. Autonomy is progressing through Mercury’s Joystick Piloting System and advanced joystick including docking assistance. Connectivity includes the Vessel View mobile App and Brunswick-owned Nautic-On boat monitoring system now being standard on larger Sea Rays and Boston Whalers. Electrification is the continued integration of Power Products into the Brunswick and Mercury family.
“It’s been a great integration, but we’re really on the first states,” Foulkes told Trade Only Today.
Shared access is Brunswick’s recent acquisition of Freedom Boat Club. “We’ve been talking a lot about shared access models in other verticals whether it’s Uber, Air BNB or other examples and Freedom showed they could be very profitable,” Foulkes said. “The most accurate predictor of boat ownership is boat usership. We see it as very profitable and see it as a way to access boaters.”
He continued, “People look at the economics of club membership versus ownership. You arrive at the club and the boat’s ready and you get off the boat and someone takes care of it.” Foulkes also said that the clubs do more than just provide boats. “They run social events and people become immersed in the boating experience and culture.”
Brunswick also is parent company of Land ‘N’ Sea distributing company.
