Brunswick to acquire portfolio of US marine assets

Brunswick Corporation has announced it has reached an agreement to acquire a portfolio of marine assets in the Southeast United States.

The transaction includes the Freedom Boat Club of Lake Hartwell franchise territory with two club locations, four marinas, and Eclipse Marine Group (a leading boat dealer in the Southeast with four locations). All the assets are part of J&R Marine Holdings. Exact terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Brunswick also reports that Freedom Boat Club will acquire the Freedom Boat Club of Lake Lanier franchise operations and territory. These two locations, together with the two from the J&R acquisition, will help Freedom Boat Club to bolster its network of more than 340 locations worldwide.

“This acquisition marks a transformational step in our strategy to win with boaters over their lifetime – to enable frictionless transitions between ownership and shared participation models, elevate the boating experience and retain boaters on the water longer,” says Brenna Preisser, president of business acceleration at Brunswick.  “It will also serve as an on-water innovation centre for our electrification strategy.”

The company says the acquisition will help it expand shared access, advance its “Boating-as-a-Service” strategy with subscription-based models and fortify plans to establish a regional marine operating centre that will support Freedom Boat Club and Boateka.

The acquisition also provides on-water infrastructure and points of distribution, as well as a portfolio of boater services that will serve as a hub for the future of digitally-led boater engagement and, over time, marine electrification.

“Brunswick Corporation is the largest and most well-known name in the marine industry, and we couldn’t be happier to be joining such an innovative and well-established company,” adds Allen Revak, J&R Marine Holdings’ president. “Our established marinas, brands, and dealerships, along with the size and scale of Brunswick, will amplify and increase our customer experience to heights we never thought imaginable.

“There are incredible opportunities for Brunswick to continue to grow within the marine space, building around the boater and gaining significant learnings through owning and operating our businesses. I look forward to joining the Brunswick team and continuing to run our very successful business here in the Southeast.”