BRP announced today it will discontinue production of Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines and will re-orientate its marine business by focusing on the growth of its boat brands with new technology and innovative marine products.
BRP said it remains committed to its Buy, Build, Transform Marine strategy which has been underway since 2018 with the acquisition of Alumacraft and Manitou boat companies in the U.S., followed by the acquisition of Australian boat manufacturer Telwater in 2019.
“Our outboard engines business has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, obliging us to discontinue production of our outboard motors immediately. This business segment had already been facing some challenges and the impact from the current context has forced our hand,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP.
“We will concentrate our efforts on new and innovative technologies and on the development of our boat companies, where we continue to see a lot of potential to transform the on-water experience for consumers,” he said.
Following the decision to discontinue E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines, BRP has signed an agreement with market leader Mercury Marine to support boat packages and continue to supply outboard engines to our boat brands.
BRP will continue to supply customers and its dealer network service parts and will honour its manufacturer limited warranties, plus offer select programs to manage inventory. These decisions will impact 650 employees globally.
With this announcement, BRP will be positioned to expand its presence in the pontoon and aluminum fishing markets through technologically advanced solutions. The company said it will leverage its track record of ingenuity through its R&D resources to enhance the boating experience with unique new marine products, such as the next generation of engine technology with Project Ghost and the next generation of pontoons with Project M, code names for new products it expects to transform the industry.
Project Ghost, according to US-based Trade Only Today, will try to provide more usable space on outboard boats by hiding the engines. The goal, according to Tracy Crocker, president of BRP Marine Group, is “to deliver a better boating experience by designing an integrated outboard engine and boat product for consumers delivered from the factory.”
The images below show an existing Evinrude G2 outboard and BRP-owned Alumacraft boat and a “Ghost” concept with an integrated engine in the stern area.
BRP will consolidate Alumacraft operations from two sites to one. All Alumacraft operations will be transferred to St Peter, MN and our site in Arkadelphia, AR will be permanently closed. In addition, BRP want to upgrade the boat production facilities to reorganise manufacturing sites and apply the modularity model used elsewhere. This move is designed to enhance productivity and efficiency and to allow it to respond with even more agility to demand, according to BRP.
