June 21, 2018
Many businesses in the U.S. assume the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) doesn’t affect them since it’s a European-based regulation. However, the boating industry is a global marketplace and it is quite possible that even small businesses will be affected by the new regulations, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) website: “Your customers …
June 19, 2018
The Trump administration’s recently announced Section 301 tariffs of 25 percent on approximately $50 billion worth of select Chinese products include nearly 300 marine-related parts. National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) President, Thom Dammrich, is calling on the administration to withdraw the tariffs. “The U.S. recreational boating industry—a $39 billion industry that supports 650,000 American jobs—experienced …
June 14, 2018
The U.S. Department of the Interior, along with the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently published a new free booklet to help kids get hooked on fishing. The Junior Ranger “Let’s Go Fishing!” activity booklet introduces kids and their families to fishing and encourages healthy and responsible outdoor recreation. Kids …
June 12, 2018
Discover Boating, a public awareness effort managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), is offering a new free resource to provide relevant boating lifestyle content for marine fabricators’ Facebook business pages. This new social media content program, called Get Social with Discover Boating, is available to industry stakeholders in the U.S. and Canada at …
June 7, 2018
The Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service, along with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), has released the 2018 Pleasure Boat International Resource Guide. This free resource, which includes reports on 32 countries, gives current and prospective exporters specific market insight and information. Click here to download your free copy of the guide.
June 5, 2018
Polaris Industries Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Boat Holdings LLC, a boat manufacturer owned by the Vogel family, management and Balmoral Funds, in an all-cash transaction valued at a net present value of approximately $805 million. Boat Holdings is the largest manufacturer of pontoon boats in the U.S., one of the largest …
May 31, 2018
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) 2017 Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract shows that unit sales of new powerboats increased 5 percent in 2017, reaching 262,000, the highest levels the U.S. recreational boating industry has seen in 10 years. What’s more, total marine expenditures were at an all-time high in 2017 at $39 billion (spending on …
May 30, 2018
Serge Ferrari, a well-known producer of flexible composite materials, has launched a new website, www.sergeferrari.com, that features new product branding for a more intuitive product selection experience. The move streamlines the names of the company’s 125-plus products, and improves brand communication. To enable rapid understanding of the company’s products, the company has renamed many of …
May 24, 2018
A cut in Connecticut’s sales tax on marine vessels from 6.35 percent to 2.99 percent is set for July 1 in an effort to provide a much-needed boost to Connecticut’s boating industry. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed a revised state budget that reduces the state sales tax on vessels, vessel motors and trailers used …
May 22, 2018
Morbern, a designer and manufacturer of upholstery vinyl for commercial interior, marine and automotive markets, announced that Chris Zappala has joined the company as the West Coast sales agent. Zappala will lead the company’s presence in California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and focus his efforts on the contract market, marine aftermarket and …