The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has hired communications firm Starmark International to develop “a new brand, creative campaign and website” for this November’s event. This show, which is entering its 56th year, was seeking “a new look and feel to reflect our vision,” said Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III, president of Show Management for Fort [...]

National Marine Manufacturers Association reports in the first quarter of 2015, new registrations of traditional powerboats and personal watercrafts were up 6.5% YOY (January-March 2015 compared to January-March 2014) and up 9.5% R12M YOY (April 2014-March 2015 compared to April 2013-March 2014). PWCs, jet drive boats, skiboats and outboard boats led growth, up 20.2%, 15.4%, [...]

A bit of in-house business first: You’ll soon see a slight change in the way the Marine Fabricators Association presents itself. Our parent group—IFAI—is undergoing a new branding effort that will bring all of its member organizations under a more-unified image. The aim is to simplify and drive decision-making for the company and also signify [...]

Shop operators should consider these items: Automated external defibrillator Proper workspace ventilation for paints, solvents and other chemicals Respiratory protection Eye protection Gloves Operating fire extinguishers Shop evacuation plan and procedures Find more on shop safety with "Better safe than sorry" in our July 2015 issue of Marine Fabricator. More shop-safety information is available online [...]

By Jeffrey C. Rasmussen The world economy: key statistics It was a recovery year, to be sure, but an uneven global rebound kept the lid on the world economy. For the past three quarters of the year in 2013 and 2014, the United States has been an economic island, showing noticeable improvement in comparison to [...]

Country music artist and avid boater, Jake Owen, will host a live Twitter question-and-answer session from his account (@jakeowen) today at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Fans can submit questions before the chat by tagging them #BoatingwithJake. Discover Boating is a public awareness effort managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), an organization that focuses on [...]

Citing 610 boating deaths, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that 2014 saw the second lowest number since records have been kept starting in 1972. Only 2013, with 560 recorded boating deaths, fared better. The Guard’s “2014 Recreational Boating Statistics” notes that the number of accidents increased by two, to 4064, and resulted in 2678 injuries [...]

SureShade co-founder Dana Russikoff participated in a Women of Philadelphia panel to discuss women’s growth opportunities and other issues in the Philadelphia manufacturing sector, as well as the marine industry. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., a nonprofit partnership between the city and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to support local business growth and foster [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) reports U.S. outboard-engine wholesale shipments were up 4.9 percent over the previous April, based on sales reports from the manufacturers representing 95 percent of the market. Total retail sales, based on warranty card registrations, were up 8.2 percent.

Registration is now open for three 2015 regional workshops hosted by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA). Held Sept. 12, the Mid-Atlantic Regional workshop will be hosted at Costa Marine Canvas and Enclosures in Egg Harbor City, N.J. The two-day Midwest Regional workshop will take place at Oshkosh Tent and Awning Co. Inc. in Oshkosh, Wis., [...]