Multinational Gets Savage

The Age

Thursday November 11, 1999

THE world's biggest recreational boating manufacturer, Mercury Marine, recently acquired 101-year-old Melbourne-based boatbuilders Savage with a view to exporting boats to China, Northern Europe and South America.

Along with the Bermuda Sportsboat brand of aluminium boat, Mercury Marine makes Rush jetboats and owns imported brands SeaRay, Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Maxum and Robalo.

Mercury also intends to expand its one-stop shop strategy. This means it will continue promoting boating packages. It doesn't plan on selling boats direct over the internet just yet.

In reply, Quintrex aluminium boats from Queensland made the announcement it had acquired Melbourne-based Stacer boats.

Stacer was owned by Outboard Marine Corporation, another American giant.