BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) has re-oriented its marine business by focusing on the growth of its boat brands.

Specifically, the company will discontinue production of Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Its Sturtevant, Wisconsin, facility will be repurposed for new projects to pursue the company’s plan to “provide consumers with an unparalleled experience on the water.”

Evinrude has building outboards for anglers and recreational boaters for 110 years. The shutdown is immediate.

The company stated in a May 27 press release, “We remain committed to our 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,” said BRP President and CEO José Boisjoli. “This business segment had already been facing some challenges, and the impact from the current context has forced our hand. 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."

Following BRP’s decision to discontinue E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines, the company said it has signed an agreement with Mercury Marine to support boat packages and continue to supply outboard engines to its boat brands. BRP will continue to supply customers and its dealer network service parts, and it will honor manufacturer limited warranties, plus offer select programs to manage inventory. These decisions will impact 650 employees globally.

With this announcement, BRP says it will be positioned to expand its presence in the pontoon and aluminum fishing markets through technologically advanced solutions. “We will leverage our track record of ingenuity through our 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 we expect to transform the industry.”

Consolidation Plans

BRP will consolidate Alumacraft operations from two sites to one. All Alumacraft operations will be transferred to St Peter, Minnesota, and its site in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, will be permanently closed.

BRP plans to upgrade the boat production facilities to reorganize manufacturing sites and apply the modularity model used elsewhere. This move is designed to enhance productivity and efficiency and to allow BRP to respond with even more agility to demand.

“This agreement brings us an incredible opportunity to further grow our brand in the marketplace, and introduce our award-winning portfolio of outboard engines to new customers around the world," said Mercury Marine President Chris Drees. "We have enjoyed long standing relationships with Alumacraft, Manitou and Telwater and we look forward to continuing to work with them while providing class-leading outboard engines and exceptional service to all of their global customers. 

“We are excited for the BRP dealers and consumers to experience our new engines – and with our recent capacity related investments we are well positioned for continued growth.” 

Boat packages for Alumacraft, Manitou, Quintrex & Stacer with Mercury outboards will be available in early June 2020.