MirroCraft Boats owner expands into pontoons
August 3, 2012
Filed under Features, Top Stories
Northport Marine LLC, the Wisconsin-based owner of MirroCraft boats, will be launching a line of pontoon boats at its dealer meeting next month.
The maker of aluminum fishing boats is hoping to grab a share of that growing market and add some diversity to its product line, said vice president of sales Tim Allen.
“It’s been the hottest market, even in this recession,” Allen said.
The new line, which will be sold under the name Montego Bay Pontoons, will also help to keep the factory busy throughout the year, as well as take advantage of excess capacity at the Gillett, Wis., facility.
“The pontoon end of it will be more steady throughout the summer, while fishing boats kind of drop off right after spring,” Allen said.
MirroCraft changed ownership earlier this year when the then-senior management team purchased the company from Northport Corp. of St. Cloud, Minn. Adding a pontoon line has been in discussion since then, Allen said.
The brand will launch with four entry-level boats aimed at the price-conscious buyer.
“We have to walk before we run, so we’re going to start out on a small scale and go from there,” Allen said. “We think it will be a good fit to get our foot in the door with a lot of (dealers).”
While many of the company’s MirroCraft dealers already carry a pontoon line, the company hopes its reputation will convince them to switch. Allen said initial discussions with many of the company’s existing dealers have been very positive.
