Brunswick Teams With Transamerica, IDS

oat and engine manufacturer Brunswick Corp. has recently purchased two companies and formed a joint venture with a third in what may only be the first steps of the company’s attempts to get closer to its dealers.
In September, Brunswick announced the acquisition of Integrated Dealer Systems (IDS), a developer of management systems for marine and recreational vehicle dealers.
In November, Brunswick announced a joint venture with marine industry lender Transamerica Distribution Finance. The new business, called Brunswick Acceptance Co., LLC (BAC), will offer wholesale financing to the US Brunswick Boat Group and Mercury Marine dealer networks, company officials said.
In December, Brunswick acquired Northstar Technologies, a leading company in marine navigation electronics.
In an interview with Boating Industry, Brunswick Boat Division President Dustan McCoy hinted that more such transactions are forthcoming.
“If you watch us over the coming months you will see us becoming involved in a whole range of services, activities and businesses that touch the building and selling of boats, which will tie us better to our dealers, which will give our dealers better profit opportunities and will actually allow us to serve consumers better,” McCoy said.
IDS and Northstar will become part of the new Brunswick New Technologies, which was formed to focus on developing growth initiatives in software and electronics applications. It will operate as an independent business unit.