NZ marine supplier to enter U.S. market

WANAKA, New Zealand – Tallon Marine, a one-year-old New Zealand manufacturer of an innovative boat accessory system, has plans to enter the U.S. market next month in a manner that is far from ordinary.

The company, which won an IBEX Innovation Award in the Hardware Fittings category last year, has set up its own distribution center in Georgia and will launch an online store on its Web site, www.tallonmarine.com, through which it will sell direct to consumers, said Peter Marshall, founder and chairman of Tallon Marine, in an interview this morning.

The downturn in the U.S. marine market hasn’t discouraged Marshall from making this move. In fact, he said it may give the company an advantage.

“This is actually a great opportunity for us to fulfill the boaters’ need to upgrade and add functionality, style and comfort to their craft, as an alternative to buying a new boat,” he commented. “That’s exactly what the Tallon System brings to the table. It makes existing boats look a little more new and boat owners tend to spend a bit more for that.”

Tallon Marine’s accessory system – The Tallon System – consists of Tallon non-powered and powered receiver platforms, which are designed to accommodate four, interchangeable ranges of Tallon Accessories – Entertaining, Fishing & Diving, Attaching and Power. The system removes the need for permanent, single-use fixtures, according to the company, because it enables boaters to install and swap out commonly used marine accessories to accommodate their changing needs and personalize their boat.

Target = OEMs and the aftermarket

While the Tallon Marine line was originally launched in the Australasian market in March 2007 and then expanded to the U.K. and Ireland, it has already experienced U.S. demand for its products, largely due to its IBEX Innovation Award, according to Marshall.

“We’ve experienced great success at U.S. boat shows and have received daily prospect inquiries from U.S.-based customers since last year,” said Marshall, founder and chairman of Tallon Marine. “We simply couldn’t ignore the largest boating market in the world – especially with no immediate competition in sight – so we are in the process of setting up distribution.”

Most of its business – about 80 percent – is currently in the aftermarket, but Tallon expects to target both the OEM and aftermarket as part of its U.S. debut.

“Initially, we will look to negotiate with OEMs either directly or through an agent structure, with a similar set-up for retailers,” Marshall explained. “We anticipate that each agent structure will be regional, but with a combination of them, we expect the majority of the U.S. to be covered. With regards to distributors, we will review opportunities on an ongoing basis, but again we will look to set up a regional structure of distributors in the long-term rather than one major, nationwide distributor. This allows Tallon Marine to be more flexible in our approach and enables us to better understand the world’s largest market, down to its regional specificities.”

Despite the dominance of its aftermarket business, Marshall said OEMs have been a major focus for the company since its launch and its efforts are starting to pay off, at least in its local market of Australasia, with many of the key players either standardizing their boat line with Tallon Marine products or offering them as an option. Marshall anticipates other markets to follow.

Those “other markets” are quickly growing. Not only is Tallon Marine’s debut in the U.S. and France fast approaching, Marshall expects the company’s distribution network to grow to include four or five more international markets in the next 18 months.

Getting the word out

To assist in its U.S. launch, Tallon Marine has appointed Salima Benchoukroun as its public relations agency.

Benchoukroun will design and execute a U.S.-based media relations program intended to further build awareness and credibility of Tallon Marine and its accessory system among boat builders, distributors and consumers, according to the company.

Over the last eight years, Benchoukroun has managed public relations campaigns and other marketing efforts for brands such as Nissan Marine, Tohatsu Outboards, Everglades Boats, Monterey Boats and Brunswick Corp. Salima’s most recent clients include Channel Blade Technologies, The Marinco Electrical Group (MEG) and Underwater Lights USA, Inc.

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