A story of continuous growth

Strand Marine has been operating on the market since 1990. Starting out as a boat importing company, importing boats from the US under the Larson brand name, the company then expanded to include the Glastron, Wellcraft, Hatteras, Trojan and Carver brands, which back then all fell under the Genmar Industries group of companies.

In January 2004, Strand Marine opened a new 600-square-metre, state-of-the-art complex comprising a showroom, repair centre and offices.

In June 2007, it expanded further with the establishment of Esprit Yachting, representing the Azimut|Benetti Group and their Azimut, Atlantis and Benetti brands, together with Williams Jet Tenders.

Strand Marine recently took over Suzuki Marine operations in Malta. What can you tell us about this? Strand Marine recently reached an agreement with Zarb Stores to take over Suzuki Marine operations in Malta. Zarb Stores represented the Suzuki Marine Brand for 35 years, but towards the middle of 2012, this was integrated within Strand Marine. This move not only offers brand continuity to all local Suzuki Marine clients, but also the ease of dealing with a familiar face, since Dominic Zarb, who ran the operation, also joined us.

How does this integration fit within the Strand Marine growth strategy? The new Suzuki venture forms part of an ongoing rebranding of Strand Marine, which has been present within the marine industry since 1990. Prior to this, the company was known for its representation of Larson Boats and Varta Batteries, together with a wide range of marine accessories. Besides, Strand Marine also enjoyed a solid reputation for after-sales service. The company is today run by myself and my sons Matthew and Niki and has seen modest growth over the past few years, and this latest expansion is part of this philosophy.

What can you tell readers about changing trends, with particular reference to the rise in popularity of RIBs and centre consoles? Strand Marine saw the need to address an ever-growing segment of the market, with the rise in popularity of the centre console and the market for Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs). After we carried out a long search for a manufacturer that offered a good balance between high quality and good value for money, Strand Marine started offering Oceanmaster centre console boats.

The addition of Suzuki Marine motors has now given us the market advantage of offering complete package solutions inclusive of boats, engines, trailers and after-sales support. For clients of larger boats, we offer extremely attractive packages for Suzumar tenders, from 1.85 metres to 7 metres, packaged with Suzuki outboard motors.

What can you tell us about Lean Burn models? We are embarking on a campaign to bolster the presence of the Strand Marine product range in Malta and to communicate the truly exceptional new generation Lean Burn models, with their best-in-class, four-stroke fuel efficiency, superior thrust and gearing, with dual shaft technology and compact purpose-built marine engines.

The new-generation models also feature best-in-class, five-layer, anti-corrosion protection of the exterior. In a nutshell, the motors are today technically superior to the competition in many aspects, and it is our mission to bring this to the market.

Fuel consumption has become one of the top factors in the customer’s comparison when buying, and here the Lean Burn models are ahead. A 21-footer, fitted with the new 2013 140HP motor, only consumes 18 litres per running hour at a cruising speed. This translates to a €30 round-trip from Msida to Comino and back – a significant change from previous generation motors.

The motor’s superior technological advantages translate into lower annual service and maintenance costs, especially in the case of the 40HP+ range, which are all chain-driven as opposed to rubber belt-driven.

What nature of after-sales service does Strand Marine offer? Strand Marine prides itself on a long-standing reputation for excellent after-sales service, with hundreds of satisfied and repeat customers in the marine and automotive products offered by the company. We plan to extend this and improve the already very well-respected after-sales service.

Dominic Zarb is the first line of contact for existing and new customers. He is backed up by our support staff and the service infrastructure that is already established at our Strand Marine showroom in Qormi. All sales, service and spare parts operations are now being run from these premises and no longer from Zarb Store’s outlet in Luqa.

Strand Marine now also offers a vast range of Suzuki marine spare parts in stock, besides the parts that are available on order and that are delivered within 24 to 48 hours directly from Suzuki’s European service hub. For added convenience, we also offer an on-site callout service for customers wishing to leave their craft in their own garage or storage location.

What effects did the Suzuki integ­ration leave on the company? The positive effect was immediately felt by the market, drawing excellent customer feedback and interna­tional recognition from Suzuki Japan. In fact, we have already been awarded the Best Year-on-Year Growth among the European Suzuki Dealer Network. We hope to maintain this steady growth, with the ultimate aim of strengthening Strand Marine’s position as one of the leading marine sales and after-sales providers in Malta.