Zodiac Is Back

Dominique Heber-Suffrin, the new owner and CEO of French inflatable boat manufacturer Zodiac, announced ambitious plans for the company at last week’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

In a much-anticipated press conference, Heber-Suffrin talked about the future of the iconic Zodiac brand, which he and a group of private investors purchased in July after it languished in bankruptcy for two years. Initially popularized by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, the Toulouse, France-based company grew to become the world’s largest manufacturer of inflatable boats.

“Zodiac is back,” declared Heber-Suffrin to a large crowd of media. “I did a long due diligence on the company and if I hadn’t seen the passion for the brand among the workforce and the dealers, I never would have attempted to acquire it.”

Heber-Suffrin then detailed ambitious plans for the company moving forward, including a stronger emphasis on rigid-hull inflatable boats (RIBS), a re-launch of Zodiac’s sister brand Avon, and a stronger focus on innovation – something Heber-Suffrin says went missing during the final eight years of the company’s first life, when it passed through multiple owners, including two private equity firms.

“It’s a different priority when you are a private-equity firm than an individual investor,” said Heber-Suffrin. “You are not necessarily focused on innovation.”

Apart from purchasing the Zodiac brand, Heber-Suffrin and his partners also bought the company’s three manufacturing plants. Its facilities in Tolouse, France and Tunisia were shut down when the company declared bankruptcy, but its third plant in South Carolina continued producing product in bankruptcy in response to strong US sales, which are said to account for up to 40 percent of Zodiac’s global revenues. All three facilities are now open, while Heber-Suffrin says Zodiac’s dealer network in the US and Europe remains intact.

New boat introductions are scheduled to be unveiled at the Miami International Boat Show in February, supported by a renewed marketing campaign including incentive programs for consumers.