Sturtevant, Wis. - 2001-10-17
Evinrude and Johnson outboard comeback makes marine industry history
Bombardier Recreational Products has announced that the first Bombardier-built outboard engines have rolled off the production line at its new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant located in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The first engine was produced on September 27, 2001. As scheduled, the Boats and Outboard Engines division began shipping products worldwide to customers on October 16, 2001. "The production of Evinrude® and Johnson® outboard engines will continue to ramp up over the coming weeks and months as it works to meet demand for these world-class outboard engines," said Michel Baril, President and Chief Operating Officer of Bombardier Recreational Products.
Along with Michel Baril, on hand to commemorate the completion of the first engines produced in the new facility were Laurent Beaudoin, Chairman of the Board and of the Executive Committee, Bombardier Inc. and Roch Lambert, Vice President and General Manager of the Boats and Outboard Engines division. "Bombardier's worldwide growth has been fuelled by numerous acquisitions and the ability to recognize great potential in renowned brands. We have brought every resource in the Bombardier arsenal to bear on our efforts to meet our goals and customer's expectations with the comeback of these historic outboard brands," continued Baril.
"Since we took over the facility located in Sturtevant in July, we have worked around the clock, seven days a week, to transition this manufacturing plant into one of the industry's most advanced outboard engine manufacturing facilities in the world," said Roch Lambert.
While the Boats and Outboard Engines division has focused on the "physical" transition of the facility, it also has worked to integrate Bombardier's proven, "best-in-class" manufacturing practices to ensure every Evinrude and Johnson outboard engine built at this facility meets the highest standards for durability, quality and reliability (DQR). Bombardier's established DQR standards are reinforced through the implementation of a quality assessment analysis that takes place throughout the entire manufacturing process, as well as prior to packaging every engine built .
"We have accomplished a lot since the acquisition of the Evinrude and Johnson brands," Lambert added. "We have remodeled the entire manufacturing footprint and have transitioned production to a brand new facility. We have done all this without losing sight of our core competencies of developing and manufacturing some of the industry's best products that are established leaders in the markets we serve. And the products that are now rolling off our lines in Sturtevant are no exception."
According to Lambert, "the team's efforts have paid-off and have enabled Bombardier to maintain its projected schedule for delivery to North American dealers, OEM accounts and International Distributors. In fact, we are actually ahead of schedule."
"We promised customers and the market that we would begin shipping product this fall," Lambert said. "The team has worked long and hard to ensure we deliver on our promise."
Bombardier Recreational Products designs, develops, builds, distributes and markets Ski-Doo® and Lynx® snowmobiles, snowgrooming equipment and multi-purpose tracked vehicles, Bombardier® all-terrain vehicles, Sea-Doo® watercraft and sport boats, Bombardier Fish HawkTM fishing boats as well as the Evinrude® and Johnson® outboard marine engines and the Ficht Ram Injection® technology. Snowmobiles, ATVs, watercraft and some sport boats are powered by Rotax® engines that are designed and built by Bombardier-Rotax GmbH, which also builds motors for motorcycles, scooters, karts and aircraft.
Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and service company, is a world leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized recreational products. It is also a provider of financial services and asset management. The Corporation employs 79,000 people in 24 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific and its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2001 totalled $16.1 billion Cdn.
®, TM Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
For information:
Jan Scheske
Manager, Public Relations and Special Events -
Boats and Outboard Engines
(847) 689-5640
jan.scheske@brp.com