We took advantage of the back-to-school boat shows to meet Maurice Duranthon, the new Mercury Marine manager for France since June 1, 2019.
What was your background before joining Mercury Marine and what reasons led you to join the company?
French, 48 years old, I have had a long experience in Belgium. I worked for 20 years in the large American company Parker Hannifin. I was responsible for the after-market filtration for the EMEA zone. I wanted to return to France and I thought that my experience in a large American company in Europe could benefit other US companies with activities in France. The opportunity presented itself with Mercury. My Marine customers at Parker Hannifin are still customers or competitors of Mercury.
What new aspects of the yachting market have impressed you since your arrival?
There is a real variety with more technical aspects than I had in the past. My technical background is very useful. I was very struck by the very strong seasonality of the business on an annual cycle and not quarterly as I was used to. It's important to have some perspective when looking at the figures and results.
What are Mercury Marine's objectives in France and the actions to be taken to achieve them?
The objective is simple: to become the number one marine engine manufacturer. The annual registration statistics are a reference. We have the products and the network to achieve this. Contrary to the usual image, Mercury Marine is not only in the high-power segment, we are already leaders in 6 HP outboard engines.
Specific actions will focus on transportable engines, repowering and V6/V8 outboards, which are the engine that drives the rest. As for sterndrives, in France, there is almost only repowering, with high-powered outboards occupying the new market.
What are the actions on the OEM side?
There is little change in the large motorboat brands. On the other hand, it is a challenge for medium-sized boatyards throughout Europe. We want to develop partnerships.
What about the Mercury dealer network?
I want to push Mercury's image in dealerships. We are fortunate to have an almost exclusive network. We have to play with that to make the experience the best it can be.
