Company: Warbird, Yellowfin Yachts
Business Type: Boat Builder
UK & International Business Sales and M&A News
Warbird Marine Holdings, parent company to Invincible Boat Co. in the US, has acquired Yellowfin Yachts. Florida-based Yellowfin will be a separately managed sister company to Invincible, which Warbird acquired in 2019.
This latest acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, means that Warbird Marine Holdings, formed by EagleTree Capital to invest in category-leading boatbuilders and managed by industry veteran John Dorton, is now the largest and best capitalised designer and builder of custom offshore fishing boats.
Warbird’s CEO Mr Dorton commented:
“We are delighted to add Yellowfin to our Warbird platform. Yellowfin is at the pinnacle of their segment both in product line-up and brand prestige.
“The Yellowfin team will remain in place at their Sarasota headquarters with Wylie Nagler as president. Wylie will continue to focus on the products and relationships that have made Yellowfin a legendary brand.”
John Dorton – CEO of Warbird
Wylie Nagler founded Yellowfin in 1998 and, in the 23 years since, the company has established itself as one of the most recognised brands in the premium centre console segment.
Mr Nagler said of the acquisition:
“At Yellowfin, we have always strived to build the best boat by using the best materials – the best hardware, the best systems.
“Joining forces with Warbird and John Dorton gives us the scale and resources of the Warbird platform, without changing Yellowfin’s DNA or our relentless focus on quality.”
Wylie Nagler – President of Yellowfin
Warbird will invest in Yellowfin’s facilities, people, and new product development, whilst Yellowfin and Invincible will continue to be managed independently.
Mr Dorton continued:
“Both the Yellowfin and Invincible brands have their own personalities and design philosophies, and we intend to keep it that way.
“The centre console category is split between volume builders that can’t deliver the customisation, quality and performance the premium buyer demands, and small prestige brands that build quality boats but lack the scale and investment to become truly state-of-the-art.
“By combining the resources of these two great businesses, Warbird will be able to accelerate innovation, invest in quality and customer service, expand capacity and ensure timely deliveries to our valued customers and distributors.
“Our goal is to set a new bar for the premium centre console segment – world-beating boats with a complete customer experience to match.”
John Dorton – CEO of Warbird
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