Re: Chinese Mercury?
I've got a couple of friends at Merc and I was told by 1 that 192 folks were laid-off after the second quarter last year...141 gone after the third.
One of the fellows I talk with on a regular basis has been there 24yrs and was moved from the outboard division to the "ATTWOOD" division of products. I was told flat-out the outboard division was in trouble and the only division at Merc that was supporting itself and showing a reasonable profit is the Racing division (ProXS engines and racing props)....a part of the company that looked to be doomed with EPA regs coming up. They combined some tech from fuel delivery of the opti's and came with an engine that will make the cut with the EPA and still has some power.
They had to make this move as he said the projected sales of the Verado were about half of what they had planned for and as of about 2 weeks ago, he said there was no data showing an upward trend in the purchase of these engines.
He kinda made a funny out of this by saying..."when your 75hp 4S weighs as much as a V6 200 2S, there's an obvious problem"..
I own a Merc, an older one, but I won't slash-out at any particular engine they have built in earlier days...mine has been a good one, but the only reason they are on their feet today is by buying every boat manufacturer they can and sell said boat with their engine.
I have asked several boat dealers about getting a certain boat without the engine...all answers have been the same...buy it as is and sell the engine, then put what you want on it. Obviously they are depending on getting every engine they build, out into the consumer market, period.
Personally, I don't care for the tactic, and I think the retiring CEO may see this as one issue that has helped him make his decision to get out now.
