Sowester loses Mercury outboards

A further blow was dealt today to troubled UK distributor Sowester Simpson-Lawrence, with the announcement that E P Barrus, distributor for Mariner outboards in the UK and Ireland, and recently appointed a distributor for Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboards, is to take over the distribution of Mercury outboards as well

A further blow was dealt today to troubled UK distributor Sowester Simpson-Lawrence, with the announcement that E P Barrus, distributor for Mariner outboards in the UK and Ireland, and recently appointed a distributor for Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboards, is to take over the distribution of Mercury outboards as well.

Dorset-based Sowester, which has been trading in administration since October 10, had previously been responsible for Mercury’s distribution in the UK and Ireland. Over the past year Sowester has sold 2,500 Mercury outboards to dealers. Barrus sold a similar number of Mariner branded units, the two Mercury Marine brands together accounting for about a third of UK sales.

Over the past year sales of Mercury/Mariner outboards into dealerships have increased by more than 30 per cent in unit terms, according to Marine Power Europe, which is Mercury Marine’s operating company for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Marine Power says it has awarded the Mercury distribution rights to Barrus in the light of what it describes as the Oxfordshire company’s “outstanding success” with the Mariner brand for the past 25 years.

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