Dometic renames Oceanair blackouts
Dometic Group, one of the largest marine equipment manufacturers, announced at the Miami International Boat Show that it is discontinuing the Oceanair brand. The blackout curtains for portholes and deck hatches will now be marketed under the name Dometic Marine Blinds. This choice comes 2 years after the Scandinavian group acquired the British company in February 2017.
A growth opportunity for ex-Oceanair products
Dometic's management sees the new brand name for its blackout curtains as an opportunity to expand its business and open up new markets. "The Dometic brand will open up the Oceanair products to a much wider audience," says Peter Kjellberg, Dometic's group marketing manager. "Dometic has a strong presence in the marine and maritime market and with our extensive expertise in the recreational vehicle and hospitality sector, we are determined to bring Oceanair's premium designs to these new markets, new customers and new applications."
This choice is part of a very positive context for the Dometic Group, which announced a 30% growth in 2018 compared to its previous fiscal year, driven 22% by acquisitions, 5% organically and 3% by currency trends. The marine sector posted the strongest increase of +11%.
Continuity in Oceanair distribution in France
For Patrick Carro, head of Interdist, Oceanair's distributor in France, the announcement is the continuation of an approach that brings commercial and marketing synergies with Dometic. "We will continue to distribute the products with the same operation and the same collaboration. Blackout curtains are still very different from refrigerators or air conditioning. There is a very different approach, including a lot of refits and yachts for Oceanair. We will continue to manage original equipment. In addition, we have discussions in terms of marketing synergy, for example for the Cannes trade show, to further strengthen the visibility of blackouts on our two stands."
