Garmin outlines seamless systems and sustainability at METSTRADE

With an eye on ocean health, Garmin’s EMEA marine segment director, Pontus Fernstrom, outlines the steps the company is taking to reduce its environmental impact.

“If we don’t do this, there might not be nice water to be in in a few years,” Fernstrom says of Garmin’s efforts to shrink its footprint while expanding its operations through multiple acquisitions.

He highlights the company’s packaging improvements, noting a “drastic” reduction in plastic use and the elimination of 90 per cent of foam within product boxes. Fernstrom adds, “We have packages as small as possible with drastically reduced plastic. 30 per cent is reused plastic.”

Sustainability at Garmin, he explains, encompasses care for people, suppliers and the climate. As the company grows, it continues to review and refine its practices.

Garmin’s recent financial results show growth across all business segments. According to Fernstrom, the strategy is to integrate the company’s diverse product offerings into a cohesive system that delivers the “perfect lifestyle on the water.”

The company has been on something of a shopping spree to make that happen. A year ago, it acquired JL Audio, and Lumishore came on board in October.

Fernstrom describes these acquisitions as a “fantastic fit,” emphasising the shared focus on vertical integration. “That’s assuring the quality of the products from the initial idea through the whole development process until they end up in customers’ boats,” he says.

Garmin aims to create a seamless single-system experience on vessels, making technology faster and more reliable. This aligns with evolving customer expectations. “Lots of boats are floating offices,” Fernstrom says, with users expecting home-level technology onboard. Voice control, for example, allows users to manage underwater lighting and other features. “You can talk to the system in the same way as at home,” he adds, noting that the command begins with “Hey, Garmin.”

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Next on the roster is being able to customise all systems. Fernstrom says this is possible. As is being able to access data from anywhere. All OEMs want this capability, he says.

“When we release a product, there will be more cool stuff coming down the line,” he says. “Innovation is a keyword for what we do every day when we get out of bed and go to our jobs.”