SIBS 2023: August Race appoints Australasia distributor
August Race, the UK manufacturer of marine cleaning and protection products, has partnered with Marine Plus and its parent company, Kiwi Yachting Consultants (KYC), for the distribution of its range throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
During a media presentation given on the first day of the Southampton Boat Show 2023 (running 15-24 September 2023), August Race told MIN the move is part of its targeted focus on international expansion, announced earlier this year.
“It was always our intention to match the quality and provenance of our UK distributor E.P Barrus in our international partnerships, and we believe with Marine Plus and KYC, this has been achieved,” says Sarah Wallbank, CEO of August Race.
Established in Australia in 1994, Marine Plus is a supplier of marine and leisure products, representing brands such as Gill Marine, Baltic and International Paints. The corporation has over 1,000 commercial accounts across Australasia.
Wallbank adds: “We have been bombarded with requests to expand our distribution in Australasia from end users and marine business alike, as the reputation of our products and their effectiveness grows within the industry, so this is a fantastic turnkey solution to service that demand.”
“We use the highest levels of UV protection in the industry in our products, and this is especially important when protecting vessels in climates such as the Pacific,” Wallbank affirms, adding the company places emphasis “on protection rather than landfill or replacement” to strengthen its eco credentials.
Richard Macalsister MD of KYC, explains: “Each year, we are looking for a new company whom we can represent in both New Zealand and Australia, which we believe shares similar values to us, but, as importantly, has a product that could do well in both markets.
“We are confident this year we have found this in UK brand Augst Race. Their innovation and energy for delivering highly engineered products alongside their rapidly expanding global brand loyalty is second to none.”
The Marine Plus development is part of a series of recent strategic distribution partnerships for the firm, with Aura Marine in Poland and also G-Force taking on the brand to distribute in their network throughout the Bahamas.
This rate of expansion means August Race is moving to larger premises in Dartmouth later this month (September 2023).
