the economic downturn, and still an uptick
from the 60-65 who were on staff before
the trouble began.
“It has come up incrementally,” said Greg
Van Wagenen, Manitou’s director of
marketing and sales communications.
“There was one really tough year and things
have started to gain back every year since
then. Andnowwe’re past the point of where
wewere before.”
Traditional pontoon boats had just two
tubes, but three-tubemodels have increased
in popularity. Overall pontoon sales rose by
12.2 percent in 2013 over the previous year,
according to Statistical Surveys Inc., a
provider of market intelligence to the
marine, manufactured housing , RV-
motorized andRV-towable industries. Sales
of fishing boats were up by 3.9 percent in
2013 aswell.
Manitou is counting on growth that’s
June 2014
| BusinessWorld | 157
