BUDGET MARINE

Wayne Esser interviewed our new Silver level sponsor

How did Budget Marine Get Started?  As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.  It took someone involved in yacht maintenance and repair to identify and deliver on the full extent of that need.  And once these necessary items had been identified, sourcing them proved to be a real challenge.

Robbie Ferron, a Dutch national raised in South Africa, arrived on Sint Maarten in 1979 and soon realized that boat parts were in short supply and not easy to obtain. Thinking he could do a better job, he started a company in boat parts and called it Budget Marine to highlight his competitive pricing. In 1982 he started having stock and selling parts to other people from the back bedroom of a house opposite Bobby’s Marina, in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.  

In 1986, realizing that the bedroom operation was no longer fit for the purpose, Robbie Ferron moved his stock together with a windsurfing shop belonging to Alfred Koolen, who later became a partner in the company. The third partner, David de Vries, came into the picture in 1988 doing the accounting and ordering, and taking care of all the technical systems such as choosing a new computer system. The three of them became good friends and shared a passion for sailing.  It worked very well as they combined their individual strengths to build the business: David being the cerebral guy doing the accounting and thinking, Alfred taking care of the operational side and Robbie moving everything forward. 

Budget Marine has had significant growth over the years, where are you located?   Early on, most of the inventory was stored in shipping containers.  With an increasing number of containers in use, 26 at one point parked on spare land loaned by a local supermarket, it quickly became apparent the operation was getting too big for the location they were in.  In 1999 Budget Marine moved to a new location in Cole Bay which borders the Simpson Bay lagoon.  Having to share the building first with two tenants, Budget Marine soon took over the whole building and even built an extra third floor to support its growth. This location still houses the main branch and warehouse for the Budget Marine Group.

Growth was not limited to St. Maarten.  As Budget Marine grew, it became apparent that expansion with a centralized operation was needed in order to offset the cost for marketing, IT and inventory control.  The company started to look for partners on other islands and quickly expanded.  Branches were opened in Antigua (1993), St.Martin (1994), Trinidad (1996), Tortola & St.Thomas (2000), Bonaire & Grenada (2001), Curacao (2004) and Aruba (2010). In some locations having just one store was not enough.  Antigua has opened two more locations in 2013 and 2015 and Trinidad opened a second location in 2016.  

What do you attribute Budget Marine’s success to?  Being boaters ourselves we know the challenges in the Caribbean best. From the availability of getting just the right product (the whole reason we started Budget Marine) to making sure these products stand up to the test in our tough Caribbean environment, we select our products carefully so you can get back on the water with as little fuss and expense as possible.

• Availability:  14 locations were you can feel the products, prod them with a yardstick and immediately take them back to your boat
• Range, Depth and Support:   Many products such as Tohatsu, Lofrans, Jabsco, Harken and Lewmar are fully supported with a wide selection of parts stock
• Value and Quality:  The tropical environment is tough on marine equipment so we focus on supplying equipment and supplies that stand up to the onslaught from sun, heat and salt air
• Budget:  We are always looking for ways to see how we can best accommodate your budget and have experience dealing with different taxing and import duties and maximizing benefit for our customers
• Service:  We are still firm believers in face-to-face contact and are committed to providing the best service across the spectrum and meeting the particular needs of all in the boating community.

It must be a huge challenge having the right parts at the right place and time across all the island locations, how do you manage this?  While it’s easier than ever to find information about products, getting them onto the shelves of the right island when they’re most needed remains daunting.  The solution?  Software and data management, which Budget Marine continues to invest in to ensure we meet the needs of our customers.  Making the right choices remains key.  Budget Marine’s unwavering focus has always been to be the best technical chandlery in the region.  While some chandleries around the world have shifted their focus to clothing, we’ve stuck to what matters most: the products essential to keeping your boat running smoothly. While our customers might wear less clothing in the Caribbean, when we do offer apparel, it’s always focused on what’s functional for sailing — UV protection, non-slip footwear, and fast-drying materials.  The basics any boater needs are in all our shops, although our product range may be limited by the size of certain markets.  Like all chandleries, we understand the frustration of not finding the exact technical product necessary for a particular boat, especially when there are many similar items available.  Whether it’s a hinge that doesn’t quite fit or a lightbulb that doesn’t match, we understand the problem and we are here to meet it.

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