Chinookslayer
Member
Anybody know if Monaro boats is closing its doors? They have all the moulds and boat building equipment for sale. Really sad to see Hourston gone and now Monaro it looks like.
Monaro closing?
- Thread starter Chinookslayer
- Start date
InterMechanico
Well-Known Member
No more signage on their shop, so it looks to be so.
Chinookslayer
Member
I think I saw somewhere they had moved into a smaller shop. I’m wondering if they are just doing service work now and not actually building anymore?
Maxpri
Well-Known Member
Yeah that’s it, they’ll do repairs and work on your boat still but their molds are being sold/ been sold.
Maxpri
Well-Known Member
think they’re up on their website, I’ve seen em on marketplace a few times
Chinookslayer
Member
Saw them on marketplace
RiverBoy
Well-Known Member
i seen them on marketplace too
Chinookslayer
Member
I'd imagine it's related to staffing shortages and the fact that were entering a economic downturn over the next little while.
kaelc
Well-Known Member
Yeah, world wide there is a shrinking number of skilled boat builders and paying them what you need to live in vancouver makes for a premium boat.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Used boat market has softened a good bit compared to the covid madness. Interest rate increases made a lot of people realize they couldn't afford those shiny toys (not just boats). New boat market is different again of course, but better availability of used boats does take some of the demand off new boats.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
That is is a shame. I like the manaro it reminds me a lot of my malibu.
Here is what's happening in manufacturing world as I see it right now. Costs have gone up on materials. Even when those materials dropped mostly everyone kept those prices high. Look at steel as an example.
Second now you also have cost of living expenses going up. This effects workers. Now I don't want to be mean but I am seeing people zero experience demanding 40 to 65 plus per hour with hardly any post secondary education to back the wage up. That is way out of step when I can hire a hands on electrical or mechanical P.Eng at those wages. Plus the younger ones don't seem too want too put the time in to do any training. It's incredibly hard to find anyone in the fabrication world right now. That's why your seeing older workers actually part time that are retired being brought back to cover shortfall.
Third you also have rising costs in industrial land where you can do this work. If your renting a building landlords have no choice to increase rent. Most cities in BC fail on how important industrial land is for this type of work. You can't put a place doing fiberglass or industrial just anywhere. Most zoning is light industrial most of time.
Lastly you have a government really did a horrible job with giving out way to much money to failing businesses and not doing credit checks during covid. Now what happens is they are clawing this money back from all of the businesses to make up shortfall. Many are just closing and not paying the loans back. Add that too a government that doesn't support small business, and its a big disaster.
So you add all this up and the margins to make boats becomes not worth it anymore.
Here is what's happening in manufacturing world as I see it right now. Costs have gone up on materials. Even when those materials dropped mostly everyone kept those prices high. Look at steel as an example.
Second now you also have cost of living expenses going up. This effects workers. Now I don't want to be mean but I am seeing people zero experience demanding 40 to 65 plus per hour with hardly any post secondary education to back the wage up. That is way out of step when I can hire a hands on electrical or mechanical P.Eng at those wages. Plus the younger ones don't seem too want too put the time in to do any training. It's incredibly hard to find anyone in the fabrication world right now. That's why your seeing older workers actually part time that are retired being brought back to cover shortfall.
Third you also have rising costs in industrial land where you can do this work. If your renting a building landlords have no choice to increase rent. Most cities in BC fail on how important industrial land is for this type of work. You can't put a place doing fiberglass or industrial just anywhere. Most zoning is light industrial most of time.
Lastly you have a government really did a horrible job with giving out way to much money to failing businesses and not doing credit checks during covid. Now what happens is they are clawing this money back from all of the businesses to make up shortfall. Many are just closing and not paying the loans back. Add that too a government that doesn't support small business, and its a big disaster.
So you add all this up and the margins to make boats becomes not worth it anymore.
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kaelc
Well-Known Member
It's hard to grow a manufacturing business to the size that you can compete globally. I looked at one last year and the need for lean manufacturing and increased automation was screaming at me, but the market in Canada for boats and sporting equipment is small and you have to compete and against huge US and global players. Not easy.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
have to make the chinese crap that blows apart at the seams to compete
