By Suzuki Marine
In May, Suzuki Marine USA, Inc. announced the completion of its advanced Suzuki Marine Technical Center at 1 Suzuki Way in Panama City, Florida.
This newly completed project spans 20 acres of waterfront and features a 9,037-square-foot main building with office spaces, conference rooms, technical/service bays, indoor boat storage, and essential equipment. Additional property features include extra buildings, a private launch ramp with docks, and a 300-foot protective seawall.
A grand opening event on May 17 brought together Suzuki staff from its corporate headquarters in Tampa, Florida, selected dealers and boatbuilding partners, local dignitaries, VIPs from Suzuki Motor Corporation, and members of the boating press. Notable attendees included Mr. Shuichi Mishima, executive general manager of marine operations for Suzuki Motor Corp. in Japan; Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis; and Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki.
After touring the facility, guests took demonstration rides on various Suzuki-powered boats and explored the property from the water. Among the demo boats was the SeaPro 259 equipped with twin Suzuki DF140 outboards, which had recently completed the Suzuki EcoFuel Run to the Capitol, a 940-mile journey by water from Florida to Washington, DC, for the 2023 American Boating Congress, aimed at promoting new sustainable marine fuels.
“I want to express my gratitude to Mayor Brudnicki, Bay Economic Development Alliance Chairman Ben Lee, Bay County Commissioner Tommy Hamm, and all the forward-thinking leaders who collaborated with us to bring this project to completion,” stated George “Gus” Blakely, Suzuki Marine Executive Vice President of Sales & Service.
“Due to the hard work and collaboration between Suzuki Marine and government agencies, Panama City is set to become a key hub for innovation in the marine industry and a center for the development of new outboard motors. We recognized this location as ideal for our objectives early on — and although there were challenges, the end result has validated our decision. We are excited about our future here and committed to being the type of corporate citizen that Panama City and the state of Florida can take pride in,” added Blakely.
The property was acquired, and initial plans for the Suzuki Marine Technical Center were unveiled in March 2020, coinciding with the beginning of what became a prolonged Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the numerous challenges it presented, Suzuki Marine remained focused on completing all planned aspects of the facility.
Even during the early construction stages, the facility operated as a working technical center using temporary structures. Among the innovations being endurance tested was Suzuki’s Micro Plastic Collecting device, which integrates with the engine’s cooling system to eliminate micro plastic pollution from the water while the boat is in motion. This device is now standard on all models of Suzuki’s DF115 and DF140 4-stroke outboards, two of its best-selling products worldwide. This initiative is part of Suzuki’s global Clean Ocean Project, which aims to implement new technologies to combat coastal pollution, reduce plastic usage, and explore sustainable alternatives. These commitments will be ongoing themes at Suzuki’s Technical Center.
“With the completion of our Technical Center and the addition of several key staff members and endurance drivers, we can now start fulfilling our ultimate goals for the boating industry, Suzuki dealers, and boating enthusiasts,” said Blakely.
“We will collaborate not only with boat manufacturers and our 1,200 dealers across the U.S. but also with the Suzuki factory to develop and refine the outboards of the future. While we are based in Florida — the boating capital of the U.S. — we also serve as a Suzuki Technical Center for the global market.”