Ebbtide Boats sold to Chinese company

Posted on 24 July 2012

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The company 321 Capital Partners LLC announced that it completed the sale of fiberglass sportboat builder Ebbtide Corp. to a privately held Chinese investment company.

Ebbtide, based in White Bluff, Tenn., builds fiberglass sportboats and recreational boats at a 150,000-square-foot facility.

“Selling your company that you have been operating for 44 years is bittersweet,” Ebbtide president and former owner Tommy Trabue said in a statement. “There comes a time when you need to transition yourself to a different position. Ebbtide has been my life all these years, and I am proud of our record of designing and manufacturing excellent boats.”

Finding the right person to pass our legacy on to was extremely important to me. The new owner of Ebbtide is a Chinese businessman and entrepreneur that plans to build our brand name here in the U.S. and Canada, as well as developing Ebbtide into a global brand,” Trabue said in the release. “He will strengthen the company financially and provide leadership and vision to build the company for the future. He offers an excellent opportunity for all of our employees to grow in his international organization, both here and China. I am pleased that I will continue working with the company as the future unfolds.”

Click here for the full release.

Comments

11 Thursday, 26 July 2012 02:20

By John Coats

Tommy,
I guess it's time for all of us to slow down a bit. I enjoyed the time we spent together. I know you took a lot of time to decide who and when to sell. I hope you stay in touch with the industry you help build.

10 Wednesday, 25 July 2012 15:09

By Jack White

Congratulations to a good friend. I rememember the day you got in the business, you came an visited us at Fabuglas boats. Jack White Procraft/Astroglass boats

9 Wednesday, 25 July 2012 14:27

By Dean Waite

Everyone at Trade Only offers our best wishes for you as you take the next step in a great marine career. Sorry to see you go, but it looks like you have taken very good care of your brand and employees while setting yourself up to spend more time with your other passion. Take good care, Dean.

8 Wednesday, 25 July 2012 12:46

By Hemihydro

Well, It hurts me to see an American Business sell to the Chinese ! They are going to own us all and the U.S.

7 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 23:50

By Saddened American

THERE GOES ANOTHER PROUD AMERICAN COMPANY INTO THE HANDS OF A CHINESE COMPANY. WILL THIS EVER END?

6 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 22:31

By Stan

Congratulations. What? You built the business over the past 44 years - and not Obama or the government? That's not what he says.

Time to get out of the country anyway. Best wishes!

5 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 17:40

By cpt.kman

Tommy,
Glad to see that all of your years of hard work have paid off. You can proudly say that you are a handful of manufactures in the marine business that have survived from the '60s, under the same ownership, to the present. Hope the new owner will be a great care taker of your excelent business. Maybe now you can spend a little more time with one of those lovely Porsches.

Jim Rand
Blue Springs Marine

4 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 16:48

By Rick Richert

I wish you well Tommy. You worked hard to build your business and now you can enjoy your Porsch collection.

3 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 16:17

By Gary L. Potter: VP

Tommy and staff:

Our congratulations and best wishes to you and the new owners. You have worked hard to build a great company and we are happy for you.

Best to you all

EZ Loader

2 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 16:08

By don starnes

Congratulations, Tommy Dale Moore has always touted you as being one of the best businessmen in the boat business. Surviving in the boat business over all these years prove Dale to be totally accurate. Best of luck to you in the future. Don Starnes...Remember Shoreline?

1 Tuesday, 24 July 2012 15:20

By Hawkeye

I worked with Tommy and Ebbtide for close to fifteen years and he is an owner that took pride in building the best quality boat possible and taking care of his people. Good luck in the future with this new chapter to the entire Ebbtide family in White Bluff, TN

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