Boats Group said it is moving its corporate headquarters from Norfolk, Va., to Miami.
The company said it anticipates that the move will be completed by mid-summer, adding 80 new direct jobs in the Miami area.
Boats Group operates the brands Boat Trader, Yacht World, boats.com, CosasDeBarcos and Yacht Closer and said it attracts more than 65 million unique visitors annually to more than 300,000 unique boat and yacht listings.
Boats Group said the move to Miami demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to its customer base. More than 25 percent of Boat Group’s customers are in Florida.
The relocation also offers the company an opportunity to have a physical presence in the largest boating market in North America as it focuses on investing in innovations that bring the marine industry to the forefront of modern business.
“We are thrilled to start Boats Group’s new chapter in the heart of South Florida’s vibrant boating community,” Boats Group CEO Sam Fulton said in a statement.
“Paired with the energy and talent of the city’s thriving entrepreneurial scene, Miami is the ideal environment to support our focus on leveraging technology to deliver industry-leading value to our industry partners. I’m looking forward to the creativity and collaboration that the new space will inspire.”
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is the official economic development organization responsible for helping companies such as Boats Group relocate and get established in the local economy.
“This successful relocation showcases Miami’s growing innovation ecosystem and Florida’s ranking as the boating capital of the U.S.,” said Sheldon T. Anderson, interim president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. “Boats Group perfectly matches our community of entrepreneurs and innovators.”
Boats Group said it is actively recruiting for product development, marketing, finance, sales and account management talent to join its team in Miami.
“We’re excited to see Boats Group’s higher-than-average-paying jobs coming to our community,” District 5 Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro said. “With more companies like Boats Group and the recent influx of millennials to Miami, Brickell is becoming a more futuristic business district.”
The announcement is the most recent update from Boats Group after its recent acquisition by funds advised by Apax Partners, including a company rebrand and the appointment of Fulton as CEO.
