Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (June 2020)

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COMBAT & PATROL CRAFT

THE WING GROUP:

Greater Than the

Wing Group

Sum of Its Parts

By Eric Haun ecades of innovation has earned Wing In?atables ing commercial and military vessel operators. Then in 2013 the its place among top manufacturers of sponsons, group that forms today’s ownership at Wing Group took over tubes, collars and rubber craft. While the com- with the goal to add another level of energy and professionalism pany maintains this reputation today, the Wing to the company, says current president Andrew Branagh.

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Group has also grown beyond it after an ownership switch “Wing had always stood for market leading innovation and set in motion a number of major changes that have helped to quality. In fact, they always pushed the envelope and invested both expand the company and alter its DNA. pretty far ahead of the return on investment curve,” Branagh

In past decades, under the leadership of founder and now-for- says. “Current ownership saw this and believed that addition- mer owner Bill Wing, the California company and its polyure- al capital to get ahead of the curve would yield success. Our thane rafts and air-holding tubes, and later air/foam hybrid collar, immediate goals were to stabilize the investment cycle and had revolutionized the rigid in?atable industry. Along the way, its then be able to be less reactive and more strategic because the customer base grew to include some of the world’s most demand- organization would be able take a longer view.”

June 2020 20 MN