ETA's Western Marine LLC honored to be at the 14th Dubai International Boat Show

Western Marine LLC is showcasing a fleet of four brands from US, Italy and Norway at the 14th Dubai International Boat Show being held at the Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi from March 14 - 18, 2006. Western Auto is an independent venture backed by the highly respected ETA-Ascon group of UAE.

The company is showcasing a fleet of yachts at the 14th Dubai International Boat Show. The fleet includes two CARVER Yachts (38' Super Sport and 43' Motor Yacht) and a MARQUIS 65' Yacht manufactured by the Carver Boat Corporation, LLC, USA, an AICON 56' Yacht manufactured by AICON YACHTS, Italy and a WINDY 42' Grand Bora Yacht manufactured by Windy Boats A/S, Norway.

'With the growth of Waterfront properties and marinas in the Middle East and Dubai in particular, and a distinct change in lifestyle in the region, there is an exponential growth in demand for leisure yachts. The next few years will see a steady growth in demand for marina berths as more and more individuals from the region will invest in this form of luxury. We would like to be a part of all aspects of growth in Dubai and this is just another step towards that direction,' said Mr. Syed M Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA Group.

This new venture draws from the vast knowledge domain of several industry verticals within the ETA group. Gauging the pulse of the tourism and hospitality industry in the GCC, Western Marine has brought these brands to make the luxury living feasible and practical for the patrons and clients.

'This entity has been set-up to take forward the vision of Mr. Syed M Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA Group. It is his foresight for the industrial boom in Dubai and the Middle East, that we are fortunate to carry forward,' said Mr. A.J. Kamal, General Manager, Western Marine LLC.

Western Marine operates from the KNOTIKA Mega Store in Dubai and as an authorized distributor, would provide the whole range of after sales services, including warranties etc. The company expects to sell the yachts to High Net-Worth Individuals in the region, initially. As a sole distributor for all the four brands, the company plans to start leasing and rental at a later stage after establishing its brand equity in the market.

Western Marine has signed a MoU with partners M/s Falcon Al Wadi Trading in Oman and M/s Al Dorani Trading Est. in Qatar. It is negotiating with other potential partners for markets in other GCC Countries. The company is also identifying suitable area distributors to represent its brands in their respective markets.