FortNine, Canada’s e-commerce platform for motorbikes, dirt bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, and other power sports equipment, accessories and parts announced, in partnership with Novacap, the acquisition of Defender Industries, Inc., the dealer of marine products.
Based in Waterford, CT, Defender is an authorized dealer for 85,000 products from most marine manufacturers. Under the leadership of Stephan Lance, Defender is one of the largest independent marine supply companies in the U.S.
FortNine believes that Defender will bring a complementary line of business to its powersports business.
“FortNine and Defender share a passion for serving sports enthusiasts. We both have a very loyal customer base who trust our knowledge and experience to outfit them with the equipment they need,” said Amin Sawaf, founder and president, FortNine. “It is truly a privilege to acquire a company with such a stellar reputation, and we look forward to bringing our unique go-to-market expertise to the marine industry.”
“The Lance family has been honored to serve our customers since 1938 and, in FortNine, we believe that we have found the perfect match in our shared values,” explained Stephan Lance, president, Defender. “We are a marine outfitter staffed by passionate boaters that enable us to deliver on our mission of great customer service. We are proud to unite with FortNine’s team of enthusiasts to drive Defender into its next stage of expansion.”
“This first add-on acquisition for FortNine is in line with our ambition to expand the expertise and business model across verticals,” added Antoine Casimir, principal, Novacap. Today, we are executing on our strategy to build an e-commerce powerhouse for sports enthusiasts.”
