Lalizas, which manufactures lifesaving equipment such as lifejackets, life rafts, immersion suits, MOB systems and breathing apparatus, has acquired Revere Survival, a US-based manufacturer and distributor of liferafts (and other survival equipment) for the recreational and commercial markets.

Lalizas is billing this as a move that marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards continued growth and expansion. The Greece-based firm had already developed a strong presence in the US market since 2018, when it acquired Lalizas/Alexander in Houston, TX (former Alexander/Ryan Marine & Safety).

The company is no stranger to acquisition. Iasonas Lalizas, the firm’s marketing and communications manager, calls it ‘wisely seizing opportunities’.

“Over the last five years our company has kept on growing, and in 2019 we made one more strategic move in order to expand our portfolio and achieve further synergies between our companies, with the acquisition of Arimar, a European leader in the production of state-of-the-art life rafts,” he says.

Arimar joined Lofrans’, Nuova Rade, Max Power and Ocean fenders in the Lalizas family.

“Οver the years, we have proven more than capable of turning companies that we acquire into successful and profitable businesses. We managed to help Arimar not only improve but expand.”

He says the last five years have put the company in a good place to continue its quest.

“We made a lot of progress towards verticalising our production. We want to ensure that our quality remains at the highest level, providing products of top performance, safety, and reliability manufactured in our own facilities.

“This approach has helped us avoid issues arising because of the covid pandemic in terms of procurement and supply, and we intend to make even further progress in the years to come.”

One of the many challenges in having a commercial presence across 130 different countries (through branches, franchises and of distributors), and working with people from different cultures (over 750), is keeping a mindful approach.

“I believe that the key element for our success is that we always keep communication open, we share information with everyone, regardless of the physical distance, and we are truly demonstrating cultural integration,” he says.

Leveraging expertise in the US market

The acquisition of Revere will allow Lalizas to enhance its presence in the US market by leveraging resources and expertise. Alliance Marine (the former owner of Revere) is now focused on the European market, hence the decision to sell.

“Alliance Marine’s strategy is focused on the European market with the ambition to be the primary platform for B2B & B2C distribution of parts and equipment serving both recreational boating and professional marine industries,” says Jeremy Tedguy, president of Alliance Marine Group. “For this reason, we are glad to see Revere joining Lalizas to continue expanding in the US market. Revere did a fantastic job, delivering a plus 50 per cent growth since 2018. We thank all the team for their professionalism and strong partnership with Ocean Safety.”

Stavros Lalizas, founder and CEO of Lalizas, says: “The acquisition of Revere aligns perfectly with our strategic vision and will enable us to enhance our product offerings, expand our market reach, and strengthen our position in the US market. As we move forward with the integration process, our top priority remains ensuring a seamless transition for our employees, suppliers and customers. We are committed to exploring synergies and maintaining the high standards of quality and service that our companies are known for while also exploring new ways to drive success.”

Safety equipment regulations around the world

“When it comes to providing safety equipment in different countries around the world, it is important to keep up with each country’s regulations and standards, which, of course, may vary,” says Iasonas Lalizas.

“We need to make sure that our products always follow the local regulations, as well as the international ones.

“An impressive difference in attitude that we have observed over the years is that in many countries, safety is so much a part of their everyday life that they don’t really need an official regulation to follow procedures such as, for example, to wear a lifejacket when they engage with water-related activities. It is very interesting to observe how different cultures perceive the meaning of safety and how aware some of them are from a very young age.”

Lalizas manufactures more than 10,000 different products, and more than 1,000 strictly safety ones. It consists of 10 Branches (USA, UK, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain, Italy, RSA, UAE, China, Turkey), seven production units, eight logistics centres (USA, Italy, Spain, Greece, UAE, Belgium, China, Croatia), six Lalizas franchises (Thailand, Indonesia, Colombia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Republic of Maldives), as well as a network of 200 authorised service stations around the world.

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