Bartlett pontoon boats, like the one pictured, is getting a boost in production as an expansion was announced Tuesday for its Bristol campus. Photo contributed
BRISTOL — Barletta Pontoon Boats officials announced Tuesday they will break ground in late summer or early fall on a new 184,000-squarefoot production facility located on their existing 37-acre campus in Bristol.
Barletta’s total footprint will expand to more than 425,000 square feet or almost three times the size of its original facility in 2017. The expansion is planned to be available for production in the spring of 2023 and is expected to create more than 200 new jobs, company officials stated in a news release.
Barletta Boats was acquired by Winnebago Industries Inc. in August 2021, joining other RV and marine companies including Winnebago, Grand Design RV, Chris-Craft, and Newmar, as part of the Winnebago Industries family of premium outdoor brands.
“We established Barletta with the goal to redefine the pontoon segment with boats of unrivaled craftsmanship for boaters throughout North America,” said Bill Fenech, president and founder of Barletta Pontoon Boats. “We have delivered on that objective in partnership with our dealers. This expansion exemplifies the continued progress we have achieved with the commitment and dedication of our team, and the support of Winnebago Industries. Today and into the future, we will continue striving to deliver boats with unsurpassed quality.”
The current Barletta campus includes the original Plant 1 manufacturing facility, which houses welding, fabrication, decking operations and space dedicated to warehousing and offices. Plant 2 was completed in 2021 and houses assembly operations for the Company’s Lusso, Corsa and Cabrio pontoon boat lines. Both manufacturing facilities are currently nearing capacity, and this expansion adds future flexibility, the release reads.
“This expansion is the next step in our continued evolution,” stated Jeff Haradine, vice president of Sales at Barletta Pontoon Boats. “The Barletta brand continues to experience tremendous momentum in the market, and our expanded facility will allow us to continue to meet strong consumer demand. As we approach our five-year anniversary, we are proud of our progress, and we look forward to continuing to set the bar for outdoor experiences on the water for many more customers in the future.”
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