Huish Outdoors acquires Oceanic / Hollis

[mdb]

My guess is that Huish bought the assets (except for the rebreather) of AUP. The rebreather portion was set up as a different company in Wyoming, that has some of the most business friendly laws in the country. I would also assume that AUP will be either left as an empty shell (no assets to speak of) or quietly liquidated. From a business standpoint this makes perfect sense because any liability issues on AUP products or with AUP itself will not be transferred to either Huish or Hollis Rebreather.

You have got it about spot on.

Huish brought assets, no liabilities.

 

[Wallin's of the Peninsula]

I think this is good. Oceanic/Hollis had such supply issues. Talking with my rep yesterday and he says that's all behind us. I hope so! I like both these lines.

 

[scubadada]

I have already had a very good experience with Oceanic service since it was taken over by Huish. Good communication, timely service.

 

[RTC'83]

I have already had a very good experience with Oceanic service since it was taken over by Huish. Good communication, timely service.

I agree, had my Geo 2 glass replaced.

 

[Mark N]

SB News Feed A new article has been posted

Huish Outdoors acquires Oceanic / Hollis
I set my electronics back to Hollis for an upgraded package in may after the sell. After months of not getting any info from them, I just found out that i will not be getting my electronics back. According to Nick Hollis, I am not on the list to be getting anything back from them. So now I really have a big piece of crap!!!!!!. I will tell everyone my store and I will hope that this company goes down quicker then the titanic.

 

[W W Meixner]

Is this good or bad news? I was just about to get my rebreather training using the Hollis Prism 2, but no one at the company returns my calls for information. I hear Hollis rebreathers have been spun off as a separate LLC formed in Wyoming!! What the hell is going on?? Not sure I want to spend any money on this unit. They apparently have gotten all lawyer-ed up. Time to strike off Hollis from the rebreather list?

I've been trying for the last three weeks to get info...E-mail conversations with at least three Huish Reps and felt like a dog chasing its tail...I did not get the impression I was getting the run around but certainly felt like I was conversing with three guys who had no clue as to what was going on...the demise of the Explorer speaks volumes...dropped with no warning...
no further support...no parts/spares...nothing...
There's been a stack of Explorers for sale on E-Bay for months...their current owners can't give them away...let alone try to sell them...
When the BTR-500 dry suit came on the market three years ago I tried for almost a year to make a small bulk purchase...with no success...the Hollis rep finally stopped communicating with me as he had no information at all as to if or when the BTR-500 was ever going to become available in the shops...I know of no-one who was ever able to buy one...
If you look at the companies who have been gobbled up by Huish...it's easy to see that these are among the most expensive brands in the industry...not necessarily the best...just the most expensive...Organizations from PADI right on down the line don't sell out because they're making too much money...Huish likely paid fire-sale prices for all their recent acquisitions...
Argue as you may there is only one rebreather that has stood the test of time...for which there is still manufacturer authorized support...albeit European based and the first letter in their name starts with a "D''...
It will be interesting to see how many of the brands Huish has acquired disappear completely...when was the last time you ever heard of anyone buying a Zeagle BCD...not to mention needing your bank manager with you if you wanted to buy Atomic Regs...
I wouldn't be putting ten thousand dollars of my money into a Hollis P2...
The old saying about champagne appetite and beer pockets...these dying companies had champagne appetites...and no pockets...
W...Safe Diving...

 

[Grog]

Hmm... Just got to thinking. As far as AI transmitters, Suunto and Oceanic/Hollis are not compatible with computers of the other brand. Will they consolidate and only use 1 brand/type now? Which one would win out?

 

[scubadada]

Hmm... Just got to thinking. As far as AI transmitters, Suunto and Oceanic/Hollis are not compatible with computers of the other brand. Will they consolidate and only use 1 brand/type now? Which one would win out?

See Are Pressure Transmitters compatible across brands? post#6. The Pelagic Pressure Systems transmitter is/was used by numerous brands. All the others are proprietary and only work within brand (looks like Ratio and Seac are the same). I don't see consolidation happening

 

[Steve_C]

What does it matter? From what I have seen of Aeris gear, it is just re-branded Oceanic gear that sold at a lower price. Your local dive shop should still be able to service them using Oceanic parts.

Yes and No. I had Aeris gear. Some could be serviced with Oceanic parts. Some not. As one example, the Oceanic weight pocket has a one inch longer strap then the Aeris. As I discovered on a trip to the Keys where I had left my weight pockets at home, grabbed an Oceanic at a store since it looked the same, and watched my weight pocket flutter to the bottom on dive one. No big problem since I swam down and put it back in. Also on two regs when the plastic face plates got brittle I could replace one but not the other.

 

[mdb]

Oceanic/Aeris/Hollis now absorbed my Huish.

With so much overlap between the Huish Outdoor lines, BC's, regulators, computers, fins etc.
the lines will consolidate, perhaps some will disappear.

In the meantime, it may be best to buy from Aqualung, Scubapro, Sherwood.

New diver certifications were reported down over 10% last year,

Best to stick to the tried and true brands who will survive and be able to offer parts and service
for the coming years.