Switching from PADI to SSI

[Nedster]

I own a dive center in the Philippines and we made the switch from PADI to SSI around 5 years ago. At the outset I did not know anything about SSI, but I'm very happy with our decision. The main reason for us deciding to change was the extra level of 'qualitly/security' in that instructors cannot buy materials independently, so had to affiliated to a dive center. We felt that this just adds an extra layer of safety for the students. The other factors being improved materials, support, costs and the growth of the agency in Asia.

Of course PADI is still a very strong brand in the area where we are based, but in other parts of the country SSI has taken a large market share. This is true for the majority of Asia. There has been some growth from SDI also.

Overall, would I go back to PADI? The answer is probably no, with the reasons being exactly as the OP said. Many of my friends own PADI center and are experiencing similar issues.

Good luck with your decision and I hope it works out for you.

 

[tridacna]

A lot of dive stores were pretty upset when PADI acquired Diviac and started competing with their own customers in the travel business. Pissed off more than a few. Definitely contributed to some leaving them in the US.

 

[lowwall]

Who owns PADI at the moment? Since 2017 it was owned by Altas, a Canadian PE firm, and Florac, the private investment entity for the billionaire Meyer Louis-Dreyfus family.

But Florac states that it exited its position in PADI this year. This site - Florac and Altas Partners Exits PADI | Mergr M&A Deal Summary - says Altas sold out as well.

But I can't find anything stating who they sold it to. This suggests that it's either another wealthy family investment vehicle or a PE firm with a handful of very wealthy investors that is not interested in raising outside money.

Anyway, PADI's only businesses are the dive training agency and their travel agency. In my opinion, this has led to a grab-what-you-can attitude that results in unreasonably high cost for e-learning materials and the ridiculous charges for physical cards.

SSI is part of the Head sporting goods company. The diving related holdings of Head are SSI, Mares, rEvo rebreathers, the liveaboard.com travel agency, and as of this month Aqualung and its subsidiary Apeks.

Again IMO, Head's broader holdings means they have a greater interest in expanding the sport and thus gear sales even if it means leaving a little money on the table when it comes to income from SSI. Likewise, they have an interest in getting people into shops selling their gear. So allowing SSI to undercut PADI's costs can be seen as a reasonable marketing expense.

Where the commercial connection is most obvious is in the training videos... Everyone in the vid uses Mares regulators, Mares wetsuits, Mares everything. You see it over and over, it sticks in your head as a OW student and so you buy Mares... at least that is the plan.

It's funny how things work out. ScubaPro encouraged SSI's founding and development. They wanted everything in diving tied to dive shops were they were the undisputed sales leader. PADI and NAUI instructors were and are technically independent and could work outside the shop system. SSI was set up specifically to counter that in an author to keep instruction and sales under the control of the shops. In 2008, three men who had or were currently working in upper management at ScubaPro actually bought out SSI from the family of its founder.

As a result of this, the equipment shown in SSI training materials heavily and eventually exclusively featured ScubaPro.

I've only taken one SSI course and that was the online Science of Diving which they offered for free at one point during the COVID lockdowns. This was several years after Head had purchased it and the training materials were clearly in transition. All new photos showed divers in Mares gear, while everthing else still showed ScubaPro.

 

[BoltSnap]

In 2008, three men who had or were currently working in upper management at ScubaPro actually bought out SSI from the family of its founder.

Who?

 

[scubaozy]

Last year I visited a town where an old colleague that I have not seen for ages. I showed up at the dive shop she was working and it turns out things have changed, 5 star idc she and her partner was working converted to ssi after they left and took over another dive center and make that idc as they are cds.
Bottom line is, they are too invested in padi, so they continue with it and dive center they worked for was looking for was not very happy with the changes in padi, so they did switch to SSI.

 

[lowwall]

Who?

Robert Stoss, former "Vice President and Business Unit Manger of the North American Diving Division of Johnson Worldwide Associates" and Guido Waetzig, former "sales and marketing manager at ScubaPro".

The third person was Doug McNeese, but I think I was wrong about McNeese working directly for ScubaPro. He was a dealer for them, but it looks like he went directly from retail into the scuba training industry, first at NASDS and then SSI after they merged.

 

[BoltSnap]

Robert Stoss

I vaguely remember him from my days when I was a SP dealer in the US.

The third person was Doug McNeese, but I think I was wrong about McNeese working directly for ScubaPro. He was a dealer for them, but it looks like he went directly from retail into the scuba training industry, first at NASDS and then SSI after they merged.

I know Doug very well. He was the owner of NASDS and also owned a dive shop. NASDS was merged with/bought out by SSI in the early 2000s, and Doug took a position with SSI. I think that he is now the VP for International Market Development. I also know that one of PADI's big gun market development managers in the EMEA region joined SSI, and I believe that he is in charge of the ME. Good guy too.

Doug is one smart cookie.

 

[Mod63]

Robert Stoss, former "Vice President and Business Unit Manger of the North American Diving Division of Johnson Worldwide Associates" and Guido Waetzig, former "sales and marketing manager at ScubaPro".

The third person was Doug McNeese, but I think I was wrong about McNeese working directly for ScubaPro. He was a dealer for them, but it looks like he went directly from retail into the scuba training industry, first at NASDS and then SSI after they merged.

With Robert and Guido coming to ScubaPro via Seemann Sub (SubGear)

 

[lowwall]

With Robert and Guido coming to ScubaPro via Seemann Sub (SubGear)

They both worked for ScubaPro first. Stoss left ScubaPro when he purchased Seemann Sub in 1997. He eventually sold the company to ScubaPro in 2007. After that sale closed, he bought SSI with the other two.

Johnson Outdoors Acquires Seemann Sub | WisBusiness

www.wisbusiness.com