
GARMIN has announced several recent awards honoring its commitment to innovation and safety in the boating and fishing industries, including an IBEX Innovation Award and recognition as a Most Innovative Marine Company by Soundings Trade Only.
The awards were announced in virtual ceremonies on Oct. 20 and 21, 2022, following the cancellation of the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) tradeshow, the largest technical trade event for marine industry professionals in North America, originally scheduled Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2022.
“Innovation is truly in our DNA and the cornerstone of how we create new products and markets across our business, so it’s very humbling to again be named a Most Innovative Marine Company by the industry expert team at Soundings Trade Only,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales.
“The National Boating Industry Award is validation of our efforts to improve boater safety with products and programs that support responsible boating, and the IBEX Innovation Award represents our relentless commitment to developing the most innovative, highest quality, and easiest to use marine electronics the industry has ever known.”
IBEX Innovation Award
One of the marine industry’s most prestigious honors, the IBEX Innovation Awards recognize manufacturers and suppliers for their outstanding product development in the recreational boating industry and beyond. Managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by members of Boating Writers International (BWI), these awards honor a select group of new and innovative products annually.
Garmin received an Innovation Award in the “OEM Electronics” category for Surround View, the industry’s first fully integrated system of cameras to offer live bird’s-eye view video monitoring for full 360-degree visibility around the boat from the helm. Utilizing six through-hull mounted cameras that act like multiple sets of eyes, Surround View maximizes visibility around the vessel to help captains quickly view their vessel’s perimeter during low-speed maneuvers, such as docking.
Judge Ben Stein noted, “Garmin’s Surround View Camera System eases challenging docking and tight quarters handling with a birds’ eye view of the boat and its surroundings. Integrating up to six cameras, it gives the kind of visibility we all want when inches matter.”
Most Innovative Marine Company Award
Garmin was also named a Top 10 Most Innovative Marine Company for 2022 by Soundings Trade Only. This award honors forward-thinking companies that are transforming the future of the marine industry through new initiatives, manufacturing processes, marketing approaches, technologies, products, workforce and more. This is Garmin’s fifth consecutive year to be named to this prestigious list of innovative companies, and this year the company earned the No. 3 spot.
Earlier this month, Garmin was also named Manufacturer of the Year for the eighth straight year by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), a title given to the most recognized company in the marine electronics industry for excellence in product service and support in the field.