Avon Inflatables

Avon Inflatables is a British marine-equipment brand and former manufacturing company known for inflatable boats, rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and marine safety equipment. Its products have served several distinct segments of the marine market, including recreational boating, commercial operations, military and professional users, and emergency or survival-at-sea applications. The business was established in 1959 in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. During the 1960s it moved to Dafen, near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales, which became its principal base. The company developed a reputation around inflatable craft intended to combine portability with practical utility on the water. Its range included conventional inflatable boats as well as more substantial RIB designs, whose rigid hulls and inflatable collars make them suitable for tenders, workboats, rescue use and other demanding maritime roles. For much of its earlier corporate history, Avon Inflatables was associated with Avon Rubber. That relationship ended in 1994, when the business was sold and began operating independently of its former parent. The company later became part of the French Zodiac Marine & Pool group in 1998. Following changes within the Zodiac organization, Avon was placed within the group’s Military and Professional division; that division became an independent company known as Zodiac Milpro in 2012. Avon’s later identity and corporate context are therefore closely connected with Zodiac Milpro’s military and professional marine activities, although the available reference material does not establish the precise current legal or trading status of the Avon brand. During the 1990s, hull production took place in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The work was initially carried out under licence by Galt Composites and later became part of Avon Inflatables itself. This Cowes connection complemented the company’s Welsh base and reflected the importance of specialist composite and boatbuilding capabilities to its RIB manufacturing. Avon equipment has also been associated with published survival-at-sea accounts. The brand’s inflatable rafts are discussed in connection with the extreme maritime circumstances described in The Perfect Storm. Ocean sailor Steven Callahan credited an Avon raft after surviving 76 days adrift, and two sailors reportedly spent 13 days at sea in an Avon raft after abandoning their vessel in a 1981 incident. Avon also cited a 117-day survival involving its equipment. These accounts contributed to the brand’s association with durability and marine safety, although they are historical product-use accounts rather than evidence of a formal safety certification or performance ranking. In 2019, Avon introduced an electric jet-drive tender. The craft used a battery derived from the BMW i3 automobile and was developed with Torqeedo, a marine propulsion company owned by Deutz AG. This launch linked the established inflatable-tender category with battery-electric propulsion and represented a move toward lower-emission boating technology. Overall, Avon Inflatables’ documented history spans recreational inflatables, professional RIBs, safety equipment, changing corporate ownership and a later electric-tender initiative.

Avon Inflatables began in 1959 in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. The company moved to Dafen, near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, during the 1960s, establishing a long-term Welsh base for its marine manufacturing activities. Its core business centered on inflatable boats, RIBs and marine safety products supplied to leisure, commercial, military and professional markets. The company’s early development took place within the wider Avon Rubber organization. In 1994, Avon Inflatables was sold and ceased to be part of Avon Rubber, operating thereafter as an independent business. In 1998 it became a division of the French Zodiac Marine & Pool group. The company was subsequently associated with Zodiac’s Military and Professional division, which was separated from the Zodiac Group in 2012 and became Zodiac Milpro. Manufacturing arrangements also extended beyond the Welsh base. During the 1990s, hulls were built in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Production was initially undertaken under licence by Galt Composites and later incorporated into Avon Inflatables. This reflected the company’s reliance on specialized composite-hull and boatbuilding expertise for its RIB products. Avon craft and rafts appear in a number of accounts concerning survival at sea. The brand is referenced in relation to the severe conditions described in The Perfect Storm. Steven Callahan, who survived 76 days adrift, expressed appreciation for the Avon raft used during his ordeal in correspondence with Cruising World. Another account concerns two sailors who survived 13 days in an Avon raft after abandoning their vessel in 1981. Avon also cited a 117-day survival involving its equipment. These accounts helped associate the brand with resilience and emergency marine use, while the available source does not provide enough detail to independently assess each incident or identify the exact product models involved. In 2019 Avon launched an electric jet-drive tender. The product used a battery from the BMW i3 car and was developed in partnership with Torqeedo, which is owned by Deutz AG. The launch demonstrated an effort to apply electric propulsion to the tender category while retaining the compact and lightweight characteristics associated with inflatable craft. The available material does not provide later information on production volumes, market reception, or the brand’s current corporate structure. Avon Inflatables is therefore best documented as a historically significant British inflatable-boat and marine-safety brand whose later corporate context is connected with Zodiac Milpro.

• 2019

  Electric jet-drive tender launched

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  Avon launched an electric jet-drive tender using a BMW i3 battery and technology developed with Torqeedo.

• 2012

  Zodiac military and professional division becomes Zodiac Milpro

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  The Zodiac Group’s Military and Professional division became an independent company named Zodiac Milpro.

• 1998

  Joins Zodiac Marine & Pool

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  The company became a division of the French Zodiac Marine & Pool group.

• 1994

  Sold by Avon Rubber

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  Avon Inflatables left the Avon Rubber group after being sold and thereafter operated independently of its former parent.

• 1960

  Operations move to Wales

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1960s, the company moved to Dafen near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

• 1959

  Company founded in Bradford on Avon

  [1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  Avon Inflatables was established in Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, England.

A specialist marine brand positioned around practical inflatable craft, rigid inflatable boats and safety-oriented equipment for leisure, commercial, military and professional users.

• Recreational and utility boats

  Inflatable boats

  Avon’s conventional inflatable boats formed a core part of its marine range. These craft were intended for leisure boating, use as tenders and general utility work where low weight, compact storage and ease of transport were important. The available source does not identify specific model names or technical specifications.

• RIBs

  Rigid inflatable boats

  The company manufactured rigid inflatable boats combining a rigid hull with inflatable tubes. This format served recreational, commercial, military and professional users, offering a platform for tenders, workboat duties and demanding marine operations. Hull production during the 1990s was associated with Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

• Marine safety equipment

  Inflatable survival rafts

  Avon supplied inflatable rafts used in emergency and survival-at-sea contexts. Historical accounts involving Avon rafts include prolonged periods adrift, including Steven Callahan’s 76-day survival and a reported 13-day survival by two sailors after abandoning their vessel. Specific raft models and certification details are not identified in the reference material.

• Electric marine tender · 2019

  Electric jet-drive tender

  Launched in 2019, this tender used electric jet-drive propulsion and a battery derived from the BMW i3 automobile. Avon developed the craft with Torqeedo, connecting the company’s inflatable-tender heritage with battery-electric marine propulsion.

• 2019

  Launch of an electric jet-drive tenderProduct launch

  Background

  Electric propulsion was applied to the tender category in partnership with Torqeedo.

  Action taken

  Avon launched a tender powered by an electric jet drive and a battery sourced from the BMW i3 platform.

  Aftermath

  The launch broadened Avon’s documented product direction toward electric marine propulsion, although subsequent commercial results are not provided.

  Source

• 1998

  Integration into Zodiac Marine & PoolM&A

  Background

  Following its period as an independent business, Avon Inflatables became part of the French Zodiac Marine & Pool group.

  Action taken

  The company was operated as a Zodiac Marine & Pool division.

  Aftermath

  Avon later became associated with Zodiac’s Military and Professional division, which was separated as Zodiac Milpro in 2012.

  Source

• 1994

  Separation from Avon RubberM&A

  Background

  Avon Inflatables had previously operated within Avon Rubber, but the business was sold in 1994.

  Action taken

  The inflatable-boat business was divested and began operating independently of Avon Rubber.

  Aftermath

  The separation ended the company’s corporate relationship with Avon Rubber before its later incorporation into Zodiac Marine & Pool.

  Source

• 2019

  Avon launches an electric jet-drive tender[1]Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Avon introduced a tender using electric jet-drive propulsion, with a battery derived from the BMW i3 and development support from Torqeedo.

1. 1Avon Inflatablesen.wikipedia.org