Mares and SSI join forces

Dive gear brand Mares has purchased Scuba Schools International (SSI).

This appears to be the first time a manufacturer has taken the reins of an agency and become involved with training, other than for product-specific courses such as those for Poseidon rebreathers.

Mares (and Parent company HEAD) take effective control of SSI from January 1st 2014.

The tie-in should be a good fit. Interest in SSI certs has accelerated in recent years, as more and more dive centres and resorts around the world seek to offer a wider range of training courses beyond the traditional PADI set.

Today there are more than 2,500 SSI outlets worldwide.

Mares has distributors in more than 50 countries, so equipping this new network would seem an obvious step. The company says not, though: “There is no obligation for an SSI dealer to do business with Mares, or vice-versa.”