Garmin named 2024 Manufacturer of the Year by NMEA for 10 consecutive years (24/9/2024)

Over the last decade, Garmin has amassed 63 prestigious NMEA honors for product, service and support excellence in the marine industry

From the GARMIN Newsroom

Garmin, the world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, has been named Manufacturer of the Year in the large manufacturer category for the 10^th consecutive year by members of the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA^®) at its annual conference and awards banquet held Sept. 19 in Providence, RI. The coveted Manufacturer of the Year title is awarded to the most recognized company in the marine electronics industry for excellence in product service and support in the field.

Garmin was also awarded six Product of Excellence awards in the multi-function display (MFD), autopilot, multimedia entertainment, automatic identification system (AIS), satellite communication antenna and marine apps categories. These awards are voted on by NMEA dealers who specialize in installing marine electronics, qualified NMEA technicians and other marine electronics manufacturers.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be awarded Manufacturer of the Year by the NMEA for 10 consecutive years – a milestone accomplishment that no other manufacturer has achieved. These awards are a testament to the dedication of the entire Garmin team to provide our customers and dealers with top quality products and exceptional service and support. We are very proud to be a part of the NMEA organization and look forward to continuing to advance the marine industry together for many more decades to come.” –Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales

This year’s NMEA Product of Excellence honors for Garmin include:

MFD – GPSMAP^® 9227  

At 27”, the GPSMAP 9227 is the industry’s largest integrated 4K resolution touchscreen chartplotter designed for captains who demand the best. Delivering superior design and performance, it’s powered by a processor that’s seven times faster than previous generations. And thanks to the new Garmin BlueNet^™ gigabit network, users will benefit from comprehensive connectivity throughout the vessel with faster networking speeds than ever before. For 10 years running, Garmin has received the top spot in the MFD category. 

Autopilot – Reactor^™ 40 Hydraulic Autopilot with SmartPump v2

The Reactor was Garmin’s first recreational autopilot system to utilize AHRS technology and boasts usability, installation flexibility, and many other features that prove to be valuable for any vessel. With a new edge-to-edge glass touchscreen display, the included GHC^™ 50 autopilot instrument not only looks good, it also makes navigation simple and hassle free. This is Garmin’s 12^th consecutive honor in the autopilot category.

Multimedia Entertainment – Fusion^® Apollo^™ RA770 Marine Stereo  

This marine entertainment system was the world’s first touchscreen marine stereo with Apple AirPlay^®, built-in Wi-Fi and network audio sharing capabilities. This extends Garmin’s winning streak in the multimedia entertainment category to nine years.

AIS – Cortex^® M1 Hub

Combining advanced collision avoidance technology with proactive alerting, the Cortex M1 hub offers a high-speed smartAIS^® transponder and remote vessel monitoring to alert boaters of collision risks, providing key information about the situation to make communications easier and more effective. This is the third consecutive win for Garmin in the AIS category.

Satellite Communications Antenna – inReach^® Mini 2 Marine Bundle

Lightweight and compact, this GPS satellite communicator features two-way messaging and tracking capabilities to provide greater peace of mind on the water¹. In an emergency, users can trigger an interactive SOS message to Garmin Response, a 24/7-staffed international emergency assistance coordination center. Bundled with a boat-friendly mount, it can provide quick-and-easy access in a moment’s notice.

Marine Apps – ActiveCaptain^®

A free mobile app for mariners, ActiveCaptain is an all-in-one companion app to onboard Garmin electronics that delivers a seamless content management system with access to cartography, automatic delivery of the latest software available, off-vessel planning capabilities, connected services and so much more.

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for anglers, sailors, mariners and boat enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing the most innovative, highest quality, and easiest to use marine electronics the industry has ever known, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Other Garmin marine brands include Navionics^® and JL Audio^®. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual Newsroom, email our press team, connect with @garminmarine on social media, or follow our blog.

¹ Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is your responsibility to know and follow applicable laws in jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.