Bad Boy Buggies sold to Ga. company
Published 3:49 pm Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Bad Boy Buggies has been sold to a Georgia company, which intends to keep its operations in Natchez for now.
The Natchez Democrat reports that details of the deal finalized Friday with Augusta, Ga.-based E-Z-Go were not disclosed.
Bad Boy Buggies employs 60 people at its U.S. Highway 61 South plant.
E-Z-Go spokesman Brandon Haddock said E-Z-Go officials want to do a thorough analysis before deciding the fate of the Natchez facility.
“We do understand it’s an important decision that affects our employees in Natchez and its only fair to make decision in reasonable manner,” Haddock said.
E-Z-Go is a manufacturer in light transportation vehicles with a focus on electric vehicles, such as golf carts.
Haddock said acquiring Bad Boy Buggies pushes E-Z-Go into the off-road market, which is a growing segment.
“We manufacture a broad product, and one we did not have until a week ago was 4-by-4 electric vehicle,” Haddock said.
Bad Boy’s buggies sell from between $7,000 and $13,000 and are sold through approximately 250 dealers in 40 states. The company was formed in 2003.
Bad Boy Buggies CEO John Skrabo said E-Z-Go has top-notch facilities and engineering, which are weaker areas in the Natchez facility.
Skrabo, who became CEO of Bad Boy Buggies in April 2009, said he began discussing joint ventures with E-Z-Go officials, a company he was familiar with from his past job with Realtree in Columbus, Ga.
“Over time it became clear that (the sale) was the most viable and appropriate course of action,” Skrabo said.
Haddock said the Bad Boy Buggies brand name will not change.