Employees work on the Sea-Doo assembly line at the BRP plant in Valcourt, Que., in 2014.Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press
Work at BRP Inc. BRP Inc. continues to be suspended after the maker of Ski-Doo snowmobiles and Sea-Doo watercraft was hit by a cyberattack.
Operations have not resumed, company spokeswoman Biliana Necheva said via e-mail Wednesday when asked for an update.
Valcourt, Que.-based BRP said Tuesday that it determined it was “the target of malicious cybersecurity activity” and that it suspended operations as a precaution, which it said might delay transactions with customers and suppliers.
The company has 11 manufacturing plants located in Canada, the United States, Austria, Finland, Mexico and Australia in addition to distribution and support sites.
BRP said it hired external cybersecurity experts who are helping its internal information technology team to secure its systems. It said it has also begun an investigation into the matter.
The attack represents another setback for BRP chief executive José Boisjoli, who has had to contend with multiple challenges in recent months, including a shortage of electronic components that has limited the company’s ability to satisfy consumer demand and replenish dealer inventories. In a video posted in April, the CEO apologized to customers for any delays.
BRP disclosed the cyberattack after it announced it would take over one of its long-time suppliers. The manufacturer said it struck a definitive agreement to buy the Shawinigan, Que.-based business of Swiss vehicle parts maker Kongsberg Automotive ASA Kongsberg Automotive ASA for an undisclosed sum.
The deal adds 300 employees to BRP’s payroll and will bolster its expertise in mechatronics and its innovation capabilities, Mr. Boisjoli said. Mechatronics is a branch of engineering focusing on the design and manufacturing of products that have both mechanical and electronic components.
The takeover is BRP’s second in a week. The company announced last Friday that it bought an an 80-per-cent stake in Pinion GmbH, a developer of mechanical gearboxes for traditional and electric bicycles. That deal is part of an early-stage move by BRP into urban mobility and services vehicles.
BRP shares were trading up 5.5 per cent from the previous day’s close Wednesday afternoon the Toronto Stock Exchange, at $100.29.
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Nicolas Van Praet