One of the biggest players in tenpin bowling is getting out of the business. Brunswick Corporation announced last Thursday an agreement with Bowlmor AMF to sell its bowling operation for £270m.

Nearly 100 locations are involved in the sale, across the US. Bowlmor AMF has 272 locations.

At the same time, Brunswick Corporation said that it intended to sell its bowling products business by the end of 2014. The company is based in Illinois, US, but its bowling products side of the business is at Muskegon, Michigan. It has around 200 employees in the manufacturing business.

The reason behind the strategic decision, said Brent Perrier, president of bowling products, is that less than 10 per cent of its overall business came from its bowling and billiards interests. The move will enable it to concentrate more fully on its interests in marine and fitness products.

Commented Perrier: “Bowling is going through a transition. Bowling centres which are most successful are the ones which have carried out a great deal of modernisation and that needs capital. Our board decided that our capital would be better invested in our core business.”

Brunswick Corporation’s interests in the marine industry includes brand names such as Mercury, Crestliner, Meridian and Sea Ray, while in the fitness equipment industry it has Life Fitness and Hammer Strength.

The Brunswick bowling business began in 1906 in Muskegon and at one time had around 2,700 employees. Currently, it makes bowling balls in Mexico.

The international business will now only have two major players in QubicaAMF and Switch International, plus some suppliers based in Asia.