Manatee County ATV manufacturer expands into Europe

A Manatee County ATV manufacturer has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with a U.K.-based company in a move officials say will accelerate its international sales growth.

Recreatives Industries Inc. (OTC: RECX), headquartered at 1936 59th Terrace E., makes amphibious, six-wheel-drive all-terrain vehicles called MAX.

Rican ATV, a Honda dealer that serves the U.K. county of Yorkshire, has established Rican Off-Road to be the exclusive importer and distributor for MAX vehicles, parts and accessories across Europe and the Falkland Islands (a British territory near South America’s southeastern tip).

Under the exclusive distribution agreement, Rican Off-Road will establish and grow the MAX ATV dealer network in its territories, ensuring there is a consistent stock of MAX vehicles, parts and accessories overseas.

After Rican placed its first order of MAX ATVs to import to its headquarters in the U.K. in February, it began securing the necessary certifications required for sales throughout the U.K. and the European Union, according to a statement. 

Rican Off-Road plans to grow its MAX inventory with two more shipments this year for a combined value of more than $250,000, according to the statement.

“This agreement marks a significant step in our strategy to expand the MAX brand globally,” Recreatives Industries CEO and President Andrew Lapp says in a statement. “By partnering with a capable and committed distributor like Rican Off-Road, we can better serve international markets and accelerate the growth of our dealer network.”

In 2026, both Recreatives Industries and Rican Off-Road expect more expansion, when the Manatee manufacturer relaunches a four-passenger ATV model and the Buffalo Truck, a two-passenger ATV with a powered tilt bed that can carry 1,000 pounds on land, designed for industrial and land management use.

Recreatives Industries also plans to launch an eight-wheel MAX ATV by 2027 that will target larger industrial, commercial and military markets and mark its entry into a high-capacity segment of the amphibious vehicle industry, according to the statement. The company has also announced it intends to explore electric vehicle drivetrains.