Moon Engines

What Moon Engines does

Moon Engines is a privately-held New Zealand marine propulsion specialist established in 1983, operating from a single workshop at Unit D, 5 Paramount Drive in Henderson, Auckland. The company supplies and services marine transmissions and engines across the four major driveline brands — PRM Marine (NZ and South Pacific distributor), BorgWarner Velvet Drive, ZF Marine, and Twin Disc (sole distributor in Auckland and lower North Island) — alongside complementary drive plates and damper drives from R&D Marine, SACHS, and CENTA. Its customer base spans launch boats, yachts, and commercial boating operators in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The business is owner-operated by James Mobberley, who acquired it in 2008 from founder Chris Moon, and the technical team includes marine diesel engineer Terry with 30+ years of diesel engineering experience.

The business operates through direct sales from its Auckland workshop, combining new and reconditioned unit sales, parts supply, and a full-service offering that covers removal, rebuild, reinstall, and sea trials. A proprietary quality assurance protocol — including one-hour operating-temperature testing of every rebuilt transmission prior to delivery — supports its warranty-backed offerings. Pricing is quote-based and transactional; the go-to-market relies on direct phone contact, website inquiries, and word-of-mouth referrals rather than paid marketing, with sales-led, expertise-driven conversion of individual boat owners and SMB marine operators.

The company has no disclosed external investment, no subsidiaries, and no public listing. Geographic reach is regional (NZ and Pacific Islands), with BorgWarner exchange service extending to Australia. Marketing channels are limited to an informational website and Google review-driven referral traffic. There are no patents, certifications, or regulatory actions disclosed in the input data, and the business has no AI/ML or software component — its competitive position is built entirely on mechanical engineering expertise, brand-authorized distribution rights, and decades of regional reputation.

Name

Moon Engines

Legal name

Moon Engines

Website

https://moonengines.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Moon Engines is a New Zealand marine transmission specialist distributing and reconditioning PRM, Twin Disc, BorgWarner, and ZF gearboxes for launch boats, yachts, and commercial operators across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Transmission Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades) (IMAJAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Propulsion Drives, Gearboxes & Shaftlines (IMAJAHAD), Propulsion, Shafting & Rudder Repair (Engines, Gearboxes, Thrusters) (IMAJAFAC), Propulsion Integration, Commissioning & Testing (Factory/sea trials, alignment) (IMAJAHAM)

Keywords

• Marine transmissions
• Marine engines
• Gearbox rebuilding
• Marine driveline components
• Marine transmission servicing

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marine Engine Sales: Sale of new and reconditioned marine engines to launch, yacht, and commercial boating markets
2. Marine Transmission Sales: Sale of new and reconditioned marine transmissions and gearboxes from brands including PRM, Twin Disc, ZF, Borg Warner
3. Transmission Repair & Servicing: Full service repair, rebuild, and reinstall services for marine transmissions including removal, service, rebuild, reinstall and sea trials
4. Parts Supply: Supply of drive plates, damper drives, gaskets, seal kits, clutch plates, and other driveline components

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Moon Engines sells new and reconditioned marine engines and transmissions (PRM, Twin Disc, BorgWarner, ZF) and provides full repair, rebuild, reinstall, and sea trial services for marine vessels. The company serves the launch, yacht, and commercial boating markets in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and holds regional distributor agreements for PRM Marine gearboxes and Twin Disc marine gearboxes.

Product overview

Moon Engines is a marine transmission specialist offering a portfolio of products and services centered on marine propulsion systems. The core offering includes four major marine transmission brands: PRM Marine Gearboxes (as NZ/South Pacific distributor), BorgWarner Velvet Drive, ZF Marine Transmissions, and Twin Disc Marine Transmissions (sole Auckland/lower North Island distributor). These are complemented by supporting products including Drive Plates & Damper Drives (SACHS, R&D, CENTA brands) and Gearbox Ratio Consultation services. The company provides comprehensive lifecycle support through new and reconditioned unit sales, parts supply, repair and servicing, full removal/rebuild/reinstall operations, and sea trials. Services are available at their workshop or on-site at marinas and boat yards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PRM MarinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMoon Engines is the NZ and South Pacific distributor for PRM Marine gearboxes, offering the full range from PRM90 through PRM1750 including new and reconditioned units with warranty. This is a flagship distribution partnership providing access to PRM's established reputation for quality and reliability in pleasure, workboat, and fishing vessel applications.
• Twin DisccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMoon Engines is the sole distributor of Twin Disc in Auckland and throughout the lower north island. Twin Disc has been making marine gearboxes since 1918 and Moon Engines offers rebuilt, tested units with warranty. This exclusive distribution arrangement provides significant competitive advantage in the region.
• ZFminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMoon Engines carries gaskets, seal kits, and complete replacement units for ZF Marine Transmissions from ZF6 through ZF325. They offer second-hand and rebuilt ZF gearboxes tested for 1 hour prior to leaving their Auckland workshop.
• Borg Warner Velvet DriveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMoon Engines offers an extensive range of rebuilt and reconditioned Borg Warner Velvet Drive transmissions with full exchange service available anywhere in NZ, Australia, and the South Pacific to reduce downtime.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Volvo Penta: Global marine propulsion OEM with authorized dealer/service networks. Comparable as a broader marine propulsion incumbent that competes for marine engine and driveline service work in the same NZ/Pacific customer pool.
• Twin Disc Incorporated: Global OEM of marine transmissions since 1918, of which Moon Engines is a regional distributor. Comparable as the brand principal whose distribution agreements govern Moon Engines' channel economics.
• ZF Marine Australia: OEM manufacturer of marine transmissions (including the ZF/Hurth units Moon Engines services). Comparable as the underlying brand partner and broader incumbent whose distribution/service network shapes Moon Engines' competitive landscape.

Direct peers

• Lusty & Blundell: NZ marine dealer and service provider for premium engine and propulsion brands. Comparable as a New Zealand specialist distributor/service center for major marine propulsion OEMs serving similar yacht and commercial customers.
• Orams Marine Services: NZ-based full-service marine facility offering boat repair, refit, and engineering services. Comparable to Moon Engines as a multi-disciplinary marine services provider serving the same Auckland customer base, though broader in scope than transmission-specialized.
• Southern Cross Marine: NZ marine engine and transmission specialist offering sales, service, and parts. Directly comparable as a regional marine propulsion aftermarket competitor with overlapping brand coverage and customer base.

Regional players

• Burnsco Marine: New Zealand's largest marine retail and parts chain with workshop services. Comparable as a NZ marine parts, service, and aftermarket player though focused more on retail and broad parts than on transmission-specialist reconditioning.
• Stampede Marine Engineering: NZ-based marine engineering and propulsion service provider. Comparable as a regional marine engineering peer focused on commercial and recreational propulsion service in the New Zealand market.
• Trans-Australia Marine: Australian marine transmission specialist offering Twin Disc and similar gearbox services. Comparable as a regional marine transmission MRO and parts provider, with geographic adjacency to Moon Engines' cross-Tasman customer base.

Emerging players

• Cox Marine Australia: Australia-based marine diesel specialist focused on diesel outboards and propulsion systems. Comparable as a Southern Hemisphere marine propulsion specialist serving commercial and recreational operators with overlapping technical service capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moon-engines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moon Engines