Complimentary partners exist in all walks of life. The literary Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Marika Kilius and Hans-Juergen Baumler, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude are just a few examples of well-known combinations. Existing in industry are McDonald's and Coca Cola. Each one by itself may be a strong force, but together their success multiplies. Each one gains strength from the other. This is an indicator of the relationship between SECUMAR and its American partner, STEARNS.

Initial contacts between the two companies began in the early 1990's. It was not long before executives from both companies realized that close cooperation would benefit both companies. SECUMAR was a world leader in the field of inflatable life jackets, while STEARNS had an excellent reputation in the production of foam life jackets. SECUMAR was strong in the European market, and STEARNS was at the top of the huge market in the United States. SECUMAR had experience with the naval forces of many countries in Europe and in Asia. STEARNS, on the other hand, knew the requirements of military crews and coastguard vessels that had stars and stripes fluttering on their stern.

"Quality is our tradition," is the motto of the company from the state of Minnesota. This statement, without hesitation, could be adopted by the SECUMAR team from Germany. Hence, SECUMAR proudly offers foam lifejackets under the label "SECUMAR by STEARNS." Additionally, STEARNS has more diverse products available to the European market, sold by SECUMAR. An example is the inflatable kayak, Spree. The Spree sold so promisingly after its introduction to the European market in the year 2000 that just one year later three further models were brought into the SECUMAR product line.