EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Thok E-Bikes and longtime CEO Stefano Migliorini have ended their collaboration, with company president Giuseppe Bernocco now leading the brand into its next growth phase
+++ United Wheels has promoted longtime executive Steve Bevelhymer to SVP of Finance and Treasury, overseeing global financial strategy and operations
+++ Chemicals company Huntsman announced that Julia Wright has withdrawn from her upcoming role as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, with David Stryker remaining in the position during the ongoing search for a successor
+++ Patricia Peham has taken over press and communications at Austrian performance apparel brand Löffler as of early October, succeeding Eva Zöbl during her parental leave
+++ Microban International, a company specializing in antimicrobial and odor control solutions, has announced the appointment of Shermon McMillan as its new President +++
E-COMMERCE & DTC
+++ Alibaba has launched a new AI chatbot within its Quark app to strengthen its consumer-facing presence, while also announcing the upcoming release of its Quark AI Glasses +++
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ Chinese companies Dahon Tech and Golden Wheel Group have formed a joint venture, Dagold Technology, to produce a range of e-mobility vehicles in a new cost-efficient factory
+++ Irish private equity firm Causeway Capital has acquired UK-based bicycle manufacturer Whyte Bikes from Cairngorm Capital, with the brand’s management team staying in place to lead planned global and European expansion +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ Anon has strengthened its US presence by appointing Storm Day Sales as its new regional sales agency and launching its direct-to-consumer platform, AnonOptics.com
+++ Decathlon has opened its 24th store in Madrid on Oct. 2, 2025, located at López de Hoyos 111, reinforcing the brand’s omnichannel strategy in Spain
+++ CMP held a special event on Sept. 25 to officially present to the public its CMP Store in via Garibaldi, in the presence of Italian ultra trail legend and brand ambassador Marco Olmo
+++ Starting November 2025, Munich-based agency TP Sports will take over the German sport, outdoor and lifestyle distribution of French brand Aigle, while the nature segment (incl. hunting, fishing, horseback riding and gardening) remains with Aigle Deutschland GmbH
+++ Haglöfs has restructured its Central European sales team, appointing Max Hagl as sales manager for Bavaria and Martin Eberl as its new representative for Austria to strengthen regional partnerships and market presence
+++ Outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse has opened its upsized store, featuring a 70 percent extra space, at the Caledonia Park designer outlet village in Scotland
+++ Repair and Run, a French company originally dedicated to repairing bicycles and scooters, has opened in Paris’ 14th arrondissement, at 163 avenue du Maine, its first “Repair and Run Partners Experience” store, where it sells new e-bikes from the VanMoof brand
+++ Spanish bicycle chain Escapa will open a 1,000-sqm store in Bilbao during the first quarter of 2026, Palco 23 reported
+++ Salomon has opened its first West Coast store on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, expanding its North American retail footprint with a 176-sqm hub dedicated to its Sportstyle line +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Texas-based performance eyewear brand Roka has entered the snow sports market with the launch of its first-ever snow goggles collection, featuring the Niseko and Bridger models for skiers and snowboarders
+++ Regatta Great Outdoors has reportedly increased its 2025 TV advertising investment by 185% year-on-year, expanding its “It’s Time To Getta Regatta” campaign across Sky AdSmart, VOD and multiple digital channels
+++ Salomon and MM6 Maison Margiela have unveiled a capsule apparel and footwear collection for autumn/winter 2025 as a new chapter in their collaboration
+++ US-based heated apparel brand Ororo has expanded its Workwear Collection with three new heated garments – a women’s utility pant and two unisex hoodies – designed to provide durability, comfort, and up to 20.5 hours of warmth for customers working in tough outdoor conditions
+++ Exped has launched its eco-friendly Terra sleeping bag series made from fully recycled materials, with an exclusive early release in the US at REI in October 2025 ahead of its broader 2026 rollout
+++ Riese & Müller has released version 3.0 of its RX Connect App, featuring a full redesign, improved usability and expanded personalization and security functions for e-bike users
+++ Rock climber and philanthropist Alex Honnold hosts the new season of Rolex’s Planet Visionaries podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with pioneering scientists, explorers and conservationists tackling the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges
+++ Peak Design has introduced a new line of minimalist fixed-length camera straps – Form Rope and Form Leather – alongside the Field Plate, a tool-free thumb-drive camera plate compatible with Peak Design tripods, Capture clips and most Arca-type heads
+++ Timberland has launched its Fall/Winter 2025 Eyewear Collection, featuring sustainably crafted Earthkeepers styles made from bio-based materials and equipped with new TimberBend technology for improved comfort and durability
+++ Crazy Creek has launched the Snow Ghosts Hex 2.0 Chair, the second in its limited-edition artist series with Rachel Pohl, featuring her winter-inspired landscape artwork printed on the brand’s signature portable seating +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ Lenzing has earned EcoVadis Platinum status for the fifth consecutive year, placing it among the top one percent of companies worldwide for sustainability performance
+++ Audi and Dynafit have opened a new high-speed charging hub at Dynafit’s headquarters in Kiefersfelden, combining e-mobility, mountain sports and sustainable site development +++
TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
+++ The fourth edition of the Arc’teryx Winter Tour, with film screenings and other cultural and community events, will debut in Berlin on Oct. 27, followed by events in Munich on November 6, Milan on Nov. 13, then Zurich, Manchester, Stockholm, Oslo, London and finally Paris on Dec. 11, 2025 +++
ADVENTURE TOURISM
+++ Snowbasin Resort in Utah will begin construction of a new lift-served bike park in summer 2026 in partnership with Scott Sports, featuring trails for all skill levels +++
LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL
+++ The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has voted to uphold its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, blocking their participation – even as neutral competitors – in all qualification events for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics
+++ REI resumed national labor negotiations with UFCW and RWDSU in Chicago from Oct. 13–16, reaching further tentative agreements for 11 unionized stores +++
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