The latest news, analysis and data on topics including Financial Results, Corporate, M&A, Omnichannel, Retail & Distribution, E-Commerce & DTC, Market statistics, Policy & Legal, Trade & Sourcing, Marketing, Products, Trade fairs & Conference
Rocky Brands invests $230m to buy footwear brands from Honeywell
Rocky Brands has agreed to acquire the performance and lifestyle footwear business of the U.S. conglomerate Honeywell International for $230 million. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.
Anti-dumping duties on e-bikes from China do not benefit EU manufacturers as expected
Due to the anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese e-bikes announced in mid-January 2019, e-bike exports from China to the EU shrank by 84 percent to 105,803 units the same year compared to 2018. While this double-digit decline was entirely at the expense of e-bike manufacturers in China, who were ...
Zwift appoints two new executives
Last September, Zwift Inc., a virtual cycling, running and triathlon training platform, raised $450 million (€371.22 million) from various investors to further expand its business. In January, the Californians announced two senior appointments: Shortly after Mark Cote was named senior director, content programming, YuChiang Cheng joined the Zwift team as ...
EU Commission calls for travel within the EU to be “strongly discouraged”
The European Commission has proposed the European Council to discourage non-essential travel between European Union member states amid high Covid-19 infection rates and concerns about new virus variants while avoiding border closures or blanket prohibitions that would impede the functioning of the internal market and supply chains.
Strong growth for Storck Bicycle
German bicycle manufacturer Storck Bicycle, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, says it is satisfied with its performance in the past fiscal year (2020) despite the challenges posed by Covid-19. “Although the impact of the Corona pandemic is affecting the entire industry, we are in an excellent position for ...
Leva-EU calls for change in legislation that discriminates against e-bike manufacturers over China components
Europe’s trade association and sole voice for the light electric vehicle industry, Leva-EU, says companies that exclusively assemble e-bikes face discrimination that threatens their existence. It also hurts the Green Deal goals outlined by the commission “and could severely hamper the EU’s net-zero emissions target.” Currently, e-bike assemblers must pay ...
ISPO Award 2021 winners announced
Messe München has released the winners of the ISPO Award 2021 – with the exception of the Products of the Year, which will be revealed at this year’s ISPO Munich Online from Feb. 1-5.
Büchel integrates Kuhnert and Exal into group portfolio
In streamlining the organization, Kuhnert Drahtwaren and Exal Europe have been integrated into the Büchel Group. “Since Jan. 1 of this year, Büchel GmbH & Co. Fahrzeugteilefabrik KG has taken over the joint business operations of the two companies,” reads a statement from the German bicycle parts manufacturer’s corporate headquarters ...
Study by Mastercard says Covid-19 accelerates technological innovations in winter sports
In a new study by the Center for Sports and Management at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, conducted in an anonymous Delphi format with 46 winter sports experts, more than half (56 percent) of the participants predict that the industry will continue to evolve technologically and digitize in ...
Swedish DTC brand RevolutionRace with new chairman
RevolutionRace (RVRC), a Boras, Sweden-based D2C startup owned by Altor, a Stockholm-based private equity investment firm, has received a prominent addition to its board. E-commerce professional Paul Fischbein is taking over as chairman of the outdoor company that made around €50m in sales in 2020.
ISPO Munich Online with more than 500 exhibitors and 5-day event program
Messe München reports that more than 500 exhibitors have registered to participate in the virtual Expo Area of the first online-only ISPO Munich on Feb. 1-5. The Expo Area is the virtual exhibition hall where brands can showcase their products and innovations. Also, participants can make direct personal contact with ...
EOG and EDM intensify partnership on behalf of the industry
In 2021, the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and EDM Publications (EDM), publisher of The Outdoor Industry Compass (OIC) and SGI Europe, among others, will build on an already existing successful relationship and together will reach even bigger audiences with business information and news about the industry. Most recently, EOG and ...
Germany extends lockdown, France to impose curfew
With the number of corona cases still rising in the country, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of the 16 German states agreed on Jan. 19 to maintain the lockdown and introduce tougher measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown, which was originally set to expire ...
Record sales for Polygiene in Q4
In a business update, Polygiene said its sales for the fourth quarter soared by 41.4 percent to a record 26.9 million Swedish kronor (€2.7m-$3.2m). The company added that British subsidiary Addmaster, which was acquired earlier in 2021, had even stronger growth, with revenues rising by as much as 69.2 percent, ...
Michael White quits as president of Salomon
Amer Sports announced the immediate departure of Michael White as president of Salomon, indicating that he has decided to “pursue other interests” and adding that it has initiated an external search for a permanent successor. We were unable to find out about his new plans by the time of going ...
EOG invites you to participate in its Outdoor Industry Survey 2020
The European Outdoor Group (EOG) would like to invite brands and retailers in the outdoor markets to participate in its annual survey.
Herrmans Group: Increasing investments in team and machine park
Growing demand for bicycles has also led to increasing production capacity at Finnish producer Herrmans Group. Its subsidiary Herrmans Bike Components, in particular, has grown at a good pace in recent years, and it continues to grow. Therefore, the company announced that several (not quantified) investments were made in both ...
Pon sells stake in Accell
According to reports in various Dutch media, Pon Holdings B.V. sold its 20-percent corporate stake in competitor Accell Group N.V. at the end of last year. At the time of writing, no official comment was available from either Pon or Accell.
Open letter from German Bicycle Industry Association against complete shutdown
In an open letter, the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV), the national lobby and service provider for the German and international bicycle industry, has written to the German government opposing a complete shutdown of the economy as a measure against the Corona pandemic. While ZIV fully recognizes the need for ...
British Cycling saw extreme surge in popularity of biking in 2020
With figures released from The Active Lives Children and Young People survey showing that over 1.4 million more children took up the opportunity to cycle in 2020, British Cycling, the UCI-recognized national governing body for cycling, has described this as a “milestone” in its campaign to help young people lead ...
Sherpa Adventure Gear donates over 200,000 school days
Nepali outdoor brand Sherpa Adventure Gear has donated more than 200,000 school days to Nepali children in 2020. “We are committed to the legacy of Tashi Sherpa and take seriously our social responsibility to provide opportunities for the next generation in Nepal,” commented Corry Taylor, CEO of Bradshaw Taylor, a ...
Deuter publishes social report 2019/20
German backpack specialist Deuter has published its social report for the 2019/2020 fiscal year.
FEDAS/vds president Herzog supports retailers in fight for fair lockdown regulations
The Association of German Sports Retailers (vds) and the Federation of European Sports Retailers (FEDAS) have published a joint press release in Germany in which they welcome the activities initiated by Boris Lehmann of Laufladen in Erfurt, Udo Siebzehnrübl of Intersport Siebzehnrübl and a new interest group of German winter ...
German retail demands greater support from the government and a fair lockdown policy
Two German sports retailers, Thorsten Böhl of SkiBo Tours & Sports in Bochum and Oliver Nieß of SOS Sport in Braunschweig, sent an open letter to the German government last week, asking for subsidies based on the monthly gross profits they will lose as a result of the extended physical ...
Hydro Flask struggles due to soft back-to-school season
Helen of Troy’s Houseware segment, which includes drinkware brand Hydro Flask, posted double-digit growth in the third fiscal quarter ended on Nov. 30. Sales in the segment soared by 21.4 percent from the year-ago quarter to $222.4 million, driven by an organic business increase of 21.2 percent, largely due to ...
U.S. businesses ask Joe Biden to take immediate action to protect Arctic Refuge
The U.S. Conservation Alliance, founded in 1989 to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate, and 77 corporate members from the outdoor, craft beverage, financial and renewable energy sectors have penned a letter to President-elect Joe Biden urging him to take immediate action to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. ...
Outdoor industry stocks among the winners of 2020
While the outdoor industry had a very difficult start of the year in 2020, when the pandemic forced Europe and America to adopt strict lockdowns, it bounced back significantly in the summer when restrictions were lifted, as people looked to escape crowds in the outdoors.
Oeko-Tex carries out its annual standards revision
Oeko-Tex®, an association of 18 independent research and testing institutes worldwide, which sets standards for more safety in products of the textile and leather industry and their manufacture, is proceeding with its annual revision of test criteria, limit values and requirements for its sustainability certifications and labels – the objective ...
Wolverine announces two executive appointments
Wolverine Worldwide, owner of the Merrell, Sperry, Saucony, Wolverine and Keds brands, among others, has made a couple of executive appointments to ring in the new year.
Emerald acquires software company PlumRiver
The trade show industry is seeking new ways to generate revenues and engage its clients because of the damage made to its physical events. Just as the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is starting its new OR Winter Online edition (Jan. 6 - March 19, with Summit Days on Jan. 20-23), ...
