The latest news, analysis and data on corporate strategic initiatives, the latest mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, insolvencies and cooperations in the outdoor industry.
Interview with Heiner Oberrauch, president of the Oberalp Group
We recently heard a lot about the Salewa brand and its operational decisions and support programs during the Covid-19 crisis. After the interview with Salewa’s managing director Stefan Rainer, the Compass now had the opportunity to speak to Heiner Oberrauch, president of the Oberalp Group and owner of the Salewa ...
Wolverine wants to save $500 million
As reported in a separate article, Wolverine Worldwide was the company in our industry that got the biggest hit on the stock exchange between Jan. 1 and March 27. On March 26, Wolverine released a detailed statement about the proactive and precautionary measures that it is taking to navigate through ...
Salewa cancels SS 2021 textile collection: Interview with Stefan Rainer
To support its retailers during and beyond the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Italian outdoor brand Salewa decided to skip the SS 2021 textile collection. Outdoor Industry Compass spoke with Stefan Rainer, managing director of Salewa, about the rationale and context of this decision.
Adventure travel and outdoor experiences: The way out?
The areas of outdoor equipment, outdoor retail and outdoor travel are moving closer together. Several premium outdoor brands have already acquired or partnered with outdoor guides and tour operators, the most recent examples are Norrøna Hvitserk Adventures and Arc’Teryx Trips, but let’s not forget the Mammut Alpine School that was ...
No pressure for the sale of Mammut
As previously reported, the Conzzeta Group plans to divest its Outdoor division, which essentially consists of the Mammut Sports Group. Addressing financial analysts, the Swiss group’s management pointed out, however, that it is under no pressure to sell it at just any price because of the current economic uncertainty.
How the industry is affected by (and dealing with) the Coronavirus
We have already given you some information about the coronavirus situation on the websites of SGI Europe and the Compass in the past weeks, but of course there are new developments every day and hour. The explosion of the coronavirus pandemic, which now has Europe completely under control, has prompted ...
Polartec starts to make some more noise
Polartec wants to raise its brand awareness with a bigger marketing budget under the ownership of Milliken & Company, the big American textile group that took over the fleece fabric producer a few months ago (Compass Vol. 12 N° 11+12 of June 28, 2019). It has already changed its logo, ...
Montane has found an investor
A Scottish investment company based in Edinburgh, Inverleith, signed a deal last Friday to take over majority control of Montane for an undisclosed price. It has also agreed to invest in the business to recruit new managers, to expand its office in northern England, to boost product development and marketing ...
Corona infecting the sports and outdoor industries
On Dec. 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) country office in China was informed of a cluster of patients with pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, a city of 19 million people in the Hubei Province of China. Since then, we have been witnessing the spread of the coronavirus, ...
Assosport releases a statement on coronavirus
(Updated March 15) Assosport, the association of the Italian sporting goods industry, has published an open letter to its members from its president, Federico De Ponti, in relation to the coronavirus crisis. In the letter, De Ponti explains that Assosport has taken action through Confindustria, the Italian employers’ federation and ...
Ternua establishes twin sales departments
There are three pillars to Ternua’s growth strategy: the digitalization of its B2B business, the expansion of its complementary product lines (such as backpacks) and business development abroad. To build on the last of these, the Catalonian outdoor group has split it sales department into two divisions.
Adidas launches a skiwear line
Confirming a report in Süddeutsche Zeitung, Adidas says it is planning to enter the snowsports market with a line of winter sports apparel for cross-country and alpine skiing, ski touring and snowboarding for the autumn/winter 2020/21 season. It will be launched under its growing sub-brand for outdoor products, Adidas Terrex, ...
Amer is focusing on brand management
(SGI) In a move intended to get closer to the consumer, Amer Sports is introducing a new “brand-direct” business model into its global sales organization. Each of the brands in Amer’s portfolio – Arc’teryx, Peak Performance, Atomic, Salomon, Suunto, Wilson and Precor – will have a dedicated, direct sales structure ...
A concept development agency that’s also a community hub
Staying connected with outdoor enthusiasts to understand their needs is key to the development of sought-after products. This idea of connection has inspired the business model pursued by All Triangles, a brand-strategy consultancy that opened its doors just last month in the French outdoor hub of Annecy and helps brands ...
The Renewal Workshop expands to Europe after raising $5m
The Renewal Workshop, an American provider of circular solutions for apparel and textile brands, has raised $5.5 million (€4.95 million) in Series A financing. The Oregon-based company is working with brands like The North Face, Eagle Creek, Osprey, Pearl Izumi and Prana to renew existing products, analyze company operations, and ...
BlackYak opens technology center in Germany
Since entering the European market officially in 2016, BlackYak has quickly established itself in the global outdoor industry thanks to numerous innovations and very distinctive design. Also contributing to this success were 24 Ispo Awards, which the South Korean outdoor specialist has so far received for its products targeting serious ...
Is Pentland readying new acquisitions?
Confirming a report that it had reduced its stake in JD Sports Fashion, while retaining its position as its majority shareholder, the Pentland Group says the sale of the shares will enable to further a strategy of “growing our portfolio of sports, outdoor and fashion brands through organic investment and ...
Bergans makes a push into e-commerce
Bergans of Norway announced a major investment in the international digital marketplace a few weeks ago. The family-owned Norwegian outdoor brand has been a national icon for over a century, generating most of its sales in Norway and focusing its e-commerce platform on the domestic market. To enhance its omnichannel ...
Conzzeta is divesting Mammut
The board of directors of the Swiss Conzzeta group has decided to evaluate proposals for the takeover of its Mammut business unit and some other non-core operations, and to focus on its bigger Bystronic business unit, which deals with the automation and integration of the material and data flow in ...
Pelican acquires Confluence
Pelican International, a Canadian group that already makes all manner of recreational boats, has acquired Confluence Outdoor, another maker of boats based in the U.S. that did not achieve the economies of scale that its new owners were betting on. The financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed.