After a strong upswing in fiscal 2021/2022 with sales of €313 million, Groupe Rossignol reported exceedingly strong growth of 28 percent and sales of €401 million for fiscal 2022/2023, which ended March 31, 2023.
Established 116 years ago in the French Alps, Groupe Rossignol is now known and respected worldwide for its winter/mountain sports products and brands (Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, Look, Risport and Kerma). Key to its success, in addition to its product know-how and competitive success, is the successful diversification of its product range and its commitment to sustainable development. The company aims to generate nearly 30 percent of sales from apparel and footwear by 2026 and further expand its all-season and multisport businesses. The group also aims to develop one-third of its ski hardware range as part of a circular economy concept by 2028.
Record year despite low snow levels
Despite snow conditions that were less than ideal in some areas, Groupe Rossignol took full advantage of the generally excellent capacity utilization at ski resorts and the ongoing boom in the winter or mountain sports segment to post a record year. The company recorded strong growth in all markets (+36% in France, +39% in Europe, +16% in North America and +10% in Asia) and all distribution channels. Both the ski hardware and apparel and footwear segments performed excellently. This market momentum is directly related to an excellent race sports season. For example, the group’s athletes claimed a total of 146 podium finishes as well as 40 victories in the World Cup. And this year’s World Championships were also a complete success – both in the Alpine Skiing and Nordic Skiing segments – with nine gold medals and 21 overall.
Today, Groupe Rossignol focuses on sustainability and has developed a pioneering approach to product lifecycle management, from eco-design to pioneering recycling solutions. This winter, for example, Rossignol presented the Essential, a ski that contains ten times more recyclable materials than a conventional ski, at 77 percent. On the other hand, Dynastar came up with the Hybrid Core 2.0, a new manufacturing process that significantly reduces all environmental indicators measured as part of a product life cycle analysis.
Ascension 2026: Strategy for a more responsible business model
Last November, Groupe Rossignol proclaimed its goal of achieving sales of €500 million in 2026 while implementing its environmental and social commitments as part of the Ascension 2026 strategic plan. The aim is to reconcile qualitative growth, industrial performance and a more sustainable approach. The group has announced a global investment volume of €50 million to support this objective until 2026. This includes a budget of €27 million for investments in industrial operations. Of this, €15 million are linked to the Respect environmental progress program. As of today, 40 percent of these investments have already been initiated, such as installing solar cells at the Artés plant in Spain, measures to optimize industrial processes to reduce waste production and, from 2024, investments related to the energy transition at the Sallanches production site.
In the fall of 2022, the group also announced plans to accelerate its commitment to a more responsible circular economy and to further support the transformation of its production base. To this end, the focus is on strengthening the group’s industrial roots in France by investing in the Sallanches site with the aim of making it the world’s leading factory for ecologically designed and recyclable skis and a center of excellence for repair and second life.
Recently, Groupe Rossignol has taken another important step towards increasing sustainability by investing in its own poplar plantation in Spain. The aim is to create a complete cycle – from planting to production to the recovery of materials at the end of the life cycle and recycling of products. The plantation will directly supply the two ski factories in Artés (Spain) and Sallanches (France) and is expected to cover 50 percent of the annual wood requirements in the future. This operation is part of a 15-year cycle to plant a forest of more than 50,000 trees on a site that is currently treeless and binds 14,000 tons of CO2.
In addition, the group is working with Fairly Made to improve the traceability of textile products and better understand its own footprint. The stated goal is to create transparency in sourcing, manufacturing and environmental impact to optimize processes in the future. The spring/summer 2023 collection already includes a QR code on the label that can be used to view this information.
Groupe Rossignol is continuing its efforts to achieve all of its stated goals in the coming years: From reducing waste by 40 percent by 2025 to reducing its carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2030, including a more responsible offering in ski hardware, apparel and footwear, as well as implementing its omnichannel strategy. All indicators are overwhelmingly positive for an accelerated transformation of the group and an outstanding presence in the mountains throughout the year.
Groupe Rossignol currently operates five industrial sites in Western Europe, three of them in France (Sallanches – skis, Nevers – ski bindings, Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs – logistics center), one in Artès in Spain (skis) and one in Montebelluna, Italy (ski boots), as well as American headquarters in Park City, Utah.
