New Country Manager for POC in Switzerland
POC, the Swedish manufacturer of ski and cycling helmets, goggles, protection and apparel, is optimizing its management structure in Switzerland. Jessica Negele, previously head of POC’s sales activities in Germany, has additionally taken over the position of Country Manager Switzerland on Jan. 1, 2024. She has been with the company ...
Authentic partners with BBC Int'l for DC Shoes in USA, Canada
Authentic Brands Group has partnered with Florida-based BBC International for its skateboarding, snowboarding and street lifestyle brand DC Shoes. Under this agreement, BBC will handle the global design, wholesale distribution and sourcing of DC Shoes footwear and snowboard boots in the US and Canada.
Adidas to set up GCC in East India
According to reports in Indian media, Adidas is setting up its first and only global capacity center (GCC) in Asia outside China in the eastern Indian city of Chennai. The location will enable the company to focus on key processes within the organization. Adidas has a headquarters in Gurugram, but ...
Xponential Fitness closes master franchise agreement for Pure Barre and YogaSix in Japan
US-based Xponential Fitness, Inc., a global franchisor of boutique fitness brands, announced the signing of a master franchise agreement for Pure Barre and YogaSix in Japan with Sunpark Co. Ltd. Sunpark has committed to open at least 50 franchise studios for Pure Barre and Yoga Six in the country. The ...
Skechers opens distribution hub in Mumbai
Skechers opened a national distribution center near Mumbai, India. The 55,700-sqm facility is located in the Lodha Industrial and Logistics Park in Kalyan and has the capacity to dispatch up to 60,000 pairs of shoes daily. The site represents the initial phase of a strategic partnership to develop a 102,000-sqm ...
Matthias Mack joins Descente
After 30 years at Bogner, Matthias Mack has made the switch to Descente. The long-standing sales professional sees great potential for more growth for the Japanese brand on the German market in the recently formed alliance with sales partner Solo Tres BV from the Netherlands. The full collection is now ...
Pádel Nuestro ups its year-end sales forecast
Pádel Nuestro Group is forecasting an increase in annual sales of 27 percent, to €65 million, for full-year 2023, according to CMDsport. This is up from November’s forecast of €62 million. E-commerce should account for about 55 percent of the total. In what parent company 360 Padel Group’s CEO is ...
Snowboard brand Forum returns to Europe
Austrian board sports and lifestyle specialist Blue Tomato, part of the portfolio of US retailer Zumiez since 2012, is exclusively bringing the snowboards and snow and streetwear from US company Forum back to Europe. The brand went off the market in 2014 and relaunched exclusively online in 2022 in the ...
EssilorLuxottica secures Moncler eyewear license
EssilorLuxottica and Moncler have announced the signature of an exclusive licensing agreement for the design, production and global distribution of Moncler-branded eyewear, including eyeglasses and sunglasses. The agreement will be in effect from January 2024 until December 2028 with an automatic renewal option for five more years, and the first ...
Centric Brands enters exclusive agreement with Authentic for Quik, Billabong and Roxy
Centric Brands announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) to design, manufacture and distribute children’s apparel for Quiksilver, Billabong and Roxy in the US and Canada. Through this agreement, the three board sports apparel brands will join Centric Brands’ diverse kids’ portfolio of premium, industry-leading brands.
Xponential Fitness appoints President of International, scores global multi-brand deals
Xponential Fitness, Inc. a global franchisor of boutique fitness brands, announced several milestones in the company’s international expansion initiatives. In the first instance, Bob Kaufman was named President of International to lead Xponential’s international expansion plans for all of its brands. Kaufman has more than 25 years of industry experience ...
Authentic Brands Group furthers strategic partnership with Liberated Brands
Authentic Brands Group has entered into a new long-term agreement with its strategic partner Liberated Brands, to be the retail and e-commerce operator for its brands Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Honolua and the recently acquired Boardriders in the US and Canada.
Bata India reportedly exploring partnership with Adidas for local market
Bata India said that it is exploring the opportunity of a partnership in its domestic market but had no developments to announce.
Freight rates are falling but so are orders
Freight rates for sea freight containers from the Far East have fallen to a stable low level, but retailers are placing fewer orders with their suppliers than in the previous year. This is according to supply chain experts at Setlog, a software company based in Bochum, Germany, who carried out ...
361 Degrees expands distribution partnership in Spain
Andalusian distributor, VC Sport, is to be the new distribution partner of technical basketball shoes from Chinese-based sporting brand 361 Degrees, according to CMD Sport. This is in addition to the brand’s technical shoes, which VC Sport has been distributing since 2017.
TrusTrace releases a second industry playbook featuring Asics
TrusTrace has released its second industry playbook, The Traceability Roadmap: A practical, step-by-step guide to implementing traceability in supply chains. With the free Traceability Roadmap, businesses can find out how to define needs, set goals, outcomes, success indicators, and return on investment to ensure cross-functional buy-in. The ...
JD Sports to expand into Middle East
JD Sports Fashion will open around 50 stores in the Middle East after agreeing to its first-ever franchise deal with Dubai-based global retailing, distributing and manufacturing company GMG, according to Reuters. The doors, to be situated in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt, will be a large ...
Captain Fin to launch in Europe
Following last year’s acquisition of San Diego-based surf lifestyle and hardgoods brand Captain Fin Co. by Liberated Brands – the global master licensee for Volcom and Spyder – Captain Fin is to officially launch in Europe. The launch coincides with the revitalization of its apparel collection, now infused with sustainable ...
New Adidas Eyewear sales specialist for DACH
Eyewear manufacturer Marcolin announced the hiring of Richard Schott as the new Sales Specialist for Adidas Eyewear in the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region. Schott has more than 30 years of experience in the sports industry, from retail to purchasing to sales. For the past 23 years, he has been ...
On aims to make brand more complex
Swiss company On Holding, which raised its fiscal 2023 sales forecast by 2 percent to at least $1.9 billion last month, remains committed to building a complex, multibillion-dollar sportswear brand that focuses on the premium segment and is not overdistributed. The Swiss group’s co-CEOs, Martin Hoffman and Marc Maurer, provided ...
Skechers announces progress on inventory and international business
At Deutsche Bank’s Global Consumer Conference, Skechers told investors that demand, traffic and conversion rates remain healthy. However, the lingering impact of the summer 2022 retail inventory build is still expected to be a headwind for the rest of 2023. The U.S. wholesale market has helped support the bottom line ...
VF begins operations at new distribution center in California
Colorado-based VF Corporation has launched its new distribution center in Ontario, California, employing approximately 550 people during peak periods. The new 111,500 sqm facility is VF’s largest and most efficient distribution center within the group’s worldwide network of 46 distribution centers. The center’s annual shipping capacity of 76 million units ...
Latest deal in Finnish ski industry could be a game changer
Two ski factories in Finland have landed a deal of over €10m. We bring you the details and what this means for the industry and consumers.
Michelin Soles expands to the US
JV International Srl, an Italian manufacturer of engineered soles and worldwide licensee of Michelin Soles, has expanded to the USA to further expand its global presence. Founded in 2013, the Italian company has already been able to strengthen its presence on two important continents for the development of footwear: Europe ...
Adidas to sell Russian business
Adidas mulls selling its Russian business to another foreign investor or passing it to local management, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported, citing sources on the local market. One of the sources claimed that the eventual target is to relaunch the 100 most profitable stores, which have stood idle since October 2022.
On revises its financial reporting by geography
Swiss performance sportswear brand On announced that it will release its financial results for the first quarter of 2023 on Tuesday, May 16, which will also mark the first time it will update its net revenue reporting differently by region. Specifically, “Rest of World,” which represented the Middle East, Africa ...
Led Projects has a new distributor
Salisport France has become the exclusive distributor for France and Belgium of Led Projects’ court-illumination products for both tennis and pádel. Founded as recently as 2021, Salisport says it is the top company in France for court maintenance.
Atom selling 50% abroad in its first year
Atom ended its first year of operation with €2.4 million in sales, according to Diffusion Sport, which spoke with the running-shoe brand’s sales director, Antonio Sáenz, at last month’s Micam show. Half of the total consists of export sales, particularly in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with the Czech Republic, ...
UYN hires new distributor for Spain, Portugal
UYN (Unleash Your Nature) has hired Mega Sport to handle its distribution in Spain and Portugal.
YouTube expands e-commerce features
YouTube is to introduce shopping features to its video feature “Shorts” service, according to Reuters. The streaming service is also testing new commission schemes for influencers who sell products through links in videos. The feature is initially being tested with eligible creators in the U.S. and will allow them to ...
Another strike at the largest port in the U.K.
The second strike in a few weeks at the Port of Felixstowe could put further strain on supply chains. The union called a nine-day strike on Tuesday Sept. 27. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest port in the U.K. Already last month, about 1,900 port employees participated in a ...
Progred to distribute Converse accessories in Iberia and France
Until now the brand’s retail partner for Iberia – especially 20 El Corte Inglés locations – Progred Group has struck a deal with Converse to expand its distribution for the brand to accessories in Spain, Portugal, France and Andorra. These are to be sold through the major retailers of fashion, ...
An interview with Intersport’s new chairwoman
Intersport International’s new chairwoman, Corinne Gensollen, has granted an interview to sport-guide.com. She is the first woman to hold the post and has been replaced as general manager of Intersport France by Sylvain Darracq.
Tecnosport to distribute Biody Xpert
Tecnosport has signed a deal to launch and serve as the exclusive distributor and vendor of Biody Xpert, according to CMDsport. Produced by the French company Aminogram, Biody Xpert is a portable, wireless device that measures body fat, the mineral content of bones, metabolic-protein mass, intra- and extracellular water levels, ...
Decathlon partners with Zeus Labs for U.K. distribution
Decathlon has chosen London-based start-up Zeus Labs to help handle its U.K. freight. Zeus now reportedly handles nearly half of all the retailer’s restocking in the U.K. Zeus was founded by Jai Kanwar and Clemente Theotokis in 2019. It’s a digital freight platform with a vision to drive efficiency in ...
UA revamps retail in Spain, opens brand store
Under Armour (UA) has opened its first own store in Spain, according to CMDsport. Located at the Westfield La Maquinista mall in Barcelona, the store covers 450 square meters and sells men’s and women’s apparel, shoes and accessories for fitness, running, basketball and other sports.
Russell Athletic returns to Spain
Russell Athletic is returning to Spain, after a few years’ absence, with a sell-in for the Iberian Peninsula for spring/summer 2023, according to CMDsport. The brand’s distributor, Proged, is working up a marketing campaign for this year’s collection, which, under the Eagle R line, veers toward streetwear for 16- to ...
Intersport South East Europe opens new 25,000-sqm logistics center
The Intersport South East Europe subsidiary, based in Greece, has opened its new logistics center, run by Trade Logistics S.A. (both companies belonging to the Fourlis group). The new 25,000-square-meter facility in Oinofyta/Boeotia is a fully automated distribution and storage center delivering to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus. The new ...
Russian import-replacement campaign faces difficulties
The Russian Industry and Trade Ministry has rolled out a 700 million rubles (€9.5m) program to support the import-replacement trend in the domestic sporting goods market. The authorities plan to encourage local companies to replace sportswear, sporting gear and athletic apparel, which are expected to be in short supply due ...
Under Armour appoints Indian distributor and plans e-commerce
Under Armour is moving from its current wholly-owned subsidiary to a distribution model in India, with plans to launch e-commerce operations and double-digit new brick-and-mortar store openings in the country by the end of 2022. Under Armour entered the market in 2019 and is now handing over the reins to ...
Sumitomo with brand realignment in North America
In a global alignment strategy, the sports business for Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) will be affiliated under the Dunlop brand umbrella. Roger Cleveland Golf Company, which is SRI’s North American sales company, currently operating as Srixon/Cleveland Golf/XXIO, will now be doing business as Dunlop Sports Americas. Based in Kobe, Japan, ...
A founder resigns from Snow Factory
As CMDsport reports, Xavier Garriga, one of two brothers who founded the company 16 years ago, has resigned from Snow Factory to join The Coaches, a consultancy specialized in sustainability as it applies to management. His stated reason is a desire to return to entrepreneurship. Snow Factory is now under ...
