Yue Yuen sees margins shrink
The world’s largest shoe manufacturer reported a 6.2 percent drop in net earnings to US$449.8 million for the financial year ended last Sept.30, in spite of a 21.7 percent increase in its total revenues to US$7,045 million, as its profit margins remained under pressure from rising wages and raw material costs. Yue Yuen’s sales of...
One Way sponsors Dario Cologna
One Way, the Finnish producer of Nordic ski poles and associated gear, has signed a long-term contract with Dario Cologna, starting in May 2012. The 25-year-old Swiss champion won the Nordic skating contest in the World Cup at Rogla in Slovenia last Dec. 18. He followed up by winning the last two events of the...
Werner Otto is dead at the age of 102 years
The Otto Group has announced the death of Werner Otto, the visionary German businessman who founded the world’s largest mail order company in 1949. He died on Dec. 21 at the age of 102. The son of a merchant, he set up the former Otto Versand with a capital of 6,000 German marks in Hamburg,...
New abrasion-resistant Schoeller technology
Schoeller Textil of Switzerland has unveiled a new technology, called Ceraspace, that adds a new dimension in resistance to abrasion as well as heat. It consists of a 3-dimensional coating made of special ceramic particles that are nearly as hard as diamonds. The coating is attached to textiles that require maximum protective properties such as...
Derby Cycle goes direct in the U.K. and Australia
Derby Cycle has used some of the proceeds from its recent public offering to take over the distribution in theU.K.andAustraliaas part of its internationalization process. The company, which recently merged with Pon Holdings, is the largest bicycle manufacturer inGermany, where it produces bikes under the Focus, Kalkoff, Raleigh, Rixe and Univega brand names. Quoting preliminary...
New tennis czar at Head
With the new year, Ottmar Barbian will become the new tennis boss at Head. After Dec. 31, he will take the place of Robert Marte, who has served for 25 years as division manager for racquet sports. Barbian will also take over Marte’s place in the group’s top executive management team, but Marte will continue...
WFSGI symposium will focus on sport and health
The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is organizing a symposium on the mutually beneficial relationship between sport and health at the Munich Fair on the eve of the next Ispo show…
Accell buys Currie Technologies
Accell Group, the Dutch company owning a slew of bicycle and fitness brands, has agreed to acquire all shares of Currie Technologies, a leading player in the U.S. market for e-bikes. The Californian company employs 40 people and reaches annual sales of about $20 million, with the I-Zip and E-Zip brands. Accell said the deal would...
Buoyant quarter for Nike in spite of sluggish European sales
Nike’s sales soared by 18 percent to $5.7 billion for its second fiscal quarter, until the end of November, with an increase of 16 percent in constant currencies. Japan was the only region where the Nike brand’s turnover decreased in constant currencies, while European sales growth remained sluggish. However, the company reaped a meager gross...
Li & Fung wants to surf with Hang Ten
Li & Fung, the large Hong Kong-based supply chain manager, has placed an offer to acquire the surf apparel brand Hang Ten. The deal is estimated to be worth nearly 2.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (€264.6m-$346.9m), according to the newspaper Hong Kong Standard. It is said that the move will help Li & Fung improve...
Join the discussion!