Stronger integration between two French buying groups
Twinner France, a buying group with some 200 affiliated stores, has acquired a financial stake in another French cooperative, Les Pros du Sport, which counts 350 doors. The two networks had already signed a collaboration agreement in April 2010 to optimize their relations with their suppliers and to raise the volume of their joint orders...
Go Sport plans to launch a capital increase
The French Go Sport Group is planning to launch a capital increase of about €30 million to accelerate its recovery, which was halted last year by unseasonable weather conditions. The group saw its gross margin fall last year to 41.0 percent on slightly lower revenues of €680.4 million. It suffered an operating loss of €8.1...
Airbag saves snowboarder
Backcountry Access (BCA) has reached an extremely high level of awareness with a film broadcast on Youtube that has been viewed so far by no less than 730.000 people. The film shows an athlete, Meesh Hytner, taking part in a grassroots snowboard freeriding event and getting into trouble with loads of snow. The rider was caught...
Dynafit supports International Snow Leopard Day
For the third time in a row, Dynafit, Salewa’s ski-touring brand, supports initiatives to protect snow leopards, the animal that the brand has in its logo. The company invites freeriders in Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Austria, Sweden and Switzerland to take part in the International Snow Leopard Day, an event that takes place between Feb....
Fast growing Icebug eyes the Far East
Icebug, the Swedish brand that focuses on footwear with grip for icy conditions, is to be launched in South Korea and China in the next months. The company has teamed up with Seven Summits inSouth Korea and Go Rising in China. This comes as Icebug continues to expand rapidly, with sales up by 31 percent...
Asics exec will lead Haglöfs board
Alistair Cameron, chief executive of Asics Europe, has been appointed chairman of the Haglöfs board, marking another step in the transition that has enabled the Swedish outdoor group to lean on the infrastructure of the much larger Japanese company while retaining much of its independence. This board was formed in September 2010, two months after...
More than 50 brands join ISPO’s action sports village in Beijing
ISPO BEIJING, which will be held in the Chinese capital’s CNCC convention center from Feb. 22-25, will attract professional retailers from China and abroad with an action sports village. More than 50 snowboard, skateboard and related brands will take part in the project, including new exhibitors such as Burton, 686, Airblaster, Protest, Libtech, Bataleon, Skullcandy,...
Rapala’s fourth-quarter sales lifted by North America
Rapala, the Finnish brand of fishing equipment, finished the fourth quarter with a 1 percent rise in sales to €60.8 million, underpinned by the North American market, up by 12 percent to €18.7 million. Market expectations were for a quarterly turnover of €62.0 million. Excluding non-recurring items, the Ebit margin slipped to 4.0 percent in the...
Freezing weather helps eBay sell loads of winter goods
eBay Germany has put out a few figures on the sales of winter-related products through its platform between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2. Apparently, sales were boosted by the freezing temperatures in the country and beyond. In that time period, one winter jacket was sold every single minute. On top of this, retailers and private...
Li-Ning announces structural changes to increase efficiency
Li-Ning has announced that it is adjusting its organizational structure. The company says this is part of the reform plan for 2012, which foresees the Chinese brand optimizing its operational efficiency and improving its gross margin. To do so, Li-Ning will put its focus on its core business, meaning that it will provide all necessary...
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