 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sportswear and accessories |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Frank van Wezel |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Frank van Wezel (Chairman) Ed van Wezel(CEO) |
| Products | Sportswear, sports equipment |
| Revenue | $250USD million |
Number of employees | 500 |
| Parent | Cherokee Inc. |
| Website | www |
Hi-Tec Sports, trading as Hi-Tec, [2] is a privately held [3] producer and distributor of sportswear and accessories, headquartered in the Netherlands. [1]
Hi-Tec Sports was founded in 1974, [4] in Shoeburyness, Essex, England, [5] by Frank Van Wezel. The company moved its headquarters to Southend-on-Sea, [6] before relocating its head office to Amsterdam.
Hi-Tec Sports USA was started in Modesto, CA in 1978 by Duke and Kathy Jones. They developed the first lightweight hiking boot. This became the main success of Hi-Tec Sports USA. They also developed and named the "Magnum" boot. Duke and Kathy Jones sold Hi-Tec Sports USA to Frank Van Wezel in 1990.
In 1988, the company was floated on the London Stock Exchange. [3] Frank van Wezel bought the company back in 2000. It was privately held through 2013. [3]
Production was in China until 2005, when Hi-Tec acquired the Falcon shoe factory in Lewiston, Maine, enabling them to offer made-in-usa branded products and compete for US Federal government contracts. [7]
In 2013, Hi-Tec founder and chairman Frank van Wezel, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration by Anglia Ruskin University. [8]
In 2016, it was acquired by Cherokee Inc., later known as Apex Global Brands. [9]
In 2012, Hi-Tec's V-Lite Altitude Ultra Luxe boot received a Which? Best Buy Walking Boot award. [10]
Hi-Tec's ZUUK trainer shoe was awarded Footwear Product of the Year 2013 at The Great Outdoors Awards. [11]
The UK based Hi-Tec office was announced Sports Footwear Brand of the Year 2014 [12] and Outdoor Footwear Company of the Year 2013 at the Footwear Industry Awards. [13]
Converse is an American lifestyle brand that markets, distributes, and licenses footwear, apparel, and accessories. Founded by Marquis Mills Converse in 1908 as the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts, it has been acquired by several companies before becoming a subsidiary of Nike, Inc. in 2003.
Dr. Martens also known as Doc Martens, Docs, or DMs, is a footwear and clothing brand, headquartered in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. Although famous for its footwear, the company also makes a range of accessories including clothing and bags. The footwear is distinguished by its air-cushioned sole, upper shape, welted construction, and yellow stitching. The Dr. Martens' design studio is in Camden Town, London, England. The company manufactures in the UK, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Carolyn Davidson is an American graphic designer best known for designing the Nike Swoosh logo.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, doing business as Deckers Brands, is a footwear designer and distributor based in Goleta, California, United States. It was founded in 1973 by University of California, Santa Barbara alumni Doug Otto and Karl F. Lopker. In 1975, the company was incorporated in California under the name Deckers Corporation. In October 1993, Deckers initiated a public offering of stock in its company. Deckers' portfolio of brands includes UGG, Teva, Sanuk, Hoka One One and Koolaburra.
Brooks Sports, Inc., also known as Brooks Running, is an American sports equipment company that designs and markets high-performance men's and women's sneakers, clothing, and accessories. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Brooks products are available in 60 countries worldwide. It is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.
Timberland LLC is an American manufacturer and retailer of outdoor footwear and apparel owned by VF Corporation. The company also sells accessories including watches, eyewear, and leather goods. Timberland's corporate headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire.
The Columbia Sportswear Company is an American company that manufactures and distributes outerwear, sportswear, and footwear, as well as headgear, camping equipment, ski apparel, and outerwear accessories.
K-Swiss, Inc. is an American athletic shoe brand based in Downtown Los Angeles. It was founded in 1966 and is currently owned by Chinese sports equipment manufacturing company Xtep.
PF Flyers is an American brand of lifestyle shoes owned by Kassia Designs, LLC. Founded in 1937 by B.F. Goodrich, it is one of the original American sneaker brands.
Avia is an American footwear and clothing company that specializes in running, yoga and lifestyle activewear, shoes and accessories. Avia was founded in 1979 by Jerry Stubblefield, and is currently a subsidiary of Galaxy Universal.
The Frye Company is an American manufacturer of shoes, boots and leather accessories. Founded in 1863, it claims to be the oldest continuously operated American shoe company.
Reebok International Limited is an American fitness footwear and clothing brand that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company which had been founded in 1895 in Bolton, Lancashire. From 1958 until 1986, the brand featured the flag of the United Kingdom in its logo to signify the origins of the company. It was bought by German sporting goods company Adidas in 2005, then sold to the United States-based Authentic Brands Group in 2021. The company's global headquarters are located in Boston, Massachusetts, in the Seaport District.
Columbia Montrail is a sub-brand of Columbia Sportswear that manufactures and distributes shoes for trail running, hiking, and general long-distance running.
Dunlop Sport (Australia) was the local subsidiary of the international sports equipment company Dunlop Sport. Focused on the tennis and golf markets, Dunlop Australia products included tennis and squash racquets, tennis balls, squash balls, golf clubs and golf balls.
Nike, Inc. is an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, United States. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$46 billion in its fiscal year 2022.
Rocky Brands, Inc., formerly known as Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc., is a company which designs, develops, manufactures, and markets outdoor, work, western and military footwear, and other outdoor and work apparel and accessories. The company was founded in 1932 in Nelsonville, Ohio, and still maintains its corporate headquarters there.
Chippewa Boots, originally known as Chippewa Shoe Manufacturing Company, is an American manufacturer of footwear, principally men's work and recreational boots. It also manufactures a limited line of heavy and casual shoes, and some women's footwear. The name Chippewa is taken from the local Indian tribe in the region where the company was founded. It was founded in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, in 1901.
LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. is an American company based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1897 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the footwear company moved to Oregon in 2001 where its Danner Boots subsidiary was based. In 2012, the company, which previously had been publicly traded, was bought by Japanese-based ABC-Mart.
Pensole Footwear Design Academy is a footwear design school based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2010 by D’Wayne Edwards, the school has partnerships with institutions such as Parsons The New School for Design, Art Center College of Design, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as brands such as Foot Locker, Asics, and Adidas. Founder Edwards is a former design director of Brand Jordan, a subsidiary of Oregon based Nike. The school has also worked with Adidas, whose North American headquarters are in Portland, and also hold a design competition called the Future of Footwear.
Cherokee Inc., also known as Apex Global Brands, is an American based global apparel and footwear company, headquartered in Sherman Oaks, California. The company was established in 1973 and its brands are available in 110 countries in 12,000 retail locations and on digital commerce.