Sports Trader August/September 2013

Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 34 No 4 • August/September 2013

Tips for selling backpacks Recommending the right hockey stick Sandals and water shoes for the new season

Vol 34 Nr 4 August/September 2013 www.sportstrader.co.za

Industry

On the cover Designed with innovative Skechers Performance technologies and materials, Skechers GOwalk 2 is built from top to bottom, specifically for walking! This nearly weightless shoe is designed to enhance the barefoot walking experience, while offering comfort and flexibility.

The shoes have been a great success both locally and internationally, with consumers spreading the word about how comfortable the shoes are.

Skechers is distributed in South Africa by Footwear Trading. For trade enquiries contact Footwear Trading on Tel: 011 630 4000 or Email: info@gbsa.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.footweartrading. co.za.

Publisher: Nic du Toit Editor: Carin Hardisty Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Proofreader: Liz Milburn Features: Carin Hardisty, Nelle du Toit, Nicol du Toit Rhianah Fredericks, Trudi du Toit Design: Carin Hardisty Photography: Nic du Toit Nelle du Toit Advertising: Nic du Toit Subscriptions: Carin du Toit Printing: ABC Press Distribution: Tunleys Sports Trader is published bi-monthly

by Rocklands Communications cc.

Reg. No: 1997/057165/23.

Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit

Contact details:

PO Box 12197 Mill Street 8010 22 Rocklands Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town 8001 Tel: 021 461 2544 Fax: 021 461 2549 Website: www.sportstrader.co.za Facebook: SportsTraderMagazine Twitter: @SASportsTrader Advertising: nicol@sportstrader.co.za Editorial: trudi@sportstrader.co.za Subscribe: carin@sportstrader.co.za Publication information: The title and contents of Sports Trader are protected by copyright. It is a business to business publication compiled to inform, entertain and educate retailers, distributors and manufacturers of sports and outdoor equipment, footwear and clothing. It is available only to members of the sport, outdoor and activewear industries and is published bi-monthly. © Rocklands Communications.

10 12 14 29 30 62

Puma strategies

Puma SA’s various campaigns aimed at youth

Highlights:

New Balance’s exciting year

The latest trends in outdoor products

New MD for adidas SA

What does the sneaker market look like?

Retailing news

Should an industry body like SASGAM be revived?

The new Comrades Marathon sponsor Winand Krawinkel on departing and Roddy van Breda on becoming adidas SA’s new MD News about issues affecting retailers

Clive Wood

Crown Footwear MD on 26 years with company

Benefits of industry organisations

Should organisations like SASGAM be revived?

Photo: Messe Duesseldorf, Constanze Tillmann

58

Darts market growing

How amateur and professional darts have grown as sport

Photo: Felix Kästle Messe Friedrichshafen

What are the trends in sandals and water shoes for the coming year? p32

Most important features to point out when selling backpacks p44

Clothing & footwear

Outdoor

18 26 32 38

Running shoes: the middle ground Minimalist influence on traditional shoe design

Sneaker sales: who and what Profile of the sneaker market

Sandal and water shoe trends

What to look out for in sandals and water shoes

Sandal sales

Ups and downs of sandal sales

Sport

22 50

Triathlon market

Can the triathlon market sustain a dedicated product category?

Fitting hockey sticks

Tips for recommending the right stick

40 43 44 46

Outdoor trends

Latest product trends seen at OutDoor show

Product knowledge: insulation

Understanding different forms of insulation

Selling backpacks

What features to recommend and what are the most popular backpacks

New backpack ranges

What’s available in the new backpack ranges

Regulars

2 4 8

People on the move

News about people in the industry

Brands on the move

News about brand activity in the industry

Companies on the move

News about companies in the industry

Trade shows

64

Trade shows

News from local and international trade shows

Guidelines to recommend the hockey stick that will be right for your customer p50

Closing date for entries: 30 September 2013.

T’s and C’s apply – www.skye-sa.co.za. SMSs charged at R1.50.

Running

Soccer

Cycling Accessories

General fitness

Millé offers a wide range of sporting goods for both Winter and Summer seasons.

Contact 087 940 4664 or email customerservice@ skyedistribution.co.za for a list of retailers

TBWA\HUNT\LASCARIS 313911

SMS ‘Mille Sports’, your name, province and one of the below sport categories to 45783 and you could win a sporting hamper for that category!

People on

p2 :: Industry

Gavin Hunter (left), former brand manager at James Gilbert SA, has joined TK Hockey to help grow the South African company into a supplier of sports clothing for all team sports, in line with the international brand strategy. Hunter was with Gilbert for 5 years, before he joined TK at the end of last year. Their first sport clothing range will be launched later this month. “We specialize in not only hockey equipment, but in team sports clothing too. With our international factories, we have produced a range of sport specific clothing for our market.” They launched this range in conjunction with Smart Trainer and Samsung on 22 August. “We are the official clothing supplier to the Smart Trainer program and we will showcase our Smart Trainer/TK clothing and the international programs we are involved in, on the day.” TK SA general manager Rassie Pieterse (centre) and Raghav Kohli of TK India are pictured with him.

Helmut Steidler from Safari Outdoor in Pretoria won the 2012 Swarovski Dealer of the Year Award, an annual award that is presented to a dealer that has shown dedication, passion and integrity in the promotion and selling of the Swarovski brand.

“Their team has met all the necessary criteria for this prestigious award, and we would like to congratulate Helmut and his team for their continued dedication and passion that they show to the Swarovski products,” says Andrew Whysall of Whylo , the South African distributors of Swarovski.

Former banking services ombudsman, advocate Neville Melville, has been appointed in the role of Consumer Goods and Services ombudsman.

Melville has extensive experience in the dispute resolution field as he was involved during the National Peace Accord in KwaZulu Natal in the run-up to the 1994 South African elections.

He has also assisted various ombudsmans — locally and internationally — with setting up offices, training staff, compiling manuals, research as well as conducting research. He has assisted various blue chip companies and other organisations in implementing the Consumer Protection Act and improving their complainthandling capacities. Melville is the author of The Consumer Protection Act made Easy and co-author of Know your Consumer Rights.

A year after he was appointed president of the Cycling Sports Group, Jeff Mcguane has resigned from the company. CSG is the international distributor of major cycling brands like Cannondale, GT and Mongoose (in South Africa available from Omnico).

The company says his resignation is unrelated to the drop in sales, which they attributed to bad weather and the depressed economy.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Martin Ferreira, former Commercial Director at Xco Sport, has been appointed MD of Kevro Sport. Ferreira, an ex-rugby player who played for the Bulls U21 team, has about 20 years’ experience in the sportswear and equipment market.

His experience includes retail in the Totalsports Group as well as running sponsorship and technical apparel supply programmes for several Currie Cup teams. He was instrumental in developing the Brutal Rugby brand, now distributed

by Kevro Sport, and was integrally involved with operating the Bulls memorabilia store at Loftus Versfeld. Martin Ferreira (pictured right) and Solly Nortjé, Executive Marketing and Sales at Kevro Sport.

Warrior South Africa has announced the long term sponsorship agreement with Jacques Engelbrecht from the EP Kings rugby team.

Engelbrecht will be sporting the Warrior boots and apparel as well as casual wear from New Balance.

Engelbrecht is currently wearing the Warrior Skreamer and Gambler boots.

“I love the Warrior boot since the first time I held it in my hand,” says Engelbrecht. “It’s amazingly light and wraps around my foot like a second skin. It just fits perfectly and really has an impact on the way I perform on the field.”

Tourna Grip, locally distributed by The Golf Racket, recently signed a multi-year partnership with Kevin Anderson, the South African tennis player who is currently ranked #23 on the ATP tour and recently gave Wimbledon ranked #1 Novak Djokovic a run for his money.

Anderson reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in January and the French Open in May this year. He also has career wins against Djokovic, Andy Murray and David Ferrer — 3 of Wimbledon’s current top 4 players. Anderson lost the battle against Thomas Berdych at this year’s Wimbledon and did not advance to the fourth round.

He joins David Ferrer, Richard Gasqur, John Isner, Sam Querry and the Bryan Brothers in the Tourna Grip family.

Adidas has partnered with ATP World #1 and Wimbledon finalist Novak Djokovic.

The player — who has won all six of his Grand slam titles wearing adidas’ Barricade shoes — recently introduced the Barricade 7 at the French open. Djokovic says the shoe offers the stability, optimal weight and performance he needs for dynamic movements (such as splits and slides) on the court.

Industry :: p3

the move Rebel Elite Fitness has appointed Paris Philippou (below left) as general manager and Donovan van Gelder (left) as the inov-8 technical running brand national sales manager. “When adding two incredibly capable team players to an already competitive bunch, we are just upping the intensity. Expect creative, driven and hardworking results from us over the next few years,” says Rebel Group MD Gavin Cooke.

Phillipou has an established background in running and managing several businesses and will be facilitating the growth of Rebel Elite Fitness, whilst maintaining its deep-rooted relationships with the health and fitness community. He is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer.

“I know that my experience and my skills are going to be a notable addition to this great company,” he says.

Van Gelder has been working with inov-8 for the last three years and has a BA degree, diploma in fitness and nutrition, as well as qualifications in sports coaching. He is also an accomplished athlete with several national titles in triathlon, duathlons, cycling and running. “I look forward to bringing the same levels of commitment and competitiveness from my career as an athlete to this new challenge,” says Van Gelder, who has been an advocate for inov-8 technical since 2010.

Lloyd Pereira is now the Southern African agent for Mustad and distributor of Mako eyewear through his new MustFish SA agency.

Pereira was formerly with AJF Agencies, who will now be concentrating on the diving market under the Cressi SA name.

MustFish has also appointed Big Catch as a new Mustad distributing agent. The other South African distributors of this well-known hook brand from Norway are The Kingfisher, Okuma Fishing Africa (formerly Akals) Fred Tucker Agencies, Mia’s Angling & Scuba, Ophirton Trading and W.E.T. Sports Importers.

Former adidas owner, industrialist, cabinet minister, actor, pop singer, Formula Three racing driver and jailbird, Bernard Tapie, was arrested by Paris police earlier this year for alleged fraud related to the sale of adidas in the early 1990’s. Tapie had bought adidas in 1989 for 1.6-bn franks, after Horst Dassler, son of adidas founder Adi Dassler, died and the company went through a difficult period.

Tapie was, at the time, renowned for buying bankrupt companies, renegotiating their debts, laying off part of their workforce and reselling them for vast profits.

In 1992, while in government as minister of Urban Affairs, Tapie asked the bank Crédit Lyonnais to sell adidas, setting a minimum price. The bank concealed that it had sold the company to itself at the minimum price. It subsequently resold adidas in 1993 to Robert Louis-Dreyfus, a friend of Tapie and shareholder of Olympique de Marseille, for 4.485-bn and made €400-m profit. Tapie went bankrupt and in 1997 served 6 months of a 2-year sentence for bribery and match-fixing while he was president of the Olympique Marseille soccer club. In July 2008 Tapie received a €403-m settlement after a 15-year dispute with the French state bank over the sale of adidas. It is now alleged that then Parisian president Nicholas Sarkozy asked Lagarde’s office to ensure that the arbitration case was settled in favour of Tapie, in return for political support from the former left-wing politician during the 2007 presidential election.

Hi-Tec founder and chairman Frank van Wezel, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the UK sports industry. Although the Hi-Tec headquarters is now based in Amsterdam, the brand was born and grew globally while based in England.

Van Wezel, who also spends a lot of time in South Africa, was honoured by the UK industry for his “unrivalled dedication, passion and commitment to the UK and global sports industry.” According to Van Wezel the lifetime award delighted, but confused, him, because he has “only just got started.”

Hi-Tec’s key account manager in the UK, Russell Gilbert, also won the Salesman of the Year award and the brand’s consumer marketing campaign was highly commended.

Stefan Heinrich, former Asics general manager Austria, has been appointed in a position newly created by Asics Europe, namely head of emerging markets. South Africa, Russia, where Asics is experiencing strong growth, and the Middle East will report to him. “We see strong potential in growing the emerging markets in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, which is why we have created this new position,” says Alistair Cameron, CEO of Asics Europe.

Trevor Edwards took over as Nike Inc. brand president on July 1 from Charlie Denson, who will retire in January 2014 after 34 years with the brand. Denson had been Nike brand president since 2006. Edwards was Nike’s executive vice-president and category manager and will now head all category and geographic business units, including brands like Jordan, Hurley etc. Nike’s wholesale, retail and e-commerce operations will also report to Edwards. About a dozen senior management positions had been reorganised — most by promotions of senior managers from within Nike. This includes Roland Wolfram succeeding Joaquin Hidalgo as VP and GM of emerging markets. Wolfram used to be VP and GM of Nike soccer — a position that will now be filled

by Dermott Cleary, former VP and GM of Nike sportswear. Former VP & GM of global running, Jayme Martin, has been promoted to VP & GM of global categories, while Patrick Seehafer (former VP Converse footwear) succeeds Martin as head of global running. Gary de Stefano, president global operations, will also retire.

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg is an ambassador for the Trident cricket team participating in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which started 30 July in the Caribbean this year.

He is pictured here wearing the TK clothing. All 6 teams in the CPL have chosen TK as their clothing supplier.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

Brands on the move

p4 :: Industry

Kevro launches brands KEVRO SPORT launched two of their sports brands, Acelli and BRT, at Markex in June. Acelli is a soccer clothing and equipment brand and BRT (Brand Real teams) is an off-field sport lifestyle range.

Kevro, a supplier of corporate and promotional clothing and gifts, acquired six technical sports brands and established Kevro Sports as a subsidiary in 2012. The other brands, Brutal Rugby, Garret Athletics, Blackheath Hockey and Sevenn Netball, will be launched in October.

The Acelli box sets of 14 shirts and shorts are especially popular with soccer teams and the top quality Acelli match ball is thermo bonded (replacing stitching), has a laminated bladder, as well as built-in foam cushioning.

The BRT lifestyle collection includes tracksuits, golf shirts, shorts, jackets, bags, etc.

New Manchester United kit NIKE has launched the FA Premier League Champions, Manchester United’s new home kit. The United kit is inspired by elements of the club’s history and the city’s industrial heritage.

The shirt features a black tailored collar, with three front buttons and one in the back, which represents the city’s style. It has seams that are supported by T-bars as well as inner welded seams with a clean finish that results in a striking appearance, increased comfort and performance.

The shorts are white with a thin black stripe on the back hem. The socks are black with a white strip bound by two red stripes. The traditional United bar scarf design can also be found on the back of the sock.

The Nike Pro Combat baselayers (long or short sleeve) can be worn underneath the kit. They are made with sweat wicking fabric that helps ventilation in hot or cold conditions. The slider shorts’ extra padding and thigh protection also absorbs impact.

New BVB kit from Puma PUMA has introduced the new BVB home shirt for the 2013/14 season and planted 80 645 yellow flowers in the shape of the new kit at Dortmund’s Westfalen Park, to symbolise the average number of spectators at the club’s home games.

The shirt is in the classic yellow and black club colours with a subtle plaid print on the front and it has two black stripes on either side. The collar is a V- and round neck combination design, while a Puma logo and BVB emblem with two symmetrical stars (which represent the five Bundesliga championship titles won by the club) are also featured on the front of the shirt.

The shirt is made of high quality polyester and has good moisture management properties. The shirt forms part of the Puma KING collection and features their high performance dryCELL technology.

Dortmund’s new away shirt is black with yellow details and made to the same standard as the home kit. The third shirt is identical to the home goalkeeper shirt, but is grey and white.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Liverpool kit from Warrior WARRIOR has launched the 2013/2014 Liverpool FC away kit. Its design was inspired by the club’s 1981 white and red League Cup-winning kit.

The shirt is more modern and features an eye-catching diamond print on the neckline that draws attention to the bottom half. An embroidered Liver bird crest has been placed on the shirt’s front and on the back of the neck are two commemorative eternal flames and a 96 logo. The shirt also features contrast detailing on the sleeves, similar to that on the home kit.

The kit uses War-Tech, Warrior’s apparel technology system fabric that is breathable and has moisture-wicking capabilities. Four-way stretch mesh paneling under the arms and across the shirt’s back, allows ventilation, added comfort and temperature control in the main heat areas.

Adidas Black is Back Pirates shirt ADIDAS has introduced the new Orlando Pirates home and away kit for the 2013/14 season that will make its first field appearance at the CAF Champions League game against the AC Leopards of the Congo at the Orlando Stadium on the 20th July 2013.

The home kit is again in the traditional black. The Black is Back campaign, which will be running well into the 2013/14 season, was introduced via a teaser video campaign before the kit launch. This uses “strong and starkly contrasting campaign imagery to play up the heritage of the colour and its symbolism to the fans,” says Lauren Haakman, adidas South Africa Brand Manager.

The home kit has a V-neck with red piping, and the three stripes on the shoulders, shorts and the players’ names and numbers, are in silver, not white, as usual. The away shirt remains red and has the same design as the home kit.

The kits feature adidas technologies such as Techfit, designed to improve players’ endurance, speed and awareness by stabilising the muscles and focusing energy for high performance. This helps players to generate explosive acceleration and deliver maximum power output.

The addition of ClimaCool technology provides a mixture of heat and moisture control fabrics, ventilation channels and 3D fabrics to increase airflow that cools down the athlete in essential areas.

p6 :: Industry

Rosina school wins Nike title ROSINA SEDIBANE SPORTS SCHOOL won the 20th Manchester United Premier Cup South Africa finals at the Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto earlier in June. By beating Supersport United FC 1-0, Rosina won the chance to represent South Africa at the World Finals being held in Manchester in August this year, organised by Nike.

Eight of the best U15 soccer teams competed for the title, with both semi-finals decided on a penalty shoot-out.

Supersport United FC beat fourth placed Mamelodi Sundowns FC 6-5 and Rosina FC beat the SAFA School of Excellence 5-4.

Jockey joins soccer upliftment JOCKEY joined forces with former Banyana captain Amanda Dlamini in her community upliftment projects, coaching young girls to become future soccer stars.

Jockey sponsored 200 young girls to attend the first event in Harding, KwaZulu Natal.The day-long programme, presented by the 24-year-old who recently resigned as the national team captain to focus on community education, included life skill mentoring with the help of Love Life, as well as teaching the basics of soccer. Dlamini also shared her life journey from humble beginnings to leading the national team.

Brands

Mille freestylers stay with the play

THE MILLE FREESTYLERS concept, launched during the 2013 Kia Street Soccer Tournament, has evolved into an on-going project involving the talented Chris Njokwana (pictured) and Mzu Madela, who perform fantastic tricks using soccer balls.

Kitted out in Mille’s free fitting, comfortable street gear, the two freestylers showcase what the brand slogan stay with the play means.

Mille is distributed in South Africa by Skye Distribution.

Mille has also put together a champion pack for the 30 players and 10 coaches who participate in the Kia Street Soccer provincial finals.

The packs include a Mille T-shirt featuring Golden Arrows logo, shin guards and a full tracksuit packaged together in a Mille drawstring bag.

on the move

Industry :: p7

Fila grow tennis involvement

New running designs from Nike

FILA have renewed their sponsorship of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

The multi-year apparel and footwear sponsorship is the most comprehensive to date for the brand, distributed by Footwear Trading in South Africa.

It includes the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an annual ATP World Tour event held last week, the Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend (held July 13th), and The Legends Ball, an annual gala event hosted in New York City during the US Open.

Tournament ball kids, volunteers, and staff at the events will wear Fila apparel and footwear, including the brand new Fila Sentinel sneaker.

Fila’s tennis range will also be sold in the Hall of Fame Tennis Club Pro Shop and retail stores year-round. There will be a Fila retail shop on-site, featuring the company’s latest tennis, fitness, and lifestyle apparel.

Iconic Fila tennis apparel pieces will also be showcased in the museum collection. These will include displays featuring Bjorn Borg’s Fila Wimbledon apparel, outfits worn by Kim Clijsters in Grand Slam finals, and images of memorable moments from champions like Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, and Jennifer Capriati in Fila.

Fila are also a sponsor of the Sony Open and the BNP Paribas Open. They also sponsor many top ATP World Tour and WTA players.

NIKE unveiled four new running technologies in their nature amplified range. Two new running shoes were introduced — the Nike Free Flyknit and the Nike Free Hyperfeel — along with two new apparel technologies, Aeroloft and Dri-FIT Knit.

The high quality materials and construction of the boots in this catagory ensure that these models offer the performance and durability needed as well as comfort and stability.

Vioz Plus

Kartal offer “Blanks” THE KARTAL DISTRIBUTION is now offering a brand new range of in-stock blank t-shirts, hoodies and crew-neck sweaters appropriately named Blanks, which they can personalise for club, school, corporate, promotional and even individual use. They can embroider, screen print, digitally print or flock (a one-colour alternative to screen printing) logos and any other images or information on the blanks range of garments.

New Ranger GT

Puma FAAS range extended PUMA has extended their FAAS running shoe range with new ladies’ and men’s’ models. The men’s FAAS 100 R is aimed at the runner who wants to feel light and fast as well as get the most out of the ground beneath his feet.

It is ideal for training and has the least amount of cushioning compared to other shoes in the line. It has a 0mm heelto-toe drop and lightweight FaasFoam+ in the midsole provides increased resiliency and comfort.

Ordesa Marron

Zanskar Lady

Skins at Freshpak Fitness Festival SKINS will be the official compression brand of choice at the Freshpak Fitness Festival 2013, taking place on 5 October 2013 in Clanwilliam. The festival is more than 20 years old and features multiple fitness events, including the Spirit Triathlon, consisting of an 800m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

Tel: 021 532 0855

www.traversegear.co.za

p8 :: Industry

Companies

K-Way receives award K-WAY, a division of Cape Union Mart, was recently awarded the 2013 Best LEAN Team Award for the Western Cape, which recognises the performance of a manufacturing firm participating in the four-year long Clothing and Textile Competitive Improvement Programme (CTCIP) in each province.

In March 2010 K-Way received the Best Practice Award for excellence in World Class Manufacturing at the Western Cape Government’s Cape Clothing and Textiles Cluster (CCTC) AGM. The CTCIP facilitators annually select winners based on criteria that include the firm’s level of participation in programme activities, its level of commitment to a LEAN manufacturing culture and continuous improvement, feedback from expert consultants on-site and, most importantly, the firm’s performance as measured through a variety of World Class Manufacturing KPI’s.

Since K-Way entered the CTCIP’s LEAN Manufacturing Project two years ago the factory’s overall repair rate improved from more than

International sport brands

10% to less than 2%, overall absenteeism has been reduced from 5% to 3%, overall on-time delivery has improved significantly, the reject rate has improved from more than 2% to less than 0.8% in 2012, and to below 0.3% in 2013, efficiency levels have improved from less than 65% to more than 85% in 2012, and to more than 95% in 2013, employment increased by 8% in 2012 and 10% in 2013.

James Gilbert SA liquidated JAMES GILBERT SA (JGSA) was placed in liquidation on 22 May 2013. Its current assets were R6.9-m — including R4.3-m owed by debtors and stock worth R1.7-m. Their liabilities are R48.5-m, which includes loans of R35-m and R13-m owed to the trade. The liquidator is RMG Trust.

Leisure Holdings officially took over the South African distributorship of the Gilbert brand at the beginning of 2013, including the sponsorship of the Springbok rugby ball. A skeleton staff had been working at the JGSA premises since the end of 2012 to finalise orders and distribution.

During 2010 the 15-year relationship between Gilbert and the Blue Bulls Company (BBCo) came to an end when the Bulls started looking for a new sponsor because they said JGSA failed to provide Currie Cup kit on time. This resulted in numerous unsuccessful court cases in which JGSA attempted to prevent the Bulls from buying kit from other sources, or appointing Puma as the new Bulls sponsor. This ended in arbitration at the end of 2011, during which the JGSA applications were dismissed, with costs.

TransAfrica Holdings, owner of JGSA, had appointed former Canterbury SA MD Paul Zacks as CEO of TransAfrica Sport in 2012, with one of his functions to restructure and incorporate JGSA into the TransAfrica Sport structures. Zacks left in the beginning of 2013.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Akals now Okuma Fishing Africa THE FISHING tackle distributorship known to the industry as Akals, or the Midas Group, is now named Okuma Fishing Africa. This is to bring South Africa in line with the international trend of naming multi-brand distributorships after this very popular fishing brand.

“From its humble beginnings in the early 1980’s, Okuma is now one of the largest reel manufacturers in the world,” says Lionel Crow of Okuma Fishing Africa. They are, for example, known for their innovative patented Elliptical Oscillation System (EOS), and industry leading Blade Body Design, Dual Force Drag (DFD), etc.

“There has been enormous success with Okuma in the international arena,” he says, and mentions the renaming of distributorships to Okuma Fishing in the US, Europe and Australia.

SALES of American sporting goods, clothing and footwear grew 7% in 2012 to $59.2-bn, according to the NSGA Sporting Goods Market report. Hunting and firearms sales grew the most (28%) in the equipment category, while jogging/running shoes grew most (23%) in the footwear category. Equipment sales comprise 50% of sporting goods sales, footwear 33% and clothing 17%.

Smith & Wesson, locally distributed by Nicholas Yale, grew sales 37% to $178.7-m in the 4th quarter, when compared to the 4th quarter the previous year.

Gross profit for the period was $68.5-m, or 38% of sales, compared to a profit of $46.9-m in the 4th quarter of the previous year. Operating expenses was 12% of net sales, compared to 16.3% the previous year. The drop in expenses as a percentage of sales is attributed to higher sales and controlled spending.

American sports footwear and clothing brands have experienced good growth in 2013, with Under Armour reporting 23%, Skechers 12%, Brooks 21% and Nike 4% growth.

Wolverine Worldwide earnings grew 12.2% due to earnings from newer brands such as Keds, Saucony, Sperry Top-Sider and Stride Rite and adjusted revenues are up 5.5% for the quarter.

Revenue for the fiscal quarter ended 15 June was at $587.8-m, an 88.0% increase when compared to last year’s $312.7-m.

Pentland Group, which includes brands like Canterbury, Mitre, Speedo, Lacoste, etc increased revenues by 14.2% from 2012, with brand sales growing 6.8%.

The London Olympics was a boost to sales — especially for Speedo, says CEO Andy Rubin, but the growth also reflects the global investments the group made over the past decade. While Speedo is owned by Pentland, Warnaco is the licensee for the US, Mexico and Caribbean.

Under Armour Inc reported a 23% increase in revenues to $455-m in the second quarter, with net income increasing 16% to $18-m. This is attributed to new baselayer products and the development of the Storm and Charged Cotton platforms. Footwear grew 21%, to $82-m as a result of the good performance of the Highlight soccer cleat and the UA Spine platform. Accessories grew 30% and direct to consumer sales grew 29%. Net revenues for 2013 are expected to be

on the move $2.23-$2.25-bn.

Skechers US Inc sales grew 11.5% in the second quarter to $428.2-m. Sales for the first half of 2013 were $ 879.9-m, compared to $735.3-m for the same period in 2012. Earnings from operations reached $17.2-m. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2013 was $194.9-m or 45.5% of net sales, compared to $171.3-m, or 44.6% of net sales for the second quarter of last year.

Brooks Running Company reported a 21% total global sales growth by 30 July 2013. The company’s net domestic (US) revenue rose 19% and their international business grew revenues 29% (year-on-year). European sales were up by 34% in local currency, as reported

by SportsOneSource.

Brooks apparel also grew 20% gains, and as the #2 apparel brand in specialty running stores (SRA’s), Brooks gained the most market share in these stores this year.

Brooks says the growth reflected gains in three styles in the neutral and guidance categories. Sales of the Ravenna 4, Ghost 6 and Glycerin 11 grew by 56%, 55% and 58% respectively. In lightweight, Brooks grew its retail dollar market share at SRAs by 4% to 39%, maintaining its #1 spot.

Nike Inc revenues grew 7% to $6.7-bn for the 4th quarter that ended 31 May 2013. Full 2013 fiscal year revenues grew 8% to $25.3-bn.

Fourth quarter Nike brand income grew 8% with growth in all product categories and all regions, except Western Europe and Greater China. In the 4th quarter growth was higher in running, basketball, men’s training and women’s training, offsetting slight declines in sportswear, action sports and soccer — where growth was lower compared to the strong sales before the 2012 European Football Championships.

During the 2013 fiscal year Nike sold Umbro and Cole Haan to focus on driving growth for the Nike, Jordan, Converse and Hurley brands.

In Emerging Markets (including South Africa) 2013 fiscal revenues grew 9% to $3.4-m, with footwear sales grew 8% to $2.4-m, apparel sales grew 13% to $815 000, equipment to $209 000.

Not all brands enjoyed a growth period this year.

Puma suffered a 33.3% drop in earnings for the second quarter, with sales dropping 4% on a currency adjusted basis to €692-m. Sales in all regions were down. A 4.7% decline was experienced by the EMEA, with currency adjusted sales of $351.1-m.

European sales fell 8% as a result of undesirable currency effects, notably in countries like

Argentina, Japan and South Africa.

Footwear sales decreased by 7.3% currency adjusted to $435.6-m for the second quarter.

The brand’s lifestyle category performed well, while motorsport did not follow predictions and teamsport sales were also down. Apparel sales dropped 6.8% to $299.6-m and lifestyle and fitness category sales remained lower than expected.

Accessory sales grew 10.9% to $179.5-m, due to positive performances from socks and bodywear. The Cobra Puma Golf category experienced double-digit growth.

In the first 6 months of 2013 footwear sales decreased by 7.5% to €703m and apparel sales dropped 3.8% to €483-m. Accessories 11.4% growth to €288-m.

Sales in the EMEA decreased 4.8% currency adjusted to €614m in the first half of 2013.

The company has closed under-performing stores, opened new profitable stores and developed their e-commerce platform, all of which has resulted in increased retail performance. Retail sales have improved by 3.4% currency adjusted to €149m in the second quarter and climbed by 8.1% to €284 (representing 19.3% of total sales) for the first half of 2013.

International outdoor brands More Americans participated in more outdoor activities during 2012 than in any year before, with off-road triathlon growing the most (40%) from 2008-2012, reports the Outdoor Foundation.

Approximately 141.9-m Americans participated in outdoor activities in 2012. Adventure racing (up 35%), traditional triathlon (30%), skiing (22%), boardsailing (18%) and hunting (17%) also showed significant participation growth.

Despite increased participation financial results from some major American outdoor companies show that the global economic decline is still having an impact on the market. Sales of both Columbia and Jarden Corporation dropped in the second quarter of 2013.

VF Corporation’s revenue, however, grew 4% to $2.2-bn in the second quarter, based on strong sales in their outdoor, action sports, international and direct-to-consumer businesses. Operating income grew 22% increase to $206-m and net income was also up 16% to $142-m (on an adjusted basis).

The company’s Outdoor & Action Sports category (including brands like The North Face, Van’s, Timberland and Jansport) grew revenue 6% to $1.1-bn, reflecting stable growth in the US as well as the international markets.

Industry :: p9

Revenue for The North Face grew 5% on a global scale, while revenues for the second quarter were up 10% in Europe. Vans continues to do well as one of VF’s fastest growing and profitable brands, reflecting a 20% increase in the company’s European business. The Timberland brand was down 3% in the second quarter, with continuing challenging conditions in Europe resulted in a low double-digit percentage decline.

International revenues for the second quarter increased by 6%, but European revenues only had a 2% increase, due to tough economic conditions having an impact on the Timberland brand. The Vans and The North Face brands experienced a 44% and 13% increase due to direct-to-consumer revenue increasing in the quarter.

Columbia Sportswear‘s net sales dropped 3% to $280.5-m for the quarter that ended 30 June 2013. Net sales in the EMEA decreased 24% to $53.1-m, with apparel, accessories and equipment declining by 2% to $235.7-m, while footwear net sales declined by 9% to $44.8-m.

The Columbia brand’s net sales dropped 3% to $252.5-m and Mountain Headwear’s were 5% down to $22.5m. The Sorel brand maintained a constant $2.9-m in net sales.

Jarden Corporation reported a second quarter decline in its Outdoor Solutions segment, which includes 21 sporting goods brands like Coleman, ExOfficio, K2, Marmot, Zoot, Rawlings, Shakespeare and other fishing brands that form part of the Pure Fishing division.

The outdoor segment generated $741.1-m in sales for the period ending 30 June, compared to $747.3-m in the comparable period in 2012. Segment earnings declined 6.9% and operating earnings declined 10.4%. It was the first time in a few years that the company’s combined sales of Consumer Solutions and Branded Consumables segments, which sell a variety of products for the home, outperformed the Outdoor Solutions segment.

The European outdoor brand sector continues to grow well relative to the economy, with a low single digit growth overall in Europe, according to research from the latest phase of the ongoing market research programme by the European Outdoor Group (EOG). Increases have been seen in apparel, backpacks, luggage and climbing equipment whilst performance in footwear and climbing equipment categories were mixed.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

PUMA urges youths to Love thy Planet

p10 :: Industry

Ronald Rink, PUMA SA MD, talks about their success in the youth market, the brand’s environmental leadership, and their strategies in the different product categories

P

UMA SA’s focus on the youth market and sustainable manufacturing has paid off. In a time when international sales graphs point downwards, South Africa continues the upward growth path that started 12 years ago when PUMA replaced the local distributorship with a subsidiary office.

“PUMA SA is still the largest contributor to our region of EEMEA/India, and an important contributor to PUMA's global business,” says local MD Ronald Rink. “PUMA SA has performed strongly every year since 2001, up to and including 2013.”

He describes PUMA as a “performance and youth lifestyle brand that infuses sustainability, design and fashionability into its products, with our primary focus being the youth market.”

Instead of waiting for the youth to find PUMA product on shelves, they took the brand out to where the young party. At the PUMA Social Club in Johannesburg they offer after hour sports like foosball or pool, with live music acts, dancing and a place where young people can chill out.

“PUMA Social Club has allowed us to interact closely with our target market,” says Rink. “It has allowed us to showcase what PUMA lifestyle is and means to PUMA as a brand. The campaign continues, but the club will be closed towards the end of September to make way for some new ideas.”

Another on-going platform they use to interact with their young target market is the Creative Factory workshops,

Usain Bolt transcends his sport. He has recently appeared in other cross category advertising campaigns for PUMA where consumers are invited to come and create their own designs on PUMA product.

“The three Creative Factory events we have hosted so far have been very successful,” says Rink. “People like to come out and be part of their own individual creation, together with PUMA. Their creations are unique and we simply facilitate the process. The Creative Factory serves to keep us close to our market and keep the brand front of mind in collaboration and design for the individual.”

The theme of the third Creative Factory was Love thy Planet, which ties in with PUMA’s support of the environment. The designs were, for example, developed with the sun on T-shirts with non-harmful light sensitive ink.

“The shirts were made in Rukinga in Kenya and represent our commitment to sustainability and Africa,” explains Rink.

Sustainability Globally, PUMA has become associated with values like environmental responsibility and more sustainable manufacturing.

“The Clever Little Bag, the implementation of our PUMA.Safe policies in our supply chain and the production of the first environmental P & L are very important, not just to us, but also as catalysts for our industry, and other industries, to drive change in their systems and improve the business model to the benefit of the planet and everyone in it,” says Rink.

The PUMA Clever Little Bag concept, which

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

uses 65% less cardboard than a traditional shoe box, won them a packaging design award. The cardboard container is kept in shape by a branded recyclable woven polyester bag that is heat sealed to reduce work and waste. It is estimated that this concept saved 8,500 tons of paper, 20-m mega joules of electricity, a million liters fuel oil and a million liters of water — and by using the PUMA bag instead of traditional shopping bags is expected to save almost 275 tons of plastic.

PUMA was hailed as a groundbreaker by environmentalists when they published their first EP & L (environmental profit and loss account) in 2011 and the UK government used their report as a case study in the environmental white paper prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An environmental P&L account looks at direct and indirect environmental impacts from a company’s business operations, including its supply chain, from sourcing to supply.

The InCycle fully-biodegradable or recyclable collection, launched in March this year, earned PUMA a Cradle to Cradle certificate.

The Basket Biodegradable, a sneaker-style shoe that fully degrades to compost, was also sold in South Africa.

They also introduced Bring it Back bins in stores where consumers can return old footwear and clothing from any brand to be recycled or re-used.

The PUMA.Safe concept, which has been in place for many years, focuses on environmental and social issues in the workplace, and again covers the whole supply chain.

These values are equally rigorously applied in South Africa, where Rink says their focus on local production is a major strength and “while this does not yet encompass the entire range, it is a growing component. The fact

Product categories

The Creative Factory keep us close to our market and keep the brand front of mind in design that we are a multi-category brand is a major asset and allows us to explore and maximise opportunities in the areas in which we focus.”

Globally, the factories they use are monitored to ensure that they pass the sustainability test — even in the raw materials used, like PUMA-approved CHT inks used in screenprinting and heat transfer processes, and environmentally friendly detergents.

The Impahla Factory that manufactures apparel for PUMA in the Western Cape, for example, was certified carbon neutral in 2009 — one of the reasons why PUMA decided to give this company Strategic Partner status.

Impahla proudly report the status of their carbon footprint and steps they take to ensure environmentally responsible manufacturing on their website, and also make their sustainability reports for the last few years available for all to read. They post the results of their carbon footprint per garment and per employee, monitored according to six key issues like the use of electricity and solar power, fuel, travel, water and waste.

PUMA also manufacture footwear locally, for example at the Jordan & Co factory in Cape Town.

International changes Internationally, PUMA has not only had a few changes in leadership, but the holding company, PPR, has also changed its name to Kering. Former adidas executives Björn Gulden (CEO) and Andy Koehler (COO and SCO) were recently appointed to head the brand, following several executive changes, including the departure of former CEO Franz Koch and Supply Chain Officer (SCO) Reiner Seiz.

Koch became CEO in 2011 when Jochen Zeitz, PUMA CEO since 1993, was appointed

The lifestyle and performance categories are equally important for PUMA SA — and in the performance category, there are various categories that are equally important for.

In soccer their sponsorship of South African PSL teams Moroka Swallows and Jomo Cosmos have gained them exposure to loyal fans.

PUMA has traditionally been a strong player in African soccer, says Rink, and this year they also became the official supplier of AFCON. They sponsor 11 African national teams, including Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, etc. — making them the brand with the strongest African footprint. “The associations we have with our marketing assets has reinforced that positioning and made it easier to penetrate Africa,” he says.

Among the international teams they sponsor, 2006 FIFA World Cup winners Italy, will again ensure good shirt sales during the World Cup period next year. They have also entered into a deal with Latin American retailer Centauro to sell participating African team shirts during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

In rugby they sponsored three of the five South African teams that played in the last Super 15 — the Bulls, Cheetahs and Kings. This ensured a strong brand positioning in rugby and the obvious spin-off in replica and rugby sales in general.

The protracted legal battles initiated by the former Bulls sponsor, Gilbert, initially cost them sales because they had to delay the delivery of replica shirts for almost a full season. But, subsequently, the sponsorship has been very successful for both brands, says Rink. “The Bulls partnership is an extremely important one for us and we work well together. When that happens, one plays for mutual benefit.”

The fact that the Kings were knocked out of the Super 15 with only a 2-point deficit in the relegation matches, will not impact on PUMA’s sponsorship agreement with the Eastern Province side, as the deal was signed before there was any discussion of them playing Super Rugby. “It was signed beyond the promotion relegation period and without it in mind.”

The size 15’s worn by the likes of Schalk Burger and other big guys like Tendai Beast Mtawarira or Andries Bekker has given PUMA a massive footprint in rugby, with players like

Fourie du Preez, Francois Hougaard and Gio Aplon bringing them up to speed.

And sponsoring the fastest man in the world can be nothing but an asset, says Rink. “Usain Bolt transcends running for PUMA. For logical reasons, he appears in our running campaigns, but he has more recently appeared in other performance and cross category campaigns. He transcends his sport.”

This was again demonstrated when Bolt was guest of honour at a Jamaica Party hosted by PUMA at Moscow’s Gorky Park in the week before he was to defend his sprint titles at the 2013 IAAF World Championships. Fans flocked to the Caribbean event — as much to see their hero, as to party to the reggae music in the PUMA Social Club.

“Our motorsport category continues to be a strong driver of performance with our assets like Ferrari, BMW, Mercedes, Mini, and more recently, global Rally-cross,” says Rink.

Golf is a very competitive market, but PUMA Cobra Golf, acquired by PUMA in 2010, continues to grow every year, he says. “We have a strong team and the brand’s unique positioning, product innovations and portfolio of assets has ensured continued growth.”

Among the assets are tour pro’s like Jesper Parnevik, Ian Poulter, Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt, Lexi Thompson, South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, and others.

Cricket is a more recent sport product category, including cricket bats, which Rink says is an important part of their overall cricket business. Apart from high profile player signings like AB de Villiers, Matthew Wade, Adam Gilchrist, Yuvraj Singh, Andrew Flintoff, Craig Kieswetter, Luke Wright, and several more, PUMA also sponsors the IPL teams Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In 2014, there will be some major product introductions — but it is still a bit early to divulge, says Rink. EvoSpeed remains an important technology across all product ranges and “as always, we can expect on-going new technological introductions in season and out.”

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

PUMA EvoSpeed FG boots.

chairman and joined the PPR management team, heading a new business unit of brands built around the PUMA label.

PPR, a French company specialising in luxury brands like Gucci, bought PUMA in 2007 for $7bn. In July this year the company was renamed Kering, to “reflect a new reality”, according to CEO Francois-Henri Pinault. While PUMA’s international profits have been on a slippery slide the past few years, all these changes have had “no impact whatsoever” on the performance of PUMA SA, says Rink.

If anything, the PPR/Kering association has had a positive influence on their lifestyle business — specifically with the brand’s collaborations with designers like Alexander McQueen, Mihara and so on, he adds.

Jesper Parnevik plays with PUMA Cobra Golf.

Industry :: p11

p12 :: Industry

Exciting year ahead for

New Balance There are many exciting developments in the pipeline, says New Balance SA MD, Gary van Rooyen — for example their marketing campaigns and product developments to celebrate their Comrades Marathon sponsorship.

B

eing the new Comrades Marathon 2014 sponsor is but one of the exciting things New Balance SA is looking forward to in the coming year.

Having grown the brand in South Africa by something like 600% over the past thirteen years, Gary van Rooyen and his team are keen to tackle the next big challenge. This will be to build innovative marketing campaigns around the iconic Comrades brand.

“It is a massive step for our brand,” says Van Rooyen. “We are planning a wonderful teaser campaign from October onwards — the Road to Comrades.”

A Comrades shoe, similar to those New Balance developed for the New York, Boston and Rotterdam marathons, will be launched. The shoes, in the Comrades colours, with the route printed on the side of the sole, a logo on the back and the South African flag on the inner lining, are expected to become cherished memorabilia for race participants.

When not maximizing their association with Comrades, the South African team will also be doing their bit in support of New Balance’s global thrust to become the world’s #3 athletic sporting goods brand.

Bigger family Internationally New Balance has become much more than just a running footwear and apparel brand, explains Van Rooyen.

The bigger New Balance family, for example, includes the DryDock division, housing prime lifestyle and fashion footwear brands like Cob Hill, Dunham and Aravon. They also have Brine sports equipment (hockey, lacrosse, soccer balls etc.) and PF Flyers sneakers.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Warrior, which started as a lacrosse and ice hockey brand, last year became a global player in the soccer market when they took over the Liverpool sponsorship. In South Africa, Warrior is also making inroads into rugby.

Thirty-five years ago 90% of their business was concentrated in the US — now it is 60% US and 40% international. “In the next 5 years that will change around,” predicts Van Rooyen. “There is a big focus on developing markets like Russia, India, Brazil, South America and Africa.”

Heidi Klum’s fitness and lifestyle range will be going into bigger retailers in 2014. She was co-designer of the technical apparel clothing, but the lifestyle garments were designed by her alone.

The brand’s international profile is further strengthened by the ranges developed by their international product developer, Tom Carleo, formerly with Nike, which are now coming onto the market.

“These New Balance products can truly compete with the best in the world,” says Van Rooyen. “We can now honestly say we have products to back the brand.”

He tested this claim by inviting some local retail buyers to a blind testing of the top shoes from several of the major running brands.

They were asked to rank the shoes they tried on blindfolded according to certain criteria

like comfort, cushioning, stability, etc. — and New Balance achieved one of the top scores, if not the best, every time.

Four pillars Apart from running, New Balance will be growing the brand globally along three other important pillars: Women have become a strong focus — especially with super model Heidi Klum’s fitness and lifestyle range going into bigger retailers in 2014. “She designed her own gym range,” says Van Rooyen. “She was co-designer of the technical apparel clothing, but the lifestyle garments were designed by her alone.”

Field of play is another pillar, encompassing cricket and tennis. In South Africa this will include a little hockey as well, while baseball and basketball are big focus areas for the brand in the US. Former national sales manager Grattan Rippon has been the given the chance to concentrate on his great love, cricket, by running this division for New Balance SA (see box).

With teams like the Cape Cobras, Free State Knights, Natal Dolphins and players like Dale Steyn, Justin Kemp and Robin Peterson, playing in New Balance, the brand is getting good exposure — especially with Dale Steyn assisting with the design of their bowling boot.

Internationally, players like Jonathan Trott and Pat Cummins also give feedback to ensure that their boots for batsmen and bowlers and bats — which include models in the top price range — are just what top level players need.

Former Western Province cricketer Kenny Jackson is part of the international cricket development process, including international

Industry :: p13

Globally, New Balance is busy establishing itself as the #3 athletic brand — a brand shift New Balance SA is supporting. As the new Comrades marathon sponsor, running will remain a prime focus for the next year, but the South African office is ready to grow on several fronts, say MD Gary van Rooyen

product and raw material sourcing.

In tennis Milos Raonic, the 22-year old Canadian ranked #13 in the ATP Tour at the end of 2012, wears New Balance clothing and footwear. He holds the record for the highest number of aces served. They are also targeting some of the other top players.

The fourth pillar is domestic manufacturing, especially in the UK and US, where they manufacture lifestyle clothing and retro classic footwear that are targeted at specialised A-level trendsetter stores, equivalent to Shelflife.

Running core Running, however, remains the core around which the brand revolves, and the Runnovation initiative is an exciting new development, says Van Rooyen.

Runnovation is running in all possible ways — trail running, road running, gym running, stair running, golf course running, etc. “We will be introducing the November Project, which aims to gather people together to engage in innovative, social running projects.

It started with a few graduates spending 30-50 minutes running up and down the 2 220 stairs of the Boston Harvard stadium every Wednesday. Word soon spread and soon hundreds of others came to test their mettle with the brutal workout. It grew into a spontaneous event, with New Balance providing branded water bottles, vouchers and spray-painting Tshirts with the November Project emblem as testimony that you completed the tough workout, and other sponsors providing food, etc.

Other spin-offs have been beach running, sprinting and various other group activities that add a new dimension to pavement pounding, says Van Rooyen.

Apart from the Comrades — a race that became synonymous with running with a heart and looking out for your comrades — New Bal-

New sales manager

Craig Bowen, former head of sports footwear market research at GfK South Africa, a global quantitative research organisation, has been appointed as the national sales manager of New Balance SA. He joined GfK in 2002 as a product specialist for consumer durable products, where he gained experience with retailers and suppliers of major domestic appliances, consumer electronics and DIY products. The experience of selling the GfK concept of tracking sales in these markets came in handy when in 2008 GfK was approached by an international sports brand to monitor the sports footwear market in South Africa.

Bowen was responsible for setting up the GfK Sports Panel in time for tracking the sales of footwear, especially soccer boots, over the 2010 FIFA World Cup period.

“Most of my work centred around market and trend analysis, forecasting and strategic merchandising,” says Bowen.

He completed his MBA and thesis titled “The effect of mass retail buying practices on competitiveness in the retail value chain” at the end of 2012. “The purpose of the study was to offer an insider’s view into the underlying drivers of competitiveness and sustainability and how generic strategies, market situations and the lack of systemic thinking ultimately effects all participants in the retail value chain,” Bowen explains.

Growing cricket Grattan Rippon, former national sales manager of New Balance SA, has been appointed cricket category manager for the brand.

Rippon, who joined New Balance SA as apparel manager in 2002, “grew up on the cricket field” and is currently the cricket chairman of Western Province cricket club. “Now that I am working in cricket for a living I can talk cricket day in and day out!” he says. “Although I was certainly no professional, I did play some premier league cricket during my national service.” His son Michael is a professional cricketer who has played for Holland, the Cobras and Sussex.

Before he joined New Balance, Rippon’s clothing company had been manufacturing clothing for the brand. This association started in 1990 and “when my son was born in 1991 I stuck a New Balance branded bat in his hand, which I had made locally, and had some special New Balance shoes made up for him to look the part,” he says.

After they launched the New Balance corporate apparel division in 2003, Rippon controlled the local apparel manufacturing for the brand in South Africa. He was appointed national sales manager in 2004 and became part of the executive team. “We only missed budget once in 10 years and that was when the UK changed our systems.”

New Balance had been involved in grass roots cricket in South Africa for more than 10 years and although the brand has now only officially launched their cricket category, it had been firmly established on the ground already. “This season is our first year in the cricket boots market and already there seems to be a demand for a boot that has been built on reputation,” says Rippon. “Our own Dale Steyn has done all the R & D work over the last 18 months.” ance SA is associated with numerous running events, especially off-road events like the Knysna Forest Marathon, Totalsports Xterra series, the multi-stage Pronutro African X team race, the PUFfeR, Fisherman’s Trail, etc.

The New Balance Multisport Club for runners, cyclists, mountain bikers, triathletes and paddlers — is one of the largest sport clubs in the Western Cape and they also sponsor Atlantic Tri Club (ATC) — the oldest and largest triathlon club in SA. In addition, Stuart Marais, one of the top tri-athletes on the World Xterra Tour and 2013

Knysna Forest Big 5 winner and world surfski champion Sean Rice, are New Balance athletes. They also sponsor top triathlete couple Claire and Kent Horner and their My Training Day online triathlon academy.

For more than 20 years New Balance was the brand “endorsed by no one”, after US basketball star James Worthy appeared in chains on the front pages of newspapers for soliciting prostitution just after he signed an endorsement contract with the brand. The policy of not featuring athletes in advertising campaigns has, however, been To p13

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p14 :: Industry

Changing of the guard at adidas SA Left: As national sales manager Roddy van Breda enjoyed the satisfaction of exceeding yearly targets — as MD he will be facing new challenges.

“T

he last 4-5 years have been an incredible journey with adidas,” says new adidas SA MD Roddy van Breda.

As sales director during a time when the brand’s sales growth maintained a pleasing upward curve, he had reason to enjoy job satisfaction. Reporting that sales — once again — exceeded ever higher targets, makes you a hero at sales meetings.

As he acknowledges: “it was an amazing life for someone in sales, because sales are easy when a brand is so strong.”

This year sales again exceeded their targets.

Well-known for his passion for endurance sport, Van Breda is a runner, triathlete, Ironman regular and a keen golfer, who lives the brand values.

After a working relationship of 15 years with adidas, he also has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the brand.

His association with adidas started in 1998 when he joined Ian Stadler at Pastel clothing, which then manufactured apparel for adidas.

He joined adidas SA officially in 2003, when Pastel became part of the company. From a purely apparel manufacturing and sales role, the merging of the two companies eventually exposed him to footwear and apparel marketing and sales, until he was appointed adidas SA sales director in 2005.

Credits others As MD he will be reporting to Osman Ayaz, MD of adidas Emerging Markets, not only on the progress of adidas in South Africa, but also on their penetration of other African markets.

Van Breda generously credits others with the brand’s success. “When Winand (Krawinkel) came in he just upped the level. It was great to learn from him,” he says.

Before Krawinkel’s arrival, the 2010 FIFA World Cup had a massive influence on adidas SA. Adidas head office dispatched a seasoned World Cup team to South Africa to assist with

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

‘Winand’s strength is that he thinks big. Our motto, Impossible is nothing, is true for him. He pushes boundaries and he has brought in a European style and his own touch’ the hereto unimaginable logistics of providing merchandise as an official event partner.

“It required a mind shift for the staff to be able to achieve at a different level — the global guys were in the offices for two years and it put adidas SA on the global map,” he says. As a result, “the confidence of the staff grew massively” as they were exposed to how adidas does things globally.

Krawinkel took over as MD at the beginning of the year after the World Cup. “Winand’s strength is that he thinks big. Our motto, Impossible is nothing, is true for him. He pushes boundaries and he has brought in a European style and left his own touch, for example, the revamp of the offices. People’s eyes light up as they walk in. It looks like a great company to work for — it is young and you can feel a great vibe.”

While Krawinkel had a strong marketing background, Van Breda’s obvious expertise is in sales. He admires his predecessor’s passion and ability to motivate people, but, he believes his strength lies in a more strategic approach.

He has, for example, been working close to their retail partners to ensure they deliver the right product for their specific cunstomers.

“We invite our retailers to our showrooms that are set up to tell inspiring stories behind each product and across different categories.

This inspires the retailers to share these stories with customers,” says Van Breda.

Although apparel and footwear are different

categories, they have combined them in one showroom, to show a complete look.

“We have been working with great products — but, in order to yield sales, it is really important to deliver the right products to the right channels,” he says.

Their association with the Two Oceans Marathon as official partner should open more of these right channels. At the Two Oceans Marathon Expo earlier this year, adidas could, for example, for the first time showcase all their top technical running products.

“It was an incredible expo,” says Van Breda.

“It was a new experience for our customers to note what technologies we are able to offer in that category.”

The Two Oceans coincided with the worldwide launch of their new Boost sole technology, which has been hailed as an industry-leading footwear technology. “The sell-through was incredible.”

Different strategies As a brand with strong product across many performance categories, as well as in the lifestyle fashion segment, they do not focus on one particular category at one time. “We have different strategies for different categories that are on-going.”

But, every four years, come the next World Cup, adidas’ worldwide focus zooms in on soccer and it becomes a leading category for the brand. The 2014 event in Brazil will be no different.

In South Africa, their soccer marketing has a local flavour with the extensive Black is Back campaign for Orlando Pirates — highlighting the club’s return to playing in their iconic all black kit, after a season playing their home games mainly in white.

Although he will no longer be directly responsible for sales, Van Breda is quite confident that the sales graph will continue its upward climb. “We have a great team in place, a very strong team, with great people.”

Industry :: p15

The promotion of former adidas SA MD Winand Krawinkel to a senior position at adidas headquarters in Germany, has led to the appointment of sales boffin and adidas SA stalwart Roddy van Breda as the new MD of the South African office. Krawinkel left South Africa with regret — but full of optimism about meeting the challenge of running adidas’ important Central Europe region

Right: In just 2½ years Winand Krawinkel made a big impact on the morale and performance of the adidas SA staff.

“I

loved living in South Africa!” says Winand Krawinkel wistfully. It is shortly before his departure from Cape Town for Herzogenaurach, Germany, where he will be working as the MD of the important adidas Central Europe division.

A huge leap up the corporate ladder from MD of adidas SA. But, ever since his arrival in South Africa 2 ½ years ago, it had been obvious that Krawinkel is going places … not that he anticipated that his departure from South Africa would come so soon. He seems genuinely sad to leave the country — and especially the people.

Multi-lingual, enthusiastic, energetic and keen to push the boundaries, Krawinkel is a natural leader and motivator — and was therefore a natural choice for such a significant position in the adidas Group.

He will be in charge of their biggest sales region Germany, as well as Austria, Switzerland, the Baltic states, Poland, Hungary, etc. — which is the heart of the adidas Group. Based at their headquarters, he will also be responsible for incorporating the Reebok structures for the region into one joint operating office.

Not an expat He blends into a community with ease, whether his native Germany, previous post in Italy, or Cape Town. For example, he hopes he will be remembered in South Africa because “I really embraced the culture. I did not live as an expat. I enjoyed and appreciated living here and saw the South African diversity as one of the country’s biggest strengths.”

He says that even in such a short time he developed a lot of respect for the country.

“Its beauty, its people — for me, everything starts with the people. The people I have met here have changed my life — the staff, even the gatekeepers (of the business park) who are now wearing adidas clothing, our external partners … I am very grateful to our customers who are very strong partners.”

‘Roddy embodies the qualities I admire so much in South Africans: hardworking, well-grounded, authentic and straightforward.’

He associates South Africans with traits like positivity, authenticity and openness — which he admires. His successor as MD of adidas SA, Roddy van Breda, “embodies the qualities I admire so much in South Africans: hard-working, grounded, authentic and straight-forward.”

And he relished the South African outdoor lifestyle. “The proximity to nature is overwhelming. People embrace nature, and live so close to nature.”

Another Krawinkel legacy will be the sophisticated interior design of the adidas SA head office, with an international feel, celebrating not only the brand’s history, but also their athletes, in pictures.

“The people associated with adidas are our partners, not a gallery of sponsored athletes,” he says. “They have embraced adidas as a premium brand and are proud to wear the three stripes. We have to celebrate our partners.”

Last year, they began inviting adidas athletes to the office for kit handovers, etc., giving staff members the opportunity to meet and mingle with the celebrity athletes sponsored by the brand, strengthening the partnership.

In their showrooms they emphasise a whole look by showing how different colour-coded footwear, clothing and accessory elements can tell one story, instead of having the traditional separate showrooms for footwear and clothing.

“We show the concept, the idea of the look.

This is not possible if you just show one shoe.”

In the industry, Krawinkel will be remembered as the guy who steered adidas SA on a steep growth path, continuing the 2010 FIFA World Cup growth with “beautiful sales

growth, just beautiful.”

He came to South Africa in the beginning of 2011 and “it was important to keep the foot on the accelerator, to use the (growth) momentum generated by the World Cup in a channelled way. It was a good platform for a great start.”

Krawinkel side-steps all questions on actual growth figures, deflecting them by saying adidas SA “over-achieved our targets in all categories. The last 2 ½ years we’ve put numbers and targets on the table and we’ve been way ahead every time. We achieved the targets and set new goals, which we passed again.

The strategies worked sooner than what we expected.”

He credits the whole management team with this success, saying his role was to provide strategic input. The company is in a great shape, with the South African office one of the most efficient in the group, he continues. “It is a good time to hand over.”

But, he laughs, as sales manager Van Breda and his team were treated like kings at all sales meetings because they exceeded their targets — as MD it will be different.

Winning strategy Krawinkel believes that one of the adidas strategies that helped deliver excellent results is their differentiating marketing approach.

The Style and Performance categories each have their own marketing and sales aligned strategies. The soccer, running, cricket, etc. in the Performance category, are marketed completely separately from the trendy lifestyle items in their Originals range, which even has its own logo.

“This is our winning strategy, this gives us our competitive edge. We offer a strong brand in style and technical competency for the serious athlete.”

It is too early to determine the impact of their Two Oceans Marathon sponsorship on growth figures. But, running growth after the first event exceeded their To p15

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p16 :: Industry

New Balance as multi-sport brand cont from p16 relaxed over the last 3-4 years. But, all athlete endorsement deals now have a charity component — New Balance commits money, but the athlete agrees to commit time and attention to a charity.

Their main focus is, however, still on support for events or teams — for example, as technical apparel sponsor for the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour where the brand is exposed to about 35 000 active people.

Internationally, New Balance also became the sponsor of the Ireland athletics team, as well as the Rotterdam and Rome marathons.

The Warrior brand, bought by New Balance in 2004, announced their presence in the soccer market with one of the most high profile signings of the past few years — the Liverpool soccer club.

After only 9 months in the soccer — and locally rugby — market, the brand has already made its presence felt … ironically with endorsement signings.

In international soccer there are 2012 Premier League Player of the Season Vincent Kompany, Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, Argentine and Newcastle United mid-

With 8 out of 10 of the biggest growing economies in the world, Africa is becoming an important market and New Balance considers South Africa as the stepping stone into the bulk of the African market fielder Jonas Guttierez, among others.

Locally, Warrior has signed sponsorship agreements with four of the Blizbokke that won gold at the 2013 Sevens World Games, as well as EP Kings’ Jacques Engelbrecht.

With the warning We come not to play! the brand has given notice that it is on a global mission to establish itself as an international teamsport brand, competing for signings of top teams around the world.

Into Africa With 8 out of 10 of the biggest growing economies in the world, Africa is becoming an im-

portant market for global brands, and New Balance considers South Africa as the stepping stone into the bulk of the African market.

Kyle Hartmann is responsible for developing the African business and “they have made good inroads as far as Zimbabwe, Kenya, Angola, Cameroon, Nigeria and the Indian Ocean Islands,” says Van Rooyen.

Doing business is very different in every one of these countries and they therefore opted to partner with established retailers and form distribution agreements with them. It has at times been an expensive learning curve, but Africa offers big business opportunities over the next couple of years, he believes.

In South Africa, New Balance will not be opening any more outlet stores, but will rather ensure that every region has a Past Present Future store, where an overview of the brand’s heritage and full product ranges showcased in stores designed according to international guidelines.

These stores — for example in Canal Walk and Gateway — represent the brand, and what it stands for, in a way that is not possible in a multi-brand store.

Adidas wins Lion awards Adidas won a Gold Lion award in the Cyber – Digital Solutions’ category at the Cannes Lion 60th International Festival of Creativity for their NEO window shopping concept. This interactive window shopping concept, which allows customers to make purchases via their smartphones even when the store is closed, was first tested at the Neo store in Nurenberg, Germany in October last year. Neo is aimed at the trendy young adidas customer.

The Neo concept features an interactive touch screen window where customers can play with a life-size digital model wearing the Neo fashion range – by touching hotspots on the window, customers can interact with products, make the model move and show them product details.

The adidas Neo window shopping entry also won a Silver Lion in the Cyber – User Experience category; two Bronze Lions in the Media Digital — media and mobile device categories, and another Bronze Lion in the Mobile — creative use category and was shortlisted in the Innovation category.

Changes at adidas cont from p15 expectations.

“As the event sponsor adidas was hot. The Two Oceans Marathon is an amazing event to be associated with. We are tying it into a 12-month event,” says Krawinkel. “We’ve made major progress in apparel sales — we reached quite strong targets — and have not yet reached the peak. Wherever I travel it is gratifying to see runners wearing their Two Oceans T-shirts.”

Challenges in Europe His new posting will not only be a change of lifestyle, but will present new challenges.

For example, managing 1 500 employees at global headquarters, instead of 250 people in a remote outpost, will require a different mind-set. “It will be difficult to remember all

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

the names,” he says.

In South Africa the R/$ exchange rate was a challenge, but a manageable threat, because there is growth in the market and growth in a strong brand — which is fundamental to building a successful business. Europe is a recessive growth market and it will therefore be more of a challenge to achieve growth targets.

But, he will be representing strong brands.

“Reebok is recovering nicely. Adidas is strong globally and very strong in Germany, where it is the definitive brand for the masses as well as at premium level. It has strong market share.”

His task will also be made easier by adidas starting to launch their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil campaign soon after his arrival. They will be launching a stream of innovative soccer products in the second half of 2013, which

is expected to help them achieve new record sales of €2-bn in the soccer category in 2014, as the company announced at a press conference earlier this year.

They are again the official ball supplier, and official supplier to referees, officials, volunteers and ball kids. Adidas will also benefit from being the kit suppliers to three strong title contenders — Spain, Argentina and Germany — who could remain in the competition till close to the end of the tournament … and therefore sell more jerseys.

This will be good for the Central Europe sales figures, as the German World Cup jerseys, to be launched mid-November, feature an exciting, new design with many commercial opportunities, says Krawinkel.

And, like in South Africa, he is optimistic that he will be able to maintain the region’s growth momentum till well after the World Cup in the middle of next year.

Advertorial :: p17

adidas continues the BOOST™ revolution

Introducing new colourways, new running families and Revolution 30

energy Boost

S

ince its introduction to the South African market at a local launch event in February 2013, the Energy Boost running shoe has revolutionised the running world. Featuring the groundbreaking cushioning technology BOOST™, that provides the highest energy return in the running industry, it has set a new benchmark for running footwear.

BOOST™ technology is now being rolled out to more adidas running footwear. In addition to the Energy Boost franchise, that are available in four new colourways for both men and women, BOOST™ cushioning is now also available in the adistar, adizero and Sonic running footwear families.

The key to the BOOST™ innovation lies in thousands of small energy capsules that make up the footwear’s distinctive midsole. With their unique cell structure, these capsules store and unleash energy more efficiently in every stride. As a result, BOOST™ at last combines the previously contradicting performance benefits of soft cushioning and responsiveness to give runners a running experience unlike any other. The revolutionary cushioning material also maintains its performance in

Adios

almost any conditions, at unparalleled levels and over hundreds of kilometres.

With this reintroduction of Boost also comes the bold initiative, Revolution 30, that kicked off across all adidas Concept stores, and selected chain and specialist running sores on the 2nd August. It will run untill the 18th of September. adidas is so confident about this groundbreaking technology that Revolution 30 allows customers to purchase any pair of adidas Boost running shoes (excluding Sonic Boost) and, if not entirely satisfied, to return them within 30 days of purchase to get a full refund.* *Terms and conditions apply. See adidasrunning. co.za/revolution30terms.

Contact adidas SA on Tel: 021 442 6200 For further information on the Boost technology, please visit the adidas News Stream, adidas.co.za/running, adidasrunning.co.za or @adidasZA on Twitter to join the conversation.

Unlock the adidas vault to find out more about the brand’s heritage.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p18 :: Apparel & Footwear

Lightweight footwear:

did minimalist leave

Traditional running shoes are becoming leaner and lighter. Was the minimalist movement responsible for more brands stripping away cushioning and support to cater for a more natural market? How will this impact the future of footwear development? NELLE DU TOIT asked the brands

A

fter the publications of Christopher McDougal’s Born to run in 2009 and professor Daniel Lieberman’s study on Kenyan runners in 2010, barefoot running and the development of minimalistic shoes inspired a hefty debate within the running industry.

Barefoot running has always been a vital part of human existence and survival — our bodies have been designed to run, as McDougal puts it. However, running itself poses a high risk for potential injuries.

Shoe manufacturers have tried to minimize this risk by designing shoes that correct the runner’s foot strides, supports and cushions the foot, and enhances running performance.

Physiologists, sports scientists and runners (to name a few) challenged the footwear industry’s take on traditional footwear design and injury prevention and as a result the industry responded.

Footwear brands that previously produced traditionally cushioned and supportive footwear started creating new categories (and sub-categories within those categories) of minimalist shoes. New footwear brands carrying only minimalistic footwear emerged and people from all over the world tried their hand… err… feet at barefoot running.

And so the minimalist movement’s seeds were planted and grew rapidly — but what was the impact?

“The minimalist footwear movement has changed the thinking and design philosophy of footwear brands,” says Alex Hawkins of Brand-

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

its footprint?

ed Footwear & Clothing Co, distributors of the Vibram FiveFingers brand.

“Whilst not all brands are going the full minimalist route, there is no doubt they are seeing the need to move away from a dominant range of bulky/heavy and inflexible shoes.”

Minimalism: passing trend?

Some brands see the minimalist movement as a passing trend that may not be around in the near future.

The main focus going forward is to combine the two concepts of traditional and minimalistic footwear to design shoes that are light, responsive and offer a great fit and feel without sacrificing on durability “I think that minimalist is just a trend that will slowly fade out with time,” says Clive Chowles of SBR Agencies, distributors of Brooks. “However, brands will combine the benefits of traditional footwear features with minimalist features.”

The minimalist footwear category (excluding the Nike Free range) that showed up to 30% sales growth in the US in 2012, quickly reported a drop (or market correction, some might call it) in 2013 sales, according to Sports One

Source.

“The demand for minimalist footwear is slowing down,” says Paul Copson from SuperBrands, distributors of Mizuno footwear.

While some runners have succeeded with minimalist running, a large number of runners who have tried minimalist running have failed.

The majority of runners still need cushioned shoes, he adds.

“I think the pendulum has swung away from extremist/barefoot shoes,” says Mia Goslett of Omni Sport, distributors of Saucony.

“Minimalist shoes form a very small part of our running range,” says Clive Terwin of adidas SA. “They constitute a small fraction of our running shoe sales.”

Though the majority of runners need cushioning and support whilst running, cushioned and supportive shoes just like minimalist footwear might not be for everybody.

It was only during the 1970s when cushioning (with the help of ethylene vinyl acetate — EVA) became a regular occurrence in running footwear, prior to that runners did not run with cushioning and support. During this time shoes were sold based on running style — neutral, super nation or pronation. “Cushioned shoe brands will argue that minimalist is a fad, in reality cushioned shoes are the fad and have only been around for 40 or so years,” says Dale Turrel of Vivobarefoot.

“We believe there is no one size fits all — each consumer is unique, each consumer has different needs, preferences and injury issues, therefore we continue to offer a To p18

p20 :: Apparel & Footwear Saucony-athlete Claude Eksteen won the 4th Warrior Race of 2013 in June at Hartebeespoortdam. Warrior is a multi-part series of obstacles races that take place in varying terrains, which includes open grassfields, bushveld, rivers and mud. The next two events will take place 3 August (in Ballito) and 21 September (in Stellenbosch) this year. Race #7 includes a celebrity challenge and the last one at the end of November will also be a national championship.

Records were broken twice when approximately 1 000 off-road runners took part in the Salomon Featherbed Trail Run, presented by GU, on the 2nd of July this year. This was one of the highlights of the annual Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival.

The sought-after run incorporates a ferry ride across the estuary at dawn, with a steep ascent up Knysna Heads, followed by a descent onto the lagoon at three different times during a single day (08h00, 13h00 and a night run at 19h00).

Stuart Marais shattered his 2012 record by posting a time of 55min 36s.

Salomon sponsored Kane Reilly, however, broke Marais’s record (that lasted 3 hours) during the midday run when he finished the run in 54min 39sec on the same day.

Running shoe trends cont from p18 broad range of options so that the running specialist stores can confidently offer our products to the right consumer,” says Goslett.

“Although [barefoot/minimalist] runners will always be there, the market is getting smaller all the time and right now it is finding a home in the middle,” she adds.

Lightweight advances As a retailer, having stock of supportive and cushioned footwear on one wall and minimalistic footwear on the other, what would be a middle ground option to suggest for a customer?

“The main focus going forward is to combine the two concepts of traditional and minimalistic footwear to design shoes that are light, responsive and offer a great fit and feel without sacrificing on durability,” advises Coenraad Hefer of New Balance.

“It will have features similar to minimalistic footwear, but will have more structure and support. Yet, it will be much lighter than the more traditional footwear styles. In the middle is where most of the excitement is happening across all the brands at the moment,” he adds.

Lightweight shoes have been around from the very beginning, however technological advances have allowed manufacturers to incorporate footwear improvements at a lighter weight.

“Newness and the desire to innovate have kept us pushing the envelope from a design and engineering standpoint to provide athletes with the best shoe possible,” says Yusuf Vadi from Footwear Trading, distributors of Skechers’ GoRun. “We keep learning from the latest, and applying to the new.”

Although two completely different categories — minimalist can be lightweight, but lightweight not necessarily minimalist— some manufacturers are utilizing technologies found in minimalist footwear in other footwear categories.

“The minimalist movement has forced the

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

footwear market to relook their developments for the future,” says Copson.

“New Balance has developed new technologies from minimalist footwear that are being incorporated into many of the other footwear styles, to make them lighter, more flexible and with a more natural fit and feel,” says Hefer.

“We are seeing this “middle” category as the category that will show the biggest growth going forward.”

“The minimalist movement has helped influence the development of adidas Techfit uppers, which started on our minimalist and natural shoes and have worked their way into our cushioned shoes,” says Terwin.

“Because of technological advances we are able to create lighter shoes without compromising on cushioning, support or durability,” says Goslett. “Lighter feels faster.”

Minimalist can be lightweight, but lightweight not necessarily minimalist Even though midsoles are cushioned, the new outsoles and overall shoe construction is lighter than ever before. Runners can now have a very light running shoe that offers support and cushioning, without having to go for a completely minimalist shoe.

“The idea is to have the lightweight, freedom of movement aspect, without compromising on the support and cushioning of the shoe,” says Steve Young, marketing manager of Reebok South Africa.

Future of minimalism Will these new developments to incorporate minimalist features to create shoes that offer more of a middle ground stifle the need for minimalist footwear?

“Although I agree that lightweight and minimalist models do tend to overlap here and there, there is still very much a need for both,” says Young.

“We have seen great success with our minimalist category (Flex) over the past few seasons and there is definitely room for more growth here. We are confident that with exciting new styles coming in the near future in both the running and training categories, we can achieve this,” he adds.

Many believe that minimalist will especially have a place as a training or conditioning shoe.

“These "types" of shoes have been around since the Roman days and are nothing new, I think minimalist will be around forever in some form or another,” says Collin Allin of Puma SA. “You will always need them as a training tool and have a different shoe to do your recovery/ training runs than your higher mileage runs.”

Many of the brands who produce minimalist footwear will continue to separate minimalist from their other footwear categories whilst still borrowing features between categories.

“Over time some categories might merge as all of our shoes are starting to get lighter with a more natural feeling to them,” says Terwin.

“There will certainly be overlaps in footwear features (which happens with all the brands), however, we will continue to segment minimalist from traditional and lightweight.”

“We believe that, in today’s market, it is vital to develop performance footwear with the best of both worlds combined,” says Young. “I think models in each category will continue to borrow aspects from each other, where possible, to enhance the overall product offering from the brand.”

The minimalist footwear movement did not just affect the running footwear industry. It affected designs in gym shoes, leisure shoes as well as hiking shoes.

“Consumers are seeking versatility — a pair of shoes that allow them use for many activities,” says Joanne Syfret of Hi-Tec SA. “When it comes to hiking they are looking for super lightweight properties, but still need exceptional support, protection and performance.”

“We have seen athletic shoe properties combined with the hiking category to produce an athletically engineered hiking boot that is much lighter in weight, but still provides the durability and support needed to protect the feet.”

Where performance meets comfort The Brooks Core Collection is the epitome of running in stylish comfort.

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p22 :: Sport

The state of the triathlon market in SA With the 10th anniversary of the Ironman approaching, triathlon participation is at an all-time high in SA. Is this enough for retailers to offer triathlon equipment as separate category? NELLE DU TOIT asked some experts

T

riathlon is the fastest growing outdoor sport in America. In 2012 the Outdoor Foundation reported a 40% increase in participation numbers in non-traditional/off-road triathlon and a 30% increase in traditional/road triathlon participation in the US. That is the biggest participation growth for all American outdoor sports.

Has South Africa also seen this growth in participation and if so (or not), how would it affect trade?

“South Africa has a culture of multi-sport participation and the trend of growth in triathlon participation can definitely be picked up here as well,” says Paul Copson of Super-Brands, distributor of Skins and Mizuno.

The number of participants in local events reflects a growing interest. “Participation in the 70.3 has increased and continues to increase every year,” says Jeremy Nel of Crown Footwear, local distributor of K-Swiss, who has a long association with the global event. “The season is dominated by Ironman 70.3, held in January, and Ironman SA in April.”

The Ironman 70.3 event, has had an 13% increase in 2011, 26% increase in 2012 and reached its full capacity (3 000 participants) in 2012 and 2013, according to Triathlon South Africa. It consists of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21.1km road run — half of the full Ironman.

The Ironman SA event had an 12% increase in participation this year, however, previous years did not have the same level of interest — in 2011 numbers decreased by 4.7% and in 2012 dropped once again by 7%. The Ironman SA course consists of a 3.8km swim, a 180.2km cycle and a 42.2km road run.

“Higher numbers at Ironman events may be as a result of the association with the Ironman brand,” says Stef Joubert of Triathlon SA. “The long and short distances are equally supported, not necessarily by the same group of athletes, as

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Triathletes who compete on a regular basis often upgrade their equipment multiple times throughout the year as the industry is growing at an incredible rate and new products are being released each month. they are different target markets.”

Shorter distance races are more achievable than the longer races, but as the athlete progresses through the sport, he develops the desire to go further and longer, says triathlete Clive Chowles of SBR Agencies, SA distributor of Brooks. “So, I would say that in the triathlon community participation is probably 60% shorter distance vs 40% longer distance.”

Because Ironman SA is in its 10th year this year, it is generating a lot of interest and growth in the sport, says Copson. Next year’s 10th anniversary event, hosted by World Endurance Africa Holdings in Mandela Bay on 6 April 2014, is expected to be sold out.

“SA currently hosts the biggest Half Ironman (Specsavers Ironman SA 70.3) as well as the largest Xterra (off-road triathlon — Xterra SA national championships) in the world — outside world championships — attracting well over 3000 entrants to each event respectively,” says Bradley Weiss, the Cross Triathlon World Champion, sponsored by Giant, locally distributed by Dragons Sports.

“Ironman, 70.3 and longer distance races are growing the sport of Triathlon as we see the participation numbers increase, but there is a decrease in numbers at the smaller shorter races,” cautions Collin Allin of Puma SA. “People are attracted to the challenge that at first seems impossible — they need something EPIC to get excited for and to motivate them to train.”

Off-road triathlon While we mainly have the Ironman for road triathlon in SA, “there are more off-road events with shorter distances,” says John Andrews of New Balance SA. “Currently road triathlon is more popular than off-road if we consider only the number of participants at each respective event, however, in my opinion, this trend is soon to change as more and more South African triathletes are opting for the more adventurous option of off-road/Xterra triathlon events,” says Weiss.

“Off-road triathlon has huge potential,” says Joubert. This year the participation numbers for Xterra increased 21% for Grabouw and 26% for Buffelspoort. The organisers had to limit entries because of the growing interest. The Sasol Cross Tri Series also increased by 16% this year and by 26% from 2010-2012.

“Road triathlon is perceived to be the more serious and is often for the more elite athletes — off-road is perceived as friendly and fun and has more social participants,” says Copson.

“I think many athletes naturally gravitate towards off-road as it provides them with more of a sense of adventure,” adds Andrews. “Time seems to go by quicker when you are in nature and surrounded by beautiful views.”

“What we’ve seen with many runners and cyclists are that they start with road running/cycling and then move over to off-road running/ cycling — and I think the same can be said for the triathletes,” he says. “At the Knysna Oyster festival the numbers for road cycling was down, whilst mountain biking was up.”

“There are, however, so few triathlon races in SA that most of the triathletes do both on and off-road,” says Chowles. Therefore, while offroad is really growing, the biggest tri-races are still the traditional 70.3 and Ironman.

The reason for road triathlons having more participants could be because off-roaders can do road events, but the cross-over does not neces-

Sport :: p23

Photo: Dan Zoubek

sarily work the other way around, says Donovan van Gelder of Rebel Elite Fitness, distributors of Inov8.

The triathlete customer The growth in triathlon participation over the past year will, without a doubt, increase the demand for triathlon equipment, believes Weiss.

Not everybody, however, agrees.

“Triathlon as a sport is driven by events/races and there are not enough big races in SA to stimulate the sport,” says Rudolf Zuidema of Omnico, distributors of Cannondale, Kenda, GoPro and more. “If the number of events increase, so would demand for gear. In the current climate most people, however, just buy basic equipment,” he says.

“Triathlon is a sport that appeals to a wide variety of people,” Joubert explains, but it is not always accessible to the mass market due to the following factors: • There are three disciplines to train for — swimming, cycling and running • Not everybody has access to swimming facilities • The cost of equipment is high • It is not a school sport “Our goal is to have active structures (provincial and clubs) in all provinces and similarly in all the geopolitical districts,” Joubert adds. “Given the fact that our sport is still in its infancy, there is much left to do.”

Currently, it is still viewed as a bit of an elite sport.

“About 55% of our customers are in the LSM 7-10 demographic [as defined by the South African Advertising Research Foundation] and 45% of our customers are LSM 7 and below, who usually try it out with minimum spend on equipment,” says Dave Harrington of triathlon specialist re-

Triathlon retail market

road triathlons with their normal gear,” says Andrews.

The cost of entering the sport is unfortunately high, says Weiss. “Those wishing to compete need a bicycle, goggles, helmet, shoes, etc. but once an individual has committed to the sport, he is generally very happy spending top dollar on the latest technology available in order to improve his performance,” says Weiss.

There is a market for triathlon-specific equipment in SA, explains Harrington. It is, however, not nearly as sizable as the international triathlon markets — which are booming. “We have consumers in SA who are less accepting of what the actual cost of equipment is and always try to get a better deal — or try to get something for nothing.”

Athletes who are prepared to spend money on equipment are likely to spend money on tri-suits (racing kit) and bicycles, as these products have the most significant effect on an athlete’s comfort and performance. “When an athlete is comfortable in what he is wearing during a race, he can generally perform to the best of his ability,” Weiss explains.

There are many references to cycling when talking about triathlon equipment.

“The cycling participants are big consumers of triathlon gear,” says Copson.

“I think the industry category that would see the most sales reflected in the triathlon boom would be the bike industry, as you need a bicycle to compete, but you could make do with nontriathlon specific footwear and apparel for the running and swimming legs,” agrees Andrews.

“I think the growth of triathlon has mainly been among weekend warriors who would not necessarily buy new equipment, footwear or clothing on a regular basis and would probably do off-

If you consider a two hour Olympic distance triathlon race, roughly 23min (20%) will be spent swimming, 1hour (50%) will be spent on the bike, To p23 and 37min (30%) will be spent run

Shorter distance races are more achievable than the longer races, but as the athlete progresses through the sport, he develops the desire to go further and longer. tailer Tribe Multisport. “The majority are weekend warriors who are seeking bigger, better, challenges — but the best customers are the ones who are serious age group athletes.

Triathletes who compete on a regular basis often upgrade their equipment multiple times throughout the year as the industry is growing at an incredible rate and new products are being released each month, agrees Weiss. “These athletes believe the new products will have a significant influence on their performance.”

But, more often than not, long distance participants do not support the industry on a continuous basis, as they acquire the bare necessities in order to complete one event and effectively tick it off their bucket list — never competing in another triathlon, he adds.

“In comparison, the athletes who are more focused on the shorter discipline of triathlon are likely to compete in multiple events throughout the year, continuously upgrading their equipment and making a lifestyle out of the sport, which they love,” Weiss explains.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p24 :: Sport

State of triathlon cont

from p24

ning, Weiss explains. Considering this breakdown, it is easy to see that the best way for the participant to improve the overall time will be to focus on the cycling as more than half the race is spent on this discipline. The easiest way to improve the cycling time is to invest in a better bicycle.

Many believe that the growth in off-road equipment is due to more sales to triathletes. “More mountain bikes are sold by some outlets than road bikes,” says Joubert. “The trend appears to be that parents prefer buying mountain bikes than road bikes for their children as there are more opportunities to ride and compete with a mountain bike than a road bike. Mountain bikes are also tougher, cheaper, and easier to maintain.”

There also seems to be a growing demand for triathlon footwear. “We’ve seen an increase in sales of our off-road running shoes, which appeal to triathletes,” says Andrews.

“A triathlon racing shoe is a minimalistic, lighter weight, type of shoe, which is more breathable than the traditional running shoe. The outsole is not necessarily as long-wearing, but it is water-gusseted and repels water,” Copson explains.

“The demand is such that Inov8 are working on three triathlon-specific footwear models to be launched in the new year,” says van Gelder.

However, not all triathletes will invest in tri-specific footwear. “The lifestyle triathlete would probably take their regular pair of road running shoes onto the trail and use the shoes as a crossover type,” says Copson.

Allin agrees. “With regards to footwear, triathletes will use the same light weight racers as the road runners.”

Kit out triathletes in Skins Skins offers a variety of compression products for use during a triathlon as well as for recovery. “Our Tri400 range offers all the features expected from a high-end triathlon kit, with the added performance benefit of their dynamic gradient compression,” says Paul Copson of local distributor, Super-Brands. Strategically placed flatlock seams reduce drag in the water and prevent chafing. The range has been anatomically designed, based on 400fit for comfort.

The 400fit — with its 400 key fitting points that allow for better product fit and dynamic movement — is based on 3D body scan research data.

Their A400 range — that also offers the benefits of 400fit — is constructed from five technical fabrics, with Skins warp knit fabric as the main body fabric providing optimum compression control and durability. The four needle flat lock stitching means the garment is more durable and comfortable.

The cut is also tailored for a better fit, with ladies garments available in A (small waist in relation to the hip and thigh) or H (little variation in shape from waist to the hip and thigh) shapes.

The A400 and Tri400 ranges feature the Skindry (moisture wicking), Skintemp (enhanced body temperature optimisation) and SkinUVblock (proven 50+ UV protection in all non-mesh areas) technologies, as well as Skins’ Dynamic Gradient Compression technology, Skinmuscle+ for muscle stability and support, strategically-placed Memory MX fabric panels that provide a biomechanical function, and PU bonded hems that add to the comfort and create a smooth finish.

The Skins cycling range, developed in collaboration with ex-pro riders, combines compression technology with specific features for the discerning cyclist. It features several technical and functional fabrics, muscle wrapping, ergonomic seaming, cycle-specific construction, anatomical design and gender-specific chamois — offering freedom of movement, breathability and anatomic fit. The range is divided into three sections: • C200 and Cycle Essentials offer Skins’ engineered gradient compression that has a proven circulatory benefit • Cycle offers non-compression outer wear

p26 :: Apparel & Footwear

©breadandbutter.com (Lina Zangers)

Profiling the SA sneaker market The sneaker is a never-say-die product that has found its way into the hearts of several generations. CARIN HARDISTY finds out what sneakers sell in South Africa

I

f you were to do a poll among most consumers, it is quite likely that just about all respondents would indicate that they own, or have owned during the course of their life, a pair of sneakers in one style or the other.

After all, sneakers are the great levellers of the lifestyle industry. People of all ages, ethnic groups, nationalities, social standing, etc. wear sneakers. And no matter the size of your retail store, it is likely that if you sell fashion or sport footwear, you will have a shelf or two dedicated to sneakers.

Sneakers inspired by a sport such as boxing, motorsport, track sports, etc. (in the lifestyle category) account for most (55%) sneaker

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

No matter the price range, or type of consumer targeted, bright colours are always a hit. sales, according to GfK SA, which tracks athletic footwear retail sales in selected retailers. Sneakers in the retro category, which have been reintroduced to the market, or have already been on the market for a while without any major changes, account for 29% of the sales in the past year ended June 2013.

The rest of the sneaker sales are made up by low performance shoes, such as canvas sneakers, and are categorised as others.

In the lifestyle category 16% fewer pairs were sold in the January-June period compared to last year. It is, however, the only one of the three categories that experienced a negative growth for this period, with retro experiencing a 26% increase and others growing by 9%.

Overall, sneakers experienced a 3% decline in sales for the January-June period compared to 2012.

Sneaker customer So who is buying in what category?

Sneakers are predominantly worn by men and children, who bought 85% of all sneakers sold during the past year (July 2012-June 2013). Unisex/men’s styles account for 44% of

Apparel & Footwear :: p27

Demographic % of total unit sales 60%

% of unit sales across the year 20% 18% 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Junior

Unisex/Men

Sneakers are predominantly worn by men and children, who bought 85% of all sneakers sold during the past year (July 2012June 2013). all pairs sold, while 41% of sneakers are sold to juniors, report GfK SA. Ladies styles only accounted for 15% of sneaker sales.

Men and juniors buy about the same number of lifestyle and retro styles (with retro slightly higher), but women clearly prefer lifestyle sneakers (75% of pairs sold to women).

Best months The sales trend over the past two years shows a big sale spike (close to 200%) during December months, which is not surprising with many people pursuing leisure activities during a time of year when it is traditional to take time off from work — and a time of year when people tend to have more cash available to buy new footwear.

Overall, the majority of pairs were sold during the October-December period (38% of all sneaker sales for the year until June 2013) and the month of July 2012 accounting for 11% of total sales for the entire year ending June 2013.

The back-to-work slump, as well as the general short-of-cash trend of consumers following the fast-spending December period, contributes to low sneaker sales in January — January and February (each accounting for 5% of the year ending June 2013’s unit sales) are the year’s lowest sneaker selling months for the past two years.

While January and February this year were not great selling months, they did experience

Women

a 21% and 17% respective increase in pairs sold compared to the same months last year.

Price Most sneakers are sold in the R500-R800 price range. In the first half of 2013, consumers were buying more middle price range sneakers, compared to the same period in 2012.

Sales of sneakers in the R600-R800 price range grew 4.5%, but sales in the higher price range (R800-R1 000) dropped 2.8% and in the lower R300-R400 price category sales dropped 3%.

Sneakers retailing for R200 or less make up less than 10% of sneaker sales (8%) in the stores tracked by GfK SA. The below R200 price range is dominated by junior and ladies sales. Just over half of all sales in this range are junior styles (53%) while ladies account for 30% of unit sales.

The R200-R400 price range represent about a quarter of all sneaker sales and it is completely dominated by junior sales — 73% of all pairs sold within this price range are junior styles.

Junior sneaker sales tend to fall within the mid price range. Just over half (52%) of junior sneakers sold are in the R300-R500 price range, while the majority of adults’ sneakers (60% of men’s and 56% of women’s) are sold in the R500-R800 price range.

Ladies sneakers didn’t see much sales above the R800 price range, while the men’s category still saw some activity. The R800-R1 000 price range accounted for around 9% of men’s unit sales and the over R1 000 price range for about 3% of all men’s unit sales. Men are, therefore, more likely to splurge on an expensive pair of sneakers.

Types of stores While everyone is a potential sneaker-buyer,

Price ranges % of total unit sales

Sneaker category % of total unit sales

100%

100%

80%

80%

60%

different types of sneakers tend to sell better in different settings. For example, a mass discount retailer is not likely to sell a limited edition sneaker as their typical client can’t afford the price.

Several brands have found success in the same types of stores, even though they often target different types of consumers.

Converse, locally distributed by Skye Distribution and typical selling above the R400 price point, is the type of brand that is cradle-tograve, as it covers various types of consumers, says Justine Cullinan of Skye Distribution. “Featuring several collections (Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, Converse Jack Purcell, Converse CONS), the brand appeals to not only various consumers, but also to various retailers,” says Cullinan. Converse is sold through mom-and-pop stores that are more interested in the core ranges, upmarket/fashion stores that prefer designer collaborations and limited edition collections, and through chains that like a mix of core ranges and colour and fashion variations.

“We supply all of the major retailers within South Africa,” says Stuart Davies of adidas Originals. The adidas Originals range varies in price up to and beyond R1 000 per pair. “We build our ranges to include a mixture of styles (high tops, court inspired, vulcanized, etc.) and try to show price tiering within the range so that it makes sense to the consumer at the end of the day,” says Davies.

Dickies, typically selling below the R200 price point, does well in both mom-and-pop type stores and the larger chains.

“Independent stores have responded well to brands like Dickies, because the price point is perfect for their consumer,” says To p27 Cullinan.

60%

40%

40%

20%

20%

0%

0%

R0-R200

R200-R300

R300-R400

R400-R500

R500-R600

R600-R800

R800-R1 000

> R1 000

Lifestyle

Retro

Other

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p28 :: Apparel & Footwear

SA sneaker market cont from p28 Leisure brand Millé, that retails roughly between R200-R400, also sells well in mom-andpop type independent stores. The brand offers footwear for the individual who wants a sporting look to their sneakers.

Millé also does well in KwaZulu Natal where the brand supports the PSL team Lamontville Golden Arrows. If a community recognises your brand’s support and associates you with their heroes they are more likely to want to buy your product, even if the brand is more on the expensive side of the price range.

Look of the sneaker No matter the price range, or type of consumer targeted, bright colours are always a hit.

“Hues of pink, purple, lime-green and royal blue have been standout colours for the winter 2013 season,” says Cullinan.

Brights are very popular, but the opposite side of the taste wheel is also popular — classic white and black styles just don’t go out of fashion.

“Basic colours continue to work, but the bright pops in the right season are always well received,” says Davies.

“We are starting to see an interesting mix

©breadandbutter.com (Robin Kirchner)

of fabrics in higher end sneakers where you will find a combination of canvas and suede, for example,” says Davies. These fabrics differ from season to season and are indicative of the trends in the market.

“We have started to see the return of old school tech running,” adds Davies. “This trend is something relatively new in the South Africa market, but most definitely mirrors what is happening in Europe at the moment.”

“Converse brings out various limited edition sneakers and each year they do well,” says Cullinan. “A notable example are the Converse DC Comic collection.” For summer 2013, Converse launches the Rock Craftsmanship collection, which features various embellishments and graphic prints.”

GfK is a tracking company that, amongst others, collects data from retail store sales to track changes in the market. Contact them on Tel: 011 803 1300 or visit www.gfk.co.za.

Retail news

Industry :: p29

Retail outlook concerns ACCORDING to the latest Ernst & Young/Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Retail survey sales growth remained flat during the second quarter of the year. Sales data from Statistics SA showed, however, that sales growth in the first quarter improved to 3% yearon-year following the low 2.4% growth in the fourth quarter of 2012.

It was nearly 3% lower than the 5.3% growth of the fourth quarter a year before.

This is attributed to the fact that Easter weekend (the second largest trading period after Christmas) was in March (first quarter) and not April as in previous years.

Clothing and footwear sales remained solid, while sales of furniture, household appliances and non-durable goods and cosmetics disappointed.

In the second quarter of 2013 more than 50% of retailers were dissatisfied with business conditions due to weak sales growth and low profits — although most reported that sales grew as expected. Most retailers also expect an improvement in trading conditions during the third quarter and greater profitability as prices start to rise. And despite the drop in the R/$ exchange rate, input costs slowed down for the second consecutive quarter.

The decline in retail sales growth that started in mid 2012 has been ascribed to slower income growth, poor job creation, rising inflation and a drop in consumer confidence. Increased levels of social unrest and the decline of the rand exchange rate also contributed to lower consumer confidence.

During the first quarter of 2013, the FNB/BER consumer confidence index slumped to a 9-year low of -7 index points‚ from +5 in the first quarter of 2012‚ with consumers having reservations about buying durable goods.

Business basics are back RETAILERS across the world are opting for back-to-basics strategies like improving sales and innovative product development to grow their businesses, according to survey results from the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and KPMG International.

In South Africa 45% of executives say that declining consumer spending and the unpredictability of the Rand are the main risks faced by their businesses. A high 73% are looking at growing sales as a means to improve profitability over the next two years, while 45% will aim at reducing costs. For 36% mergers and acquisitions are key to growth and less than 35% plan on expansions or opening new stores to help grow their businesses.

Globally, product development (R&D and innovation investment) was ranked as the highest priority by 48% of businesses surveyed, followed by marketing (44%). Brand building is the top marketing strategy for 21% of businesses, followed by pricing, and consumer data analysis — a new trend — both at 13%.

Non-traditional tools such as online/mobile sales (8%), social media (7%) and app development (4%) were less favoured than the old-fashioned, tried and tested methods. A third of the retailers expect to work in partnership with consumers to motivate improvements.

Kappa online to benefit retailers ON THE 1st of September 2013 Kappa will launch a new team wear specific website for retailers, called Kappa4team. Kappa4team brings a fresh and unique concept of purchasing team wear, kit and other associated product and will deliver tangible advantages both to consumers and retailers alike.

Participating retailers will only carry samples of the kit to show consumers — see catalogue inserted in this issue of Sports Trader. Once the customer has decided what he wants, the retailer will place the order through the Kappa4team website where availability and colour schemes can be checked, before the order is placed. Kappa SA says that delivery will take between two and five days, depending on the retailer’s location.

The retailer will experience distinct benefits, says Ricky Joseph of Kappa SA. No stock needs to be carried and finance cost and obsolescence risk is therefore totally eliminated.

The consumer will enjoy similar benefits. He will be able to order any number of items in different sizes if he so chooses. Furthermore, he’ll be able to see whether the same kit will be available for the following season, and the one after that. And he’ll be able to take delivery within two to five days.

Joseph says “As a technical sponsor Kappa researches, designs and creates uniforms for leading teams around the world. The same experience, technical details and designs are available online for your team: it’s a unique and exclusive service, giving you the opportunity to choose the uniforms for your team and make the difference on the field.”

At this stage Kappa is focussing on soccer to begin with, but in future it will venture into other sporting disciplines. Joseph cautions that consumers cannot purchase the goods directly from Kappa on the website but would need to visit Kappa4team stockists, who will be issued with their unique username and password.

For further information and to become a participating retailer contact Ricky Joseph at Kappa SA in Johannesburg on 011 608 0023.

Specialty sport and brand stores major US retailers SPECIALTY sport shops and own brand stores have become major retail players in America. According to the latest NSGA Sporting Goods Market report 26.8% of American consumers buying sporting equipment are buying at specialty sport shops, followed by the 23.8% consumers who shopped at sports stores. A big growth in hunting and firearms sales contributed to more consumers buying at specialty stores. Most athletic footwear is still sold in sports stores (22%), followed by discount stores (19.5%).

12 brand stores among the Top 100 American retail stores featured in the SGB Weekly magazine. The brand stores in the top #100 are: Nike (#8), Under Armour (#37), Crocs (#41), Skechers (#48), Vans (#53), adidas (#57), Reebok (#65), Puma (#66), New Balance (#72), The North Face (#75), Converse (#83) and Quiksilver (#92). Walmart, with more than 4 000 stores selling athletic goods to the value of $9.1-bn in 2012, is the top retail store in the US.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p30 :: Industry

Living the changes in the SA footwear industry During the 25 years that he has been MD of Crown Footwear, Clive Wood experienced the changes in the footwear manufacturing and import industries first hand, explains NICOL DU TOIT

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ver the past quarter of a century Clive Wood has had a behind the scenes view of the changes in the South African footwear industry.

As MD of one of the major South African footwear companies, Wood had first hand experience of the impact of low-cost mass manufacturing in the East on local manufacturing. He has also seen a buoyant branded footwear import industry develop to supply the demands of a growing market.

Wood joined Crown Footwear 26 years ago in January 1988 as sales manager, after he was head hunted by Bob Brown, who is still chairman of the company. He was promoted to sales director within three months, and a year later he took over from Brown as MD. He is born and bred in Durban, the heart of the South African footwear manufacturing industry. He started working in the footwear industry as an employee of a Crown Footwear supplier, GW Cowie & Company.

He left after five years to start his own motor bike company, which he later sold to his partner. It is still trading under the name of Perry Yamaha.

Rejoined footwear industry Wood rejoined the footwear industry when he started working for Alfred Pearson (Apeco), a supplier of footwear manufacturing components, then based in Pinetown. Here he worked closely with Bob Brown, then MD of Crown Footwear.

Brown convinced him to come and head up Crown Footwear’s sales team, before promot-

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Local footwear production today is at the same level about 50 million pairs - as it was in 1991 ing him as his successor the following year.

Crown Footwear had been in the manufacturing side of the footwear industry for a long time. But, in the nineties, when the East started opening up, they realised that the industry was changing.

Worldwide, local manufacturers were closing as more and more brands moved manufacturing to the East. In South Africa, the local consumers were also for the first time becoming exposed to international brands which were not available during the isolation years.

Following the global trend, Crown Footwear gradually started importing brands, while downscaling local manufacturing. Their first consignment was sneakers for Island Style.

Today, they are one of the few footwear manufacturers that survived this shift from manufacturing to importing.

According to Wood, many of the skills needed in a footwear manufacturing organisation, are the same skills required by a footwear importing organisation. In order to develop your ranges, you still have to have the same design, quality control, marketing and financial skills as before. It is just the manufacturing skills that need to be replaced by sourcing skills.

It is interesting that local footwear production today is at the same level — about 50

million pairs — as it was in 1991. According to Wood,the highest year for local production was in 1988 when 62 million pairs were manufactured. The lowest number of pairs manufactured in recent times was the 25 million made in 1999.

Today, 202 million pairs of shoes are imported, compared to 90 million in 2003 — which means that the South African demand for footwear has more than doubled during the past decade.

Fewer workers per shoe Today manufacturing focusses more on the cheaper end products, which requires fewer processes and therefore also fewer workers per shoe. This means that although roughly the same number of shoes are made, there are only 11000 people employed in the industry, compared to the 26000 people who worked in the footwear industry in 1991.

Crown Footwear today mainly source and design products, which have grown beyond footwear to include clothing and equipment for some brands.

Apart from developing house brands for a few leading retailers like Mr Price and Woolworths, they supply a number of leading brands to the Southern African market — for example, running brand K Swiss, lifestyle brand Ellesse, Lizzard, Bad Boy, Bad Girl, and Gotcha and Rocky, which has grown into a fully-fledged outdoor brand with products that cater for all outdoor needs. They are also the local distributors of the homegrown Kakiebos lifestyle clothing brand with the nostalgic touch.

p32 :: Apparel & Footwear

With the summer months approaching, consumers will soon be looking forward to wearing warmer-weather footwear and heading to the water side. Retailers should make sure they cater for those consumers who will be looking to replace their old sandals and water shoes from last season recommends CARIN HARDISTY

Sandal and water shoe trends

Photo: OutDoor Friedrichshafen

S

ummer months are fast approaching, which for consumers generally means more outdoor time in various guises.

These can range from ladies showing off their latest pedicures in strappy sandals at a braai, to the more energetic of your customers who might take their favourite pair of outdoor sandals on a hike.

The sandals market has become very competitive over the last few years, says Jody Henry of Jordan & Co, local distributors of the Jordan brand. “The price points are the main contributing factor, with top international brand coming in at unbelievable prices.”

“Our approach to the sandals market has been very cautious over the last few seasons and in total contrast to our other commodities.

We have kept our sandals basic and focused on leather uppers. Our view is to offer product to a certain sector of the market, rather than flood the market,” says Henry. “We do, however, run a beach thong sandal on an EVA bottom and offer this up to size 14. It’s been a winner for us for the last five years, however — it’s a nice to have.”

Because of the warmer temperatures it is even more important than usual that the footwear of summer allow the feet to breathe.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Ever thought you’d be selling a pair of sandals based on the fact that they can open bottles?

In Climacool, adidas uses breathable materials on their uppers, in addition to the ventilation channels across the outsole. These all contribute to help sweat evaporate and to lower the temperature inside the shoe. “The Climacool outsole and protective mono-mesh midsole in our water shoes offer 360o ventilation,” says Lisa Stirrat of adidas.

The adidas Supercloud footbed — found in both their sport-style sandals and water shoes — not only offers comfort, but the EVA footbed is also water resistant. “Some have described our Supercloud footbed as walking on a cloud,” says Stirrat. Sandals with the Supercloud footbed can be worn from the pool directly in to the shower and are great for people with sensitive feet.

The Vibram trekSport is their first entry into the sandal market. “Breathable, but protective, the trekSport sandal is the perfect shoe for a weekend excursion,” says Alex Hawkins

of local distributor Branded Footwear & Clothing Co. “From light hiking to hitting the links, the trekSport sandal is bound to make you feel more connected to any activity, making it the perfect multi-use FiveFingers model.”

“The padded tongue and synthetic upper with windows makes this the most breathable and versatile FiveFinger to date,” adds Hawkins.

Vibram’s trekSport sandal has a lightly cleated 4mm Trek outsole that is made from Vibram TC-1 Dura rubber, which offers increased traction on a variety of surfaces. The sandal also offers a traditional lace system, reflective surfaces, and an EVA midsole for plating protection.

Water shoes

Summer is also the time when consumers are more likely to hit the water in their kayaks and canoes, for example, and therefore retailers could look forward to some more water shoe sales to these consumers. Water shoes, of course, are not limited to the paddle sports people. These days they are used for a variety of activities.

Water sport activities place their own specific demands on a shoe. These are because of the wet conditions under which the shoe are asked to operate. Wet surfaces make it even more likely that the wearer could To p32

p34 :: Apparel & Footwear

Sandal and water shoe trends

Illustration of the adidas Supercloud footbed

cont from p34

slip. The very fact that water shoes are used by those who are doing activities in wet conditions, such as kayaking, calls for shoes that can deal with water.

Hi-Tec’s water shoe range features mesh for breathability and drainage ports that flush out trapped water.

Aqualine’s water shoes, locally distributed by De Wet Sports feature padded mesh uppers, and rubberised reinforced soles that ensure grip on slippery surfaces while at the same time also providing comfort.

To address the various hazards, adidas designed their Jawpaw II slip-on water shoe with a stronger mesh Hi-Tec Whi te Water la upper, added toe dies protection and gave it better traction. The midsole features their Drainage System (a.D.S.) to achieve maximum water drainage and the outsole features Water Grip for improved traction in wet and slippery conditions.

It can be highly annoying to have sand stuck in your footwear, and the sand can also chafe wearer’s feet.

Hi-Tec’s V-Lite Stingray is a hybrid featuring water and running shoe features. “It’s an advanced, performance-driven running shoe built for outdoor athletes who need versatility and speed,” says Syfret. The shoe features a quick-drying mesh synthetic and textile upper, a Comfort-Tec sockliner and an aqua drainage system, and V-Lite construction for enhanced performance and comfort.

Kids wearing Hi-Tec’s water shoe range are able to benefit from the same technologies and features as found in the adult men’s and ladies’ ranges. “We never compromise on important growing feet!” Syfret points out. The kids’ water shoe range features Neoprene and open mesh uppers, bright colours, the toggle lacing system for a secure fit that is also easier for little fingers to tie than laces, and a rubber outsole.

There are few things more embarrassing than slipping on a slippery or uneven surface. There is also the added hazard of getting hurt as a result of the slip. An outsole that offers grip is therefore very important.

Traxion from adidas offers an outsole cleat design that provides great grip — in all directions — without adding excessive pressure points on the foot.

Vibram Maiori’s high-top construction stops sand and debris from entering Aqualine Hydro Glow

Sports Trader :: 2013

August/

Summer is also the time when consumers are more likely to hit the water in their kayaks and canoes, for example, and therefore retailers could look forward to some more water shoe sales to these consumers. the footwear.

They have also developed their outsole to help the wearer with grip. The Maiori has a 3.2mm TC-1 flat textured sole that offers a balance of great grip and feel. The fourth and fifth toes are connected and thereby ensure additional protection.

Their Signa water shoe has a segmented Coral outsole that is made of Vibram TC-4 Plus rubber that ensures a great grip and protection in wet conditions. The outsole allows natural foot flexion when swimming.

The shoe features small perforations in the sole, which offer threefold benefits: the perforations encourage water drainage, minimise the shoes’ weight and speed up the time required to dry. The upper, which is made of a combination of synthetic and abrasion resistant fabrics, protects the foot.

The perfect fit Footwear should fit well and not add pressure to the foot. Restrictive footwear can hurt the foot and result in the consumer not wearing the shoes again, which could have a negative effect on both the retailer who sold the pair of shoes — the consumer might not return to the store as result of being sold the wrong footwear — as well as the brand who made the shoes. The consumer might associate the brand with the ill fit and try another brand on purpose. For tips on ensuring that you sell your customers shoes that fit well, see the June/July 2013 issue of Sports Trader.

Aqualine offers several closure options to ensure the wearer finds the one that works best for them. Their Hydro Cross water shoes, for example, feature a convenient elastic lace system that is designed to ensure a snug fit.

Another way to tackle the lace-issue is to do away with them completely and insert a toggle system, such as seen in Aqualine’s Hydro Tech water shoes. Simply adjust the toggle to get the right fit. Their Hydro Glow water shoes, on the other hand, have a Velcro strap that ensures great fit.

“Some of our sandals include an aggressive rubber outsole for traction and performance and the adjustable straps become important for convenience,” says Joanne Syfret of Hi-Tec.

“Fit and comfort play an important part in all Hi-Tec designs.”

Sometimes laces have an annoying habit of coming undone at the most inopportune times.

“In our Aqua range you can always expect the incorporation of Neoprene toggle lacing,” says Syfret. “They are designed to ensure fuss-free activity where laces would usually be a nuisance, for example they can hold you back when racing. We also offer a hook and loop adjustment for fit.”

The 2mm neoprene upper on the Vibram Maiori ensures that the water shoe provides a secure and warm fit. The pull-tab and adjustable straps add to achieving the correct fit. Their Signa water shoe features a structural hook and loop strap for a secured fit.

Some technologies have been developed specifically to add to the shoe fitting more comfortably. The adidas FitFoam is a visco-elastic rebound foam that contours to the foot just like a custom mould, and adds that extra level of comfort to the footwear.

“Reef prides itself on a ridiculously comfortable mentality,” says Brenton Jessop of Reef SA. “That is exactly the premise behind the Fanning sandal.” The sandal features a full 360o heel airbag that is enclosed in soft polyurethane.

Ever thought you’d be selling a pair of sandals based on the fact that they can open bottles? Well, that is one of the features of Reef’s Fanning sandal. The Thirst Quenching technology enables them to include a built-in bottle opener in the sole of the sandal. The sandal also features a water-friendly synthetic nubuck upper, contoured compression moulded EVA footbed with built-in anatomical arch support, and a durable and grippy outsole that is ideal for slippery surfaces.

Function alone, however, won’t necessarily sell a shoe. The consumer still has to find the shoe pleasing to the eye in order to try it on.

Cosmetics important It is especially important for ladies’ footwear to offer functional footwear that don’t compromise on femininity and design, says Syfret.

Hi-Tec’s ladies sandal designs feature different coloured stitching, weaves around the ankle straps, buckle fastenings, different strap thicknesses and the pattern and colour combinations also contribute towards a sophisticated and feminine shoe. This all, while still incorporating Hi-Tec’s established technology such as a durable rubber outsole, bespoke web To p34

p36 :: Apparel & Footwear

Sandal and water shoes trends cont from p36

Sustainable sandals Reef’s ladies Shore Drift sandal — launched in August — has a sporty look and feel and a lightweight EVA outsole. The ultra-soft EVA strap has a brushed EVA lining and polyester toe post, and the EVA footbed has anatomical arch support.

Their Rodeo Flip sandal is lightweight with an athletic styling.

“It has everything a guy wants in a

sandal,” says Jessop. It features a waterfriendly synthetic nubuck upper, dual-density compression moulded EVA contoured footbed with anatomical arch support, and engineered anchor system technology. The sandal was constructed without glue, and the EVA sole makes use of the Eco One technology, an organic additive that enhances the biodegradation process that allows all EVA components of the sandal to biodegrade in an active landfill. The technology is also available in their Phantom Player sandal.

Sustainability is a long-lasting trend that is aiming to leave a long-lasting impact on the world around us. To add to their sustainability contributions, 5% of the rubber used in adidas’ Jawpaw II is recycled.

Reef’s ladies Quatemalan Stargazer sandal is part of their We Heart collection. The collection forms part of Reef’s socially responsible practices. They have developed partnerships with artisans in countries such as India, Togo, Uganda and Guatemala, where Reef purchases the handmade crafts directly from the artisans — providing a source of income and empowering women in developing countries to help build communities through

Ree fQ uat em ala nS tar gaz er

bing details, and performance synthetic uppers that offer versatility and comfort.

“This season, water shoes and sandals trend towards being lighter and more colourful.

We’ve added colour pops to our shoes that are bound to prove very popular,” says Stirrat.

“The outdoor sandals and water shoes are multi-functional and our sandals have eye-catching styles.”

Aqualine has taken bright colours to the extreme, with their Hydro Glow water shoes available in three eye-catching neon colours (pink, green and orange) with a black trim.

No matter if they are fashion, sport or outdoor style, sandals should be a light type of footwear. To reach this goal, adidas have used technical and lightweight materials in their sandals and slides.

Keep shoes clean Footwear can become rather grimy with all the sweat and dirt collecting on it. Nikwax’s Sandal Wash (left), locally distributed by Ram Mountaineering, is a sponge-on deodorising cleaner for all types of leather and synthetic sandals and footbeds.

It eliminates the odours by removing bacteria that rot material and cause unpleasant smells.

They also have a product specifically designed for waterproof footwear — the Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel. It safely revitalises water-repellency and breathability. alleviating poverty, and to help them share their traditional crafts with the world.

The Quatemalan Stargazer — available in South Africa for summer — has a thin rubber strap that features hand woven textiles from Guatemala. The squishy EVA footbed is comfortable and the durable rubber outsole is great for walking on slippery surfaces.

Not only are Vibram water shoes and sandals built to offer the wearer various benefits while wearing them … they are also convenient to clean. The footwear can be washed in the washing machine and then simply air dried.

p38 :: Apparel & Footwear

SA sales follow global trends

SOUTH AFRICAN outdoor sandal and water shoe sales have declined over the past few years, reports GfK SA, which tracks footwear sales in some big retailers. This is in line with international trends.

In summer, sandals is the most important outdoor footwear category for retailers. During the past summer months (December 2012-February 2013), sandals averaged more than 22% of outdoor footwear sales. Most sandal units were sold in December, namely 37% of all outdoor footwear sold through stores tracked by GfK. Last year, the second highest number of sandals were sold in October, with sandals accounting for 33% of outdoor footwear sales for the month.

The best-selling price point for outdoor sandals in South African retailers is the R200-R300 range, with R300-R400 the next best-seller, reports GfK. While the R300-R400 price range also does well for water shoes, they sell equally well in the R500-R600 price range.

The majority of outdoor sandal sales are in the junior market (69%) and close to 30% of outdoor sandal sales are in the unisex/men category, shows the GfK SA data. The ladies’ category does not account for too many outdoor sandal sales. The domination of the mens’ and junior

The majority of outdoor sandal sales are in the junior market (69%). styles could be explained by the fact that men are likely to wear their rugged outdoor sandals for various activities, from walking in the outdoors to attending social engagements. They would therefore be more likely to buy outdoor sandals than women, who would more likely buy fashion sandals.

As expected, consumers tend to buy their sandals in the months leading up to summer, with the peak in December and a sharp decline in January. This past December, for example, sandals accounted for the majority (37%) of outdoor footwear unit sales, while sandals only accounted for 19% of January’s outdoor footwear unit sales. In January the total outdoor footwear unit sales were less than half (45%) of December’s.

Sandals accounted for 20% of outdoor footwear unit sales across the year ended June 2013, while water shoes accounted for 10%.

Water shoe sales

The unisex/men’s category completely dominates water shoe unit sales, accounting for

82% of the sales. Ladies account for 17% of these sales. Last year junior water shoe sales spiked in July (reaching 10% of unit sales for the month), but the rest of the year up to June this year, the sales in the junior category were below 5% of the month’s water shoe unit sales.

Water shoe sales experienced a less dramatic jump in December, with a difference of about 2 000 pairs between November-December and December-January respectively.

International sales In the US, especially outdoor sandals have struggled during their summer, reports OIA Vantage Point in their market trend report on outdoor footwear for the period ending 20 July 2013. For the year starting mid July 2012, outdoor sandal units dropped by 15.5%.

“Almost all outdoor sandals sub-categories declined [in high summer, July 2013], except outdoor/action sports slides and hybrid/closed toe sandals, which make up a relatively smaller proportion of sandals sales overall.”

Overall, outdoor footwear sales dropped by almost 11% during the year, with technical hiking and trail running footwear the only categories that reported positive growth (other categories were trail running, light hiking, barefoot footwear, and outdoor casual footwear).

p40 :: Outdoor

OutDoor highlights trends

All photographs on this page were taken for OutDoor Friedrichshafen

The annual OutDoor* trade show offers a great platform for retailers and distributors alike to see what is happening in the world of outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment. Various trends and developments are launched at the show, some of which can be seen at a later date introduced into locally available products**.

T

he outdoor industry is constantly developing, changing, adjusting, improving their products to improve the usability, efficiency and safety of the user. While these developments have delivered great benefits for outdoor participants, they have had the side-effect of making outdoor products more accessible to a broader market — where people who don’t necessarily participate in outdoor activities wear the outdoor clothing and footwear, and make use of the products, for example backpacks and headlamps.

Less than a decade after the introduction of eye catching colours in clothing at the OutDoor show it is hard to imagine that there was a time when outdoor clothing was not bright and colourful, but today you’ll be hard pressed to find a garment that is not. Bright colours don’t only add a fashionable element to the clothing. They are also extremely practical when the wearer happens to find himself in a situation where they need to be found and assisted … a situation where camouflage prints won’t do the wearer any good.

It’s not only the colours that have added a

more fashionable element. Over the years, the cuts themselves have changed in such a way that outdoor clothing is now appropriate for everyday wear — some even of a smart enough design that they can be worn to work.

It’s not only clothing cuts that have been addressed. More and more emphasis has been placed on how the shoe and foot should work together, and not against each other. Brands are studying the foot — the muscles, bones, how it moves, etc. — and developing means to make the shoe and foot work together better, To p40 which in turn improves the wear

* The OutDoor trade show is an established show, having been running for the past 20 years. Every year thousands of trade visitors flock to its halls to view the latest on offer from international brands. This year’s show took place 11-14 July in Friedrichshafen, Germany. ** Distributors don’t always supply everything available from their international parent company. Check with your local distributor if they’ll be supplying a product if you’re not sure.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

p42 :: Outdoor

Photo: Anja Köhler for OutDoor Friedrichshafen

OutDoor trends cont from p40 er’s experience.

Other brands are focusing on dealing with specific problem areas. For example Hanwag (an international brand that is not available in South Africa) incorporated a bunion strip in their hiking boots, which is meant to help those who suffer from bunions.

The women’s market is becoming more and more important to brands and some have even gone as far as to take into account that women’s bodies change during certain stages of their lives — such as during pregnancy, where they have developed jackets that are designed to be able to expand to fit the growing stomach. This is done with the help of special inserts that allow the jacket to expand as and when needed.

Light on the user The lighter the product, the more comfortable it is likely to be, and designers seem to be in a race to see who can come up with means of achieving the lightest product.

Footwear is becoming more lightweight with each design, with Inov8’s Trailroc 150 weighing a mere 150g per shoe. It is not only the running shoes, however, that view lightweight as a bonus. It is great across all activities — as long as the technical requirements are kept and not thrown out for the sake of reducing weight. La Sportiva’s ultralight mountaineering boot, for example, weighs 1 350g per pair, but the brand is adamant that the boot still has complete stability with crampons.

The weight of a product is important for any product that will be carried … and for someone such as a hiker, that means every single product that they need. As such, it is not dif-

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

More and more consumers are aware of companies who manufacture in an ecologically and socially responsible way … and companies are cleaning up their act in response. ficult to see why tents — that have to be carried when they are not being used — are being designed to be lighter. At 770g, the Telemark 1 from Nordisk claims to be the lightest oneperson tent. It offers a 10 denier nylon, carbon frame, titanium pegs and Kevlar rigging for wind stability. There is also two-person tent, Jack Wolfskin’s Exolight III, that weighs a mere two kilograms.

Backpacks also benefit from having a lighter weight, but this is not the only quality that benefits the user (see p44 on what features are most important in a backpack and what backpacks South Africa consumers are buying). Water is often a problem. Brands have developed a way to waterproof the backpack material on the inside, such as seen from Arcteryx (AC 2 sweat technology) and Mountain Hardwear (an Outdry membrane), so that they can add details to the outside of the pack.

In addition to their light weight, adidas Outdoor’s shoes have a stealth outsole — a slip resistant outsole that offers rock climbers the security of steady footing.

We’ve seen before that the interest in barefoot footwear does not stop with runners.

Mountaineering brands, such as The North

Face, have also introduced the category into their footwear.

There is now a sleeping bag, available from Yeti (another international brand that is not available in South Africa), that is so lightweight (280g) that it can be carried in your pocket.

One problem that down sleeping bag manufacturers are foreseeing for next year is a shortage of high quality down as result of the bird flu in China — and a resulting rise in costs.

In response, some companies have introduced a range that combines down with artificial fibres, thereby reducing the foreseen impact.

Responsible manufacturers Additionally, more and more consumers are aware of companies who manufacture in an ecologically and socially responsible way … and companies are cleaning up their act in response.

Using colours and dyes is so old-school — adidas Outdoor make use of a naturally-coloured material, which has a milky and translucent colour. By not using dyes and colours, the company saves on water, energy and chemicals — their TX Zuaplite jacket, however, does not lose any of its functional qualities.

Another German brand has developed a textile that is made from the oil of the castor oil plant. Yeti made a jacket, which is based on nylon and made from this plant.

Then there is a jacket from a Swedish brand, Klättermusen, that uses recycled polyproylene to make the garment — and is again recycled when it is at the end of its life to create new polyproylene, which can be used again.

Several brands, including Nikwax’s TX Direct, also have PFC-free products and treatments.

43

Understanding insulation Visit Sports Trader’s website for more product knowledge: www.sportstrader.co.za

I

nsulation reduces the transfer of heat, which allows food and liquid to stay warmer — or colder — for longer periods of time while kept in an insulated product.

Outdoor and sport stores sell various products that use insulation to keep liquid and food warm. Whether your customer will be participating in outdoor activities, travelling long distances, or if he merely wants to keep his coffee warm on the way to work, environmental conditions can have an effect on the temperature of liquid or food.

This is not just a case of cold coffee or food tasting unpleasant — a drop or rise in temperature of some foods or liquids can spoil it and make it indigestible, or cause the user to become ill.

It is therefore good to know what type of insulation works the best for your customers’ needs.

A key element in keeping food and liquid cold or warm, the insulation must either restrict heat escaping from — or reaching — the content. Heat moves from a high to low temperature, therefore keeping items cold or warm is dependent on heat loss and gain.

Our cut-out-and-keep series to assist retailers with product knowledge Words: RHIANAH FREDERICKS. Compiled with the help of Morné Strydom of Jarden SA, local distributor of Coleman, and the websites www.howstuffworks. com, www.wisegeek.com, www.ehow. com, www.thermos.co.uk, www.keepyourcooler.com, www.engel-usa.com and www.waeco.com

Care of insulation products

Heat is transferred in three ways While there are several types of products that use insulation, there are also different ways of insulating and keeping the temperature of the contents stable.

• Conduction: heat transfer through solid materials touching one another. Thicker materials, such as metal, are good conductors, whilst lighter materials, such as plastic or paper, do not conduct heat as well.

• Convection: when liquid heats up it turns into gas and rises. As it rises the gas cools down to the temperature of the outside environment, and drops. This cycle continues, releasing heat in this way.

• Radiation: heat transfer through electromagnetic energy (infrared) such as from the sun. It is not visible to the human eye, but is felt. Heat is transferred from a warm to a cold surface in this way.

Types of insulation Foam: polystyrene, polyethylene and polyurethane are different types of foam used in outdoor products such as cooler boxes, bags and portable fridges. The microscopic pockets found in foam trap still standing air, which reduces heat loss through convection.

Cooler bags are commonly designed with a

vacuum insulation in products such as flasks, allows the contents to remain either warm or cold. Products that make use of this usually have two parts — an inner and an outer that are separated by a vacuum-sealed space (an area that has little to no air in it). With vacuum insulation, heat loss by conduction is reduced, because the inner surface does not touch the outer and allow heat to escape, whilst the lack of air in the vacuumed space does not allow convection to take place either.

The vacuum flask is sometimes also referred to as the Dewar flask, in honour of the scientist who invented the first of its kind.

plastic inner and outer that is separated by a foam-filled lining that insulates. Cold liquid or food that is stored in the bag will remain colder for longer, as the foam prevents penetration of heat from outside.

Portable powered insulation products such as fridges and freezers also make use of foam insulation to keep food and liquids cold.

Neoprene: a heat resistant synthetic rubber material that is commonly used in a sleeve form to envelope items such as bottles, cups and other containers, in order to reduce the amount of heat or cold escaping the container.

Reflective: reduces radiant heat loss across an open space by applying a reflective surface that is able to mirror heat transferred onto it, back toward its origin. Shiny materials such as silver or aluminium foil are used in the manufacturing these types of products. They are also used to reduce heat transfer in or out, making them efficient at maintaining the temperature of the food or liquid contents.

This type of insulation is commonly used in outdoor products such as flasks and carrier bags.

Vacuum: this type of insulation relies on the absence of air to decrease heat loss. Using

Retailers should advise their customers to take care when using their insulating products, as damage to the product can reduce its lifespan.

• If the inner or outer of a product that uses the vacuum method is cracked or chipped, it may result in the implosion of the flask, which will ultimately result in air getting into the vacuum area and it will not provide the insulation that is required to keep food or drink warm or cold.

• When using a product that uses vacuum insulation, customers should not place the item in the microwave or freezer, as heat or extreme cold can affect the insulating properties of the vacuum.

• With all types of insulation, tears in the material, such as the foil or foam lining of the product, can result in reduced insulation and the product will not be able to keep the food or liquid inside the container warm or cold.

• When cleaning items such as cooler bags, boxes and flasks with foam or rubber insulation, warn customers that bleach has a tendency to deteriorate foam and if a product such as a cooler bag or box has a cut in it, the use of harsh chemicals may result in the product losing its insulating capabilities.

Rather advise your customers to use soapy water or clear water with white vinegar.

• Advise customers that preparing their insulated product before placing liquid or food in it may help in maintaining the warmth or coldness they desire.

If food or drinks need to be kept cold in a cooler box, the addition of ice blocks may further increase the insulating capabilities of the ice box and similarly if it is their intention to keep food warm, they may wrap the contents in a foil covering that will reduce the amount of heat escaping the holder.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p44 :: Outdoor

Recommend the right backpack

for an activity

D

aypacks are currently sport and outdoor consumers’ favourite backpack, even outselling hiking bags in outdoor stores — but travelling bags are the least popular.

According to the majority (59%) of the retailers who responded to our recent survey* on backpack sales, daypacks are the type of backpack that sells best in their stores. Interestingly, most outdoor respondents (81%) say that daypacks are their top seller, whilst more than a third (38%) of sport retailers report that they also sell well in their stores. Similarly, 38% of retailers that sell both outdoor and sport equipment find that daypacks are the best-selling type of bag in their store.

Over the past few years smaller backpacks have become popular as fashion accessories and practical gear holders for people of all ages doing every activity imaginable.

Some retailers also noted that daypacks are popular for use as school bags because they offer the space needed for bottles, laptops and other items.

When buying a daypack for urban use, retailers should recommend that customers opt for a bag with organisers that will be ideal for storing smaller items such as phones, keys, glasses, etc. suggest several South African backpack suppliers.

“A slash pocket with a non-scratch interior for storage of valuables, a padded laptop sleeve for protecting electronics, as well as a hip belt with pockets for stowing keys, cameras and sweets etc. for easy access, are handy,” says Leo Rust from Adventure Inc., lo-

cal distributor of Osprey backpacks.

Other features that are important are “a speed opening buckle system for swift access as well as stretch mesh bottle pockets for on the move accessibility — or the pack should be hydration compatible,” says Dale Turrell from Native Sport.

Stable shoulder straps is also a must-have feature in daypacks, says Joanne Syfret from Hi-Tec SA, as comfort is a quality that should not be neglected when recommending daypacks to your customers.

When he is recommending any type of bag, a retailer should tell customers that fit is one of the main things to consider “Materials and padding are often neglected in daypacks, as price points are targeted and comfort and durability is often the first areas to go,” says Steve Gallienne from SuperBrands, local distributors of Karrimor. Comfort, durability and airflow systems are key features and can make all the difference, he adds.

In order to achieve this, Turrell suggests recommending a lightweight chassis with a comfortable padded shoulder harness that is easy to adjust.

“A breathable back support system will also be ideal,” agrees Jeremy Nel from Rocky. A 30L daypack is able to take enough goods for

Daypacks are the best-selling type of backpack in South African outdoor and sport stores. RHIANAH FREDERICKS reports on the results from our recent backpack survey and asked the experts what features retailers should recommend to their customers when purchasing a backpack for a specific activity

a day. Reflective markings are also important for safety, he adds.

With any backpack, “a side mesh pouch for storing a water bottle, a chest strap for more vigorous activities — where support is needed — a wet pouch and adjustable bungee outside storage area for a jacket, or even shoe storage, would be handy,” suggests Barbara Cole from New Balance.

Sports bags Sports bags are the biggest seller for 38% of all the retail respondents and, as expected, it is the best-selling bag in 88% of the stores of sport retailer respondents. Sport bags are also very popular in 63% of the stores that sell both outdoor and sport equipment.

“A feature in sports bags that retailers should recommend is that they should have a wet goods or shoe pouch,” says Cole, who finds that these are handy for sweaty kit or dirty shoes. She also says that a few extra pockets on the bag would be good and that it must have adjustable shoulder straps.

When your customers are selecting a sport bag they should know the purpose they will be using it for, as “the selection should be sport specific,” says Turrell. Tennis bags that hold items such as rackets would, for example, be wider than a slim hockey stick bag, but not as big as a cricket bag that has to take protective gear like shin pads, as well as a bat.

In general, a sport bag should be lightweight, comfortable, breathable and tough enough for South African conditions. Other features, such as a quality zipper and volume, are also key

* Sports Trader did a snap survey of sport and outdoor retailers selling daypacks, hiking, travel, sport bags as well as cycle and running bags during July 2013. The majority of the respondents (50%) are outdoor stores, 25% are sport stores and 25% sell both sport and outdoor gear.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Backpacks were popular products at the 2013 OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen.

and need to be considered, adds Nel.

Cycling and running Bags for cycling or running are good sellers in only 13% of the stores of respondents. Surprisingly, the majority (25%) of retailers who say these are their best-sellers are outdoor retailers. Even more surprising is that none of the sport retail respondents say that these sportspecific bags are good sellers. This could suggest that they are mainly bought by off-road runners and cyclists.

Features like lightweight and easy accessibility to hydration bladders have been highlighted as the main aspects to look for when recommending packs for cyclists and runners.

“A snug fit is important,” adds Gallienne. A hip belt pocket and adequate space are also things to look at, Syfret suggests.

“When looking to purchase a running specific backpack, customers should be made aware that it is important to look for specific features such as a compression waist strap system that provides extra comfort, and a compartment in the bag for a hydration pack (if this is not included),” says Lisa Stirrat from adidas. A chest strap with a whistle and reflective elements are also useful for enhanced safety and visibility in the outdoors, she says.

Hiking bag Larger hiking bags are the best sellers in 16% of our respondents’ stores. Predictably, most respondents who say this is their best seller (25%) are outdoor retailers, while only 13% of retailers that sell both outdoor and sport equipment reported that hiking bags are their top seller.

Remind customers shopping for larger hiking bags with features such as a light weight, adjustability and easy access are important, suppliers suggest. A hiking trip can be long, which means a heavy bag will need to be carried all the way.

“Inside-out compression straps keep the load close to the back, side pockets will give the wearer access to small items while on the go,” says Gallienne. The weight is important because the heavier the bag, the less weight can be added to lift it once it has been packed.

A good stable waist harness to help carry the

A side pouch for storage, a chest strap for more vigorous activities, a wet pouch and adjustable bungee outside storage area would be handy weight of the pack and easy access to pockets holding important elements such as water bottles, notes, tools, etc. would be ideal as well, agrees Syfret.

A system to fit a water bladder, a steel frame support for weight bearing assistance, and easy top and bottom access, are what retailers should recommend to their customers, adds Nel. Turrell agrees that the bag should be compatible with a hydration bladder, or have stretch mesh bottle pockets for on the move accessibility. A universal gear rail with webbing loops, or a multi-belt system for gear attachment, is also recommended, he says.

Travel bags The lowest number of retailers (9%), say that bags for travelling are their top sellers. Only 13% of respondents from outdoor stores as well as outdoor and sport stores, report that these are the most popular selling bags. None of the sport retailers found this to be the case in their stores.

Restrictions on weight have a great impact on what retailers should be recommending to their customers when they are looking at buying a travel bag, therefore lightweight is a key feature for a travel bag.

The bag should be constructed with a fabric that gives appropriate strength and versatility, says Turrell. It should also have easy accessible pockets for items that need quick access.

“A strong quality zip and excellent stitching is essential for the longevity of the bag as we are all guilty of over-packing!” says Syfret. If the bag has wheels, it should be wide apart, and the bag must be durable, in order to endure the amount of moving and dumping that occurs when travelling, she adds.

Rust says that the main compartments of the bag should be lockable and have an ID sleeve (to hold important documents), internal pockets, as well as tensioning straps to hold the load in place.

Nel suggests that a travel bag should also have a lockable quality zip.

In general, when recommending any type of bag, retailers should tell customers that “fit is one of the main things to consider,” says Rust.

Interchangeable hip belts are also ideal, as they can be optimised to fit tall, short, thin or even fuller figured people.

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

Photo: Felix Kästle for Messe Friedrichshafen

Outdoor :: p45

p46 :: Outdoor

Photo: Achim Förster for Messe Friedrichshafen

What’s new in backpack

ranges

The Osprey stand at the 2013 OutDoor show.

T

he suppliers of backpack to the South African market provide a wide variety of packs, suitable for all activities. Here is an alphabetical list of what will be available for the coming season.

Adidas Adidas offer a variety of backpacks that will suit any backpacker’s needs. This season’s trends will be colour blocking and lightweight materials.

The CLIMA is a top of the range daypack, made from a durable material, which is ideal for the gym. It uses foam for padding and ventilation and features a padded laptop compartment as well as a shoe compartment.

Their middle of the range Power II and DER backpacks are more affordable and have their own features, which includes a padded laptop compartment, compression straps, a water bottle pouch and adjustable shoulder straps for a tight or loose fit.

Their entry level backpacks — these are your everyday back to school backpacks — also have adjustable shoulder straps and a water bottle pouch, but offer an inside divider that is ideal for books or separating items.

Adidas also offers a women’s specific backpack range to meet the ever-increasing demand for women’s products. The Reload backpack features two front zipped pockets, as well as a divider.

For cyclists and runners, their Run Load 3-stripes backpack is ideal. It features safety items such as a chest strap and reflective elements. This bag is lightweight, has a compression waist strap system that is designed to give extra comfort and has a compartment for a bladder.

Black Diamond Black Diamond, locally distributed by Ram Mountaineering, offers various types of backpacks.

Their Hollowpoint daypack is an all-rounder that is great for outdoor enthusiasts, and works for city conditions too, with a front zipper pocket that has a deluxe organizer for storing urban gear. The bag has a 20 litre main

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

compartment with top zip access and is hydration compatible.

The Mercury 75 and Women’s specific version Onyx 65 are larger hiking bags that are designed to use on multi day trails. These Packs combine classic backpacking features with sleek, modern designs and unparalleled freedom of movement with the ergoACTIV XP suspension system that uses a custom, 3D pivoting hipbelt and SwingArmTM shoulder straps for increased stability. They also have a top opening and a front zippered panel that gives the wearer full access to the inside, while multiple pockets, dividers and straps help secure and organise gear during extended trips.

For sports, the Demon Duffel can haul essential gear seamlessly from home, through baggage claim, on the trail, and to the crag. A full-length zipper allows for easy packing and quick access. In travel mode, tuck away the shoulder straps and wide 38 mm webbing hip belt, or when hitting the trail, the full frame sheet with foam back panel offers support and comfort.

When cycling or running, their Flash backpack is an ultra-light, hydration compatible mini pack that is lightweight (210gm). Despite its weight, it offers structured support, with multi-density foam shoulder straps and back panel. The perforated straps and breathability makes it ideal for cycling.

E3 Gear When travelling, the E3 Transit bag — available from Ram Mountaineering — is a nifty 95 litre bag into most sports bags and backpacks will fit for extra security and protection of packs and equipment. It closes at the top with a secure coded karabiner.

Hi-Tec In their daypack range, Hi-Tec offers the Felix 25 litre pack with two separate compartments, two side pockets and integral rain cover. This bag also features a hydration sleeve on the inside and has adjustable shoulder straps for comfort.

For hiking, the Asila 35L is a technical daypack that has a fully ventilated moulded back, hip belt with pockets and air-mesh

back system.

Their sports bags, like the ELF and 60 litre Aston, have large compartments, smaller side compartments for organisation and mesh that allows breathability.

When going cycling or running, the Hi-Tec Checkpoint hydration pack, with a cargo capacity of 3 litre, is ideal. Reflective elements, EVA foam back panels, a laser cut bite valve, sternum strap and removable waist belt, makes this product even more appealing.

Karrimor Karrimor, locally available from Super-Brands, offer an extensive range of daypacks — from the traditional school, to the more fashionable packs. They also have slightly more technical daypacks, offering hydration compatibility, rain covers, etc.

Comfort, durability and airflow systems are key in their new Urban, Sierra, Zodiak series (available in 10-30 litre variable sizes), while their Trail 35 Litre is ideal for school events, or just a day out.

For hikers, they offer an extensive range of backpacks, covering various codes — from serious hiking to technical climbing, while offering a variety of weights, Self Adjust systems and removable harnesses.

Their Alpiniste and X-Lite series use lightweight materials, to offer functionality to the wearer.

The Jaguar backpack has four levels of customised fit and offers load balancing systems, hip belts, harnesses and a size-adjustable back system that gives great comfort to further enhance the wearer’s backpacking experience.

The Skido 65 is an affordable and practical pack, which will be launched later this year.

For sports, Karrimor offers various options — from their Redwood to tarpaulin duffels. These are good quality and good looking bags that feature removable padded shoulder harnesses, webbing grab handles and variable sizing.

For cycling and running, their Re-Fuel series, with RCT (Refuel Chassis Technology), keeps the bag closer to the wearer’s back as their hydration supply depreciates.

For travelling, Karrimor’s Transit series (that will be arriving shortly) will To p46

p48 :: Outdoor

Backpack ranges cont from p48 The Black Diamond range of daypacks feature a simple, clean construction with multiple attachment points and are hydration compatible. These packs are the go-to choice for fast-and-light trail missions, ridge scrambles and all-day hikes.

offer four different sized bags, all packed in one, for ease of transport. This will also offer the retailer the option to optimise margins.

All wheel bases have in-line skate wheels, telescopic aluminium handle systems and even stowable shoulder harness straps.

Osprey Osprey, locally distributed by Adventure Inc., offers various daypacks that all feature a slash pocket with a non-scratch inside, which is ideal for storing valuables, such as sunglasses or smartphones.

Their larger hiking bags — Aether and Ariel — feature a J-zip, which allows easy access to the main compartment, while inside-out compression straps keeps the load close to the wearer’s back. These bags also have side pockets that give the wearer access to small items while on the go.

Stow on the Go technology allows hiking poles to be easily stashed away when free hands are needed. A removable lid pocket converts into a bum bag for use around camp or town, or even just to trim the pack size down. All larger Osprey bags have the standard sleeping bag compartment with a large easy access zip.

When travelling, Osprey roller travel bags have large wheels and a sturdy handle for easy maneuverability. They have internal pockets, main compartments that are lockable and tensioning straps that hold the load in place.

Thule Thule, known for their roof boxes and carriers, now offer a full luggage range, which includes travel, camera and laptop bags, as well as laptop covers and sporty laptop backpacks. Their products are user-friendly and are designed to offer functionality, quality and safety. The range is marketed in South Africa by Daniel Kerdachi.

Thule’s EnRoute daypack range comes in three funky colour variations that will appeal to scholars, students, young (or young at heart) professionals or executives. Traditional tones, like black and dark shadow, are also available.

All daypacks in the EnRoute range provide added comfort and customized protection for electronic equipment like laptops and tablets — gear nowadays packed by most day-trippers, whatever activity they plan.

The proven success of the heat-moulded, crush-proof, Safe Zone and the compression moulded pouch, positioned at the top of the daypacks, safely guard fragile items.

The external side pocket featured on all bags in the range, allows a water bottle to be close at hand. A back panel with airflow channels for ventilation, padded straps and a sternum strap are other comfort features.

Daypack sizes vary from the 19 litre Strut to the 29 litre Escort, and include a 23 litre Blur and 28 litre Mosey.

Thule’s Crossover range is a collection of bags ideal for sport and outdoor activities, designed to meet the needs of travel enthusiasts and adventure seekers everywhere. They are not only lightweight, but also durable for easy transport.

All the backpacks, duffels and rolling bags in the Crossover range feature a lockable and removeable heat-moulded, crush-proof SafeZone compartment that protects fragile gear.

Aliminium hardware and water-resistant fabrics increase durability and a lighter weight.

All bags in the range — except the 38 liter Rolling Carry-On — have adjustable compression straps and multiple handles that are ideal for grab-and-go situations.

The 40 Liter Duffel Pack is a hybrid travel bag (backpack or duffel) and like the Rolling Carry-On, is has raised rails that give extra protection.

The 56 and 58 liter Rolling Duffels are ideal for adventurers who take all of their gear with them. Wide mouth access allows helmets, boots and other essential to be loaded easily while rugged wheels and handles ensure easy transportation. The bags have divided main compartments and also feature a durable exoskeleton and moulded polypropylene back panel that absorb the impact of rugged travel. V-Tubing telescoping handles guarantee a smooth, steady and straight pull. It also features an integrated ID pocket.

The Gauntlet series caters specifically for MacBook users who want to take their technology with them on all adventures. The sleeves or attaché cases offer size-specific protection and features that will appeal to all laptop or iPad users, but are compact enough to be packed in another bag.

UltrAspire UltrAspire, locally distributed by Native Sports, offers the Titan endurance running backpack with hydration. This pack, like the Solace, was originally developed with the mountain bike racer in mind, where pockets might get in the way of knees and who must keep one hand on the handle bar. It is ideal for runners who want a lower profile pocket and is also suited for summiting high places.

Ultra-lightweight 30-denier fabric and perforated foam reduces the weight and sweat repelling webbing ensures that it doesn’t get heavier when absorbing water and sweat, while large-hole microfibre mesh allows ultrabreathability. A Plexus Pocket uses magnets for one-handed pocket access and automatic closure. It also has an external quick stash pocket with elasticised mesh and a sleeve for a bike pump or ice axe.

Another offering from UltrAspire is the Surge, with a 2 litre reservoir, and offers quick access to the hydration compartment. It also have top zippered pockets and a left mesh pocket.A contoured profile helps give a comfortable stable ride.

p50 :: Sport

Fitting out your customer

with a hockey stick

M

atching the right hockey stick to the right player can be a daunting responsibility, because purchasing the wrong stick can affect a player’s enjoyment of the game and could result in you losing a prospective customer.

Take some time to understand your customer’s needs, help him select the best stick for his playing style and position and you could have a loyal customer for many years to come.

There are many factors to take into account.

• What is your customer’s level of play: are you advising a beginner, a high school team player, or a more advanced provincial player?

• Is your customer buying a stick for the first time, or is he replacing his old stick? If he is replacing his stick, does he want the same brand, or does he want to change? If he is changing to another brand, what features did or didn’t he like in his old stick?

• What is his budget — can he afford a top end composite stick, or would you be wasting your time by showing him anything but wooden sticks?

• His player position is also important: is your customer an attacking forward, defending back, or goalkeeper?

• Does he have a certain style of play: does he like dribbles, flicks or drags? Is he a power player or does he want more control?

Once you formed a profile picture of your customer’s skill level, likes and budget, you can look at the specific stick features that will suit him best.

The beginner For a player starting out, a lower priced wooden stick, rather than a more expensive composite stick, would be more suited. A

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

wooden stick offers more control than a stick made of composite materials and is therefore better suited to learning new techniques. If a customer is playing for the first time, a synthetic fibreglass stick is also advisable, as it may offer a longer lifespan to players who do not yet know how to take proper care of their stick.

When customers are looking for a stick to match these criteria, there are several brands to consider: Wooden sticks such as the Glow, Lunar and Serpent from Kookaburra, help beginners with general control, says Nicola Ludlow of local distributor JRT Crampton.

The Ikon, Demon and Flick series from Slazenger “cater for those looking for an affordable, but durable, performing stick,” says Steve Gallienne from Super-Brands, local distributor of Slazenger. These series of sticks are cosmetically appealing and offer not only wooden, but glass reinforced fibre constructions, which may appeal to slightly more advanced school team players as well.

The Gryphon Cub is also a well reinforced, fully painted, wooden stick that offers customers value for money with its low price point.

“For improved durability and power I would recommend a synthetic stick for a beginner,” says Shane Schonegevel from local distributor OBO SA. Gryphon’s entry level synthetic junior stick, the Slasher, and senior sticks, the Predator or Wand, will be suitable says Schonegevel. “These sticks are ideally suited to beginners as they have a really soft feel, which makes them very easy to play with.”

A straighter stick is good for beginners, says Gugu Ntuli from adidas. The adidas X17 has a smaller 17mm bow that is higher up near the centre, which results in a good first touch and

allows the player good control of a bouncing ball.

The Star wooden hockey sticks are available in 28-34” (by two inch increments) for juniors and a 36” — available in light, medium and heavy variations — for the senior, says Andrew Wentzel from local distributor W.E.T Sports Importers. The next stick up, the Star Premium stick with painted blade, is available in the same sizes and weights as the Star. “Both these sticks are targeted at the beginner in junior and high school, who is just starting out with hockey, or for schools that are buying in sticks for the use of their pupils,” adds Wentzel.

Malik has introduced hockey sets to help ease the beginner’s buying decisions. “For the starter player (and parent) we have our Malik starter sets, ranging from a 24” set up to a 36”,” says Peter Wright of local distributor Malik Sports. They include a stick, ball, shin guards, mouth guard and a bag. For the more serious beginner they have the Pluto Classic wooden stick in the same sizes and also a junior synthetic range of Adam and Eve sticks.

TK offers a wooden Midi stick, the Trillium 5.

“This stick is perfect for juniors and seniors,” says Rassie Pieterse from TK Sports. It features 80% fiberglass.

The school team or club player For the school team or junior club player, you can either recommend a wooden or junior to intermediate composite stick, but remember that price may still be a factor. These players are more advanced than the beginner and may be looking for a stick that offers more power, durability and allows them to perform maneuvers that fit the style of play they have developed.

For the school team or junior club player,

Sport :: p51

Recommending the ideal stick for a hockey player is no easy task as there are numerous factors to take into account. RHIANAH FREDERICKS asked various South African suppliers for tips on what to recommend

Kenny Jackson of New Balance would suggest 100% fiberglass through to 40% carbon sticks.

Pieterse also reminds that it is crucial to fit players with the right stick length. “For this level player, I would suggest a composite stick with a low range of carbon to ensure good flexibility for the player,” he adds.

“This level player has the potential to use a composite stick such as Kookaburra’s Energy or Illusion,” says Ludlow.

For the primary school player, Schonegevel would once again recommend the Gryphon Slasher that gives good performance and ease of use, while the Taboo junior is a high performance stick that is easy to use and advisable for primary school players.

When fitting a junior player, ensure that the customer hold the stick’s head on the floor and it is resting against his leg, while the top end of the stick reaches his hip joint near the bottom of the pocket, not higher For a high school player he says that their Gryphon essential range — which includes the Atomic, Blade, Solo and Volt — would offer an excellent balance between power, ease of use and value for money. Buying up in this range will give players more power. “The Atomic and Blade Pro provide options for the player who puts an emphasis on drag flicking,” he says.

Malik’s entry level Adam and Eve is followed by their Square 5 and Berry sticks, says Wright.

For your junior club players that are looking for great quality, cosmetics, and are entering the carbon sector, Gallienne suggests the Prodigy series from Slazenger.These sticks contain 10% carbon and also fiberglass. They have an in-line handle and twin core carbon structure in the shaft for stiffness and control, as well as anti-vibration grips. Their top-end Aero junior stick contains 20% carbon and has all the features and looks of their top professional stick, the Aero 90. This specific Aero junior has the twin core configuration at the top-end, instead of Quad Core, and is also advisable for the junior provincial player.

The adidas X24 has a 24mm straight bow that

is centrally positioned on the stick and is ideal for this level player. “This type of bow helps when passing and as it is weighted more towards the toe, assists the player in hitting the ball,” says Ntuli.

Top level league/provincial player For the top junior player — for example, at provincial level — a junior or intermediate senior composite senior stick will be advisable, while senior provincial players would be more interested in the top end composite stick. The advanced elite players would more likely play with specialised sticks that assist in special maneuvers.

The Midnight and Plasma sticks from Kookaburra are ideal for the top level junior player who is looking for a mid-price point and more carbon content. On the other hand, the top level senior player may have a personal preference when it comes to their stick’s bow shape, but their Team Range sticks with high carbon percentage would be favoured, says Ludlow.

For the serious player, the Gryphon Diablo, Tour and Taboo series will be advisable, says Schonegevel. The Tour and Taboo Blue Steel models offer unmatched power, while other models, such as the Taboo Striker, have slightly lower power, but place more emphases on a softer feel.

Their Tour series feature a silicone sleeve, which softens the feel of the stick without any power reduction. “Having considered the power, feel and price, the player then needs to choose an appropriate shape in the model of his choice,” says Schonegevel. He suggests the Deuce II, Pro or Classic Curve.

The adidas V24 has an all-rounder shape that is good for dribbling and passing. “This stick also gives players a high touch and feel, and

is used by attackers and skillful midfielders,” says Ntuli. Their LX or TX 24 sticks are recommended for the top level senior players.

Malik’s Black and Cobra sticks that have 50% carbon are recommended for the junior provincial player, as their respective classy black or lime designs will appeal to the more traditional player.

For the senior provincial player, Wright suggests their Square 2 with Aero curve or the Coco, because they offer a great variety. The Square 1 is Malik’s flagship stick, used by some national level players, says Wright. This stick will give a player a well-balanced and super feel and all the power he needs.

“We cater for senior provincial players across a variety of price points, technology and performance benefits,” says Gallienne. “The V series from Slazenger offers the more traditional shape visibly, but still offers the lowand mid-bow options across the V500 (50% carbon), V700 (70% carbon) and the V900 (90% carbon).”

They are all constructed with twin core, Nano technology, 1500K Armour (wear plates) and anti-vibration grips, so performance and comfort are not compromised. For elite level players, Gallienne recommends the Slazenger Aero stick.

At junior provincial level, a player has better skills, says Pieterse and therefore he would recommend a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 60% carbon fibre. Their TK Synergy range is ideal for this level of player.

Senior provincial and national level players know more or less exactly what they want, he says. A late bow shape will help with aerial skills and flicking — a skill that most provincial players use. Sticks for senior provincial players will have a much To p51

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

p52 :: Sport

Selling hockey sticks cont. from p52 higher carbon level, to generate more power and life, adds Pieterse.

For the national level player, Pieterse recommends the TK platinum — P1 or P2 — range with late bow shapes. They will also have the Deluxe shape next year.

Stick length Once you have narrowed down the level of stick to show your customer, you can concentrate on specific features like stick length, balance and weight, stiffness, bow shape, etc.

When fitting a junior player, ensure that the customer hold the stick’s head on the floor and it is resting against his leg while the top end of the stick reaches his hip joint near the bottom of the pocket, not higher.

“Junior sticks are often sized up to the hip bone or belly button, but this is too long and makes it more difficult for the player to develop his skills,” says Schonegevel.

Junior players generally use a 28-36 inch stick, whereas senior players tend to use sticks between 36.5 or 37.5 inches in length.

Gryphon’s junior sticks are available in two inch increments to ensure that junior customers find their correct size.

“We have seen a demand for the small sticks,” says Wright. It is for this reason that Malik has added a 24 and 26 inch stick to their 2014 junior range.

“TK junior sizes start from 28 inch going up to 36 inch,” says Pieterse. He suggests that the player should dribble and play with a ball to see what length they are more comfortable with to perform.

When fitting a senior player, personal preference and other factors such as the player’s height and style of play should also be taken into account. “It is important that the player feels comfortable with the length of the stick they are using,” says Ludlow.

Schonegevel says: “Senior players will choose between a 36.5 and 37.5 inch stick, based on height, style play and personal preference.

Very occasionally a player may request a 38.5 inch stick. As such all Gryphon senior sticks are available in 36.5 and 37.5 inches with selected top end models also available in 38.5.”

Slazenger also offers 36.5 and 37.5 inch sizes, while adidas offers 36 and 37 inch sticks.

Balance and weight The weight may be distributed equally throughout the length of a stick, or be concentrated in the head or toe. But, when your customer is selecting a stick, it should feel well balanced and comfortable in his hands.

Advise your customer that he should test if the stick is the ideal weight by holding it in his left hand, level with his shoulder for a 30 second period — if he can manage this then the stick is the ideal weight.

Kookaburra offers sticks that have an evenly balanced weight distribution, which gives

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Kookaburra is celebrating their renewed sponsorship of national women’s hockey team captain Marsha Cox (nee Marescia) with a personalised Marcia Cox hockey stick, the Marsha#8, which will go on sale in January 2014.

“It is only fitting to honour Marsha in this way following her continuous successes on the pitch, including her becoming the first South African to win 300 international caps,” says Chris Bryant of local distributor JRT Crampton.“Marsha has been a pioneer for hockey in South Africa and on the continent. She has led and continues to lead her country with grit and determination, both on and off the field.”

The Marsha#8 will be part of the Kookaburra Team Dragon series. It has an MBow and Maxi head shape, with a Pro Cushion grip. It is built for dynamic movement — yet offers good control — and features KMD braided carbon and nano technologies that delivers speed, power and velocity. Other features are the Kookaburra Twin Tube Core technology After a successful effort at the World Championships, Cox has set her sights on the Commonwealth Games and is focussed on leading her team as far as they can go in the tournament.

players an excellent overall feel, says Ludlow.

Balance and weight, as well as offering a light feel, are key features for New Balance, says Jackson. “Our core range of sticks offer a mid-level weight distribution,” he says.

For specialist players they offer any type of weight distribution in order to help the senior professional player express his technique.

Malik sticks all come with a well-balanced feel, while their senior sticks have a specially weighted balance point that allow players to choose the stick that suits them best, says Wright.

Adidas, on the other hand, offers a range of 520-590gm sticks that are either weighted toward the toe, or higher up the shaft, towards the grip, says Ntuli.

Just because a stick has a high carbon content does not necessarily mean it will definitely have more power For beginners, retailers should recommend lighter sticks that are well balanced.

“A lighter stick with a light head would be a better option for a beginner or younger player, which is why all of Gryphon’s entry level sticks are weighted accordingly,” says Schonegevel.

“With the increased shaft stiffness of modern day synthetic sticks, the weight and balance of a stick has a negligible impact on the power a stick will generate when hitting the ball (power is mainly dependant on shaft stiffness),” he adds. “The ideal weight and balance of the stick is therefore dependant on the player’s personal preference and the player should choose a stick that feels good in his/her hands.”

In the past, a lot of players wanted a heavier stick to create more weight behind the ball for power, says Pieterse. With all the new advanced fibres and material used, players don’t need a heavy stick anymore. “TK sticks are made with such advanced compositions that the materials in the stick create a more powerful shot.”

Control and stiffness The materials used in manufacturing a hockey stick have an effect on the flexibility, rigidity, shock absorption and strength it is able to offer players. Generally, sticks with more flexibility are better for inexperienced players, while stiffer sticks that allow more powerful hits would be more suited to advanced players.

“There is a direct relationship between shaft stiffness and the power a stick can generate when hitting or slapping the ball. The stiffer the shaft, the more powerful the stick will be,” says Schonegevel.

“Stiffer shafts tend to contain a higher percentage of material such as carbon, which have less vibration dampening properties, than materials like fiberglass and aramid. As a result, top end sticks tend to have a harder feel on the ball than mid-range and entry level sticks.”

Most brands use aramid, carbon and fiberglass to reinforce sticks for varying purposes such as strengthening, adding rigidity or flexibility, etc., but just because a stick has a high carbon content does not necessarily mean it will definitely have more power, explains Schonegevel. Shaft stiffness is also dependent on other factors such as the moulding process and where and how materials are combined (the lay-up of the stick), he explains.

“Materials such as carbon are good for stiffening the shaft while others, such as fiberglass and aramid, help soften the feel of the stick,” he says.

Gryphon has a unique approach to the moulding process and lay-up of their sticks, which allows a high stiffness — and therefore more power — without an overly hard feel.

The top end Gryphon Tour also has a silicone sleeve that helps improve the feel of their most powerful stick.

Kookaburra have designed and developed their sticks with feedback from their international players. “We have combined scientific research, modern production methods and bespoke materials with cutting edge design, to produce a range of sports specific products second to none,” says Ludlow.

“Kookaburra uses the To p52

KOOKABURRA HOCKEY 2014 SPEED, POWER AND CONTROL Kookaburra are proud to present their state-of-the-art 2014 Hockey range, the most technologically advanced and stylish range ever produced — reinforcing Kookaburra’s position as one of the most innovative and creative hockey brands on the planet.

Designed and developed in conjunction with Kookaburra International players, we have combined scientific research, modern production methods and bespoke materials with cutting edge design, to produce a range of sport specific products second to none.

Composed of KMD braided carbon to deliver massive power potential, whilst the Kookaburra Skill Zone and KCF deliver sublime control.

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p54 :: Sport

Selling hockey sticks cont. from p54 latest in available materials, including multidirectional braided carbon on all Team Range hockey sticks,” she says. This year, however, Kookaburra introduced Nano Composite into their range of sticks. The Nano Carbon formula uses tubular microstructures that bond the resin into the reinforcing fibres more effectively, resulting in unparalleled strength and torsional stability, she adds.

Slazenger’s Aero Series — which incorporates their latest technologies — offers the new patented shape that is clearly visible below the grip. It offers absolute fluid maneuverability, quicker movement and reaction to direction.

The Squoval Handle offers better grip and is ergonomically more suited to the hands. Excellent torsional strength aids in overall stiffness,” says Gallienne.

“Additionally, the Quad Core adds 15% more lateral stiffness and torque resistance (more power without increasing the weight) and our Aero Profile allows greater head speed.” The series offers sticks in 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% carbon, 5% Kevlar and a fiberglass mix, and offers weights between 540-570gm.

“All adidas sticks are designed with high feel and touch in mind,” says Ntuli. She also notes that their sticks with a high carbon content are slightly stiffer to enable harder hitting.

While all of their sticks contain carbon, glass and aramid, their top end sticks contain the most decreasing as you move toward the entry level models.

Malik’s sticks have varying amounts of carbon and fiberglass that greatly impact on their stiffness, says Wright. Retailers should urge customers to buy their sticks based on the feel, because each stick is different due to their manufacturing process. “If possible, the customer must tap a ball on the stick or dribble around the shop to get the feel he or she is looking for,” he adds.

New Balance sticks use 12-24k carbon windows and sleeves to provide optimum stiffness at each grade level, says Jackson. He says that because player comfort is a main focus to them, their N-power range sticks are super stiff and have aramid implants at shock control areas that helps lessen the shock when striking the ball hard.

New Balance’s 2014 range of sticks’ feature various technologies such as the LBZ (Low Back Hand Zone) that is used to reinforce a stick and enable extreme contact with a hockey ball. All areas of the stick that are used for hitting at extreme angles are reinforced with developed Armor carbon and aramid.

Their pro range, featuring aramid technology, are impregnated with three key composite materials that allow high levels of stick playability and power — “keeping the shock at a minimum and therefore more comfortable to the player’s hands,” adds Jackson.

All New Balance composite sticks feature anti-vibration grips with specially developed

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

foam that compensates for shock, but still allows great feel. All their composite sticks have a twin core system that is engineered to offer great strength, as well as structural stability.

Resin Wear pads (RWP) are used on wooden to composite sticks. It is the impregnation of aramid and carbon at the heel of the stick that gives wear control.

TK uses Dynanotex Matrix carbon strands, Nano technology and anti-vibration systems in their sticks. “This combination of the right materials, ensure players of a top performing stick,” adds Pieterse.

The curve (bow) FIH (The International Hockey Federation) rules specify that the curve in the shaft may have a maximum length of 25mm. The distance from the ground is measured to the high point of the curve when the stick is laid flat in the ground. Players may select the size and position of the curve in the shaft (not exceeding 25mm).

Various brands offer different bow profiles that may have the highest point of the bend falling in the middle of the stick, toward the toe or just before the head.

“There are two issues to consider when deciding on what curve is appropriate for a certain player,” says Schonegevel. They are the size of the curve — most top end sticks have a curve on or reasonably close to the legal limit — and more importantly, where this high point is positioned on the shaft.

Curves that have the high point more towards the center of the shaft are more suited to all-round play, and also for beginners or younger players.

Test if the stick is the ideal weight by holding it in his left hand, level with his shoulder for 30 seconds Examples of this in the Gryphon range is the classic curve shape, says Schonegevel. Gryphon offers the Deuce II and Pro shape for drag flicking, but this type of curve — with the high point closer to the head — may prove a little more difficult to use for other skills, such as straight hitting, says Schonegevel.

Kookaburra’s L-Bow has a low bow that is a relatively new concept, designed to assist drag flick specialists, says Ludlow. Their various bow profiles have been developed with the help of international players.

Malik will be introducing their more playerfriendly Aerial curve (that replaces the Sohail mould) for the 2014 season, adds Wright. They also offer the standard dribble curve (that was first introduced by their Argentinian players) and the low curve.

New Balance’s low bow profile of 24mm allows for greater energy transfer when drag flicking and helps developing specialist skills in ball control, as well as flicking, says Jackson.

With a maximum bow profile of 24mm, their mid-bow aids dribbling skills and allows amaz-

ing ball control, whilst also providing power in flicks or drag flicks. It is an all-rounder.

For those big hitting, old school players who like keeping the ball on the ground and maintaining hitting power, Jackson recommends the New Balance ATC — 2, which has a classic straighter bow. Their MCP also has a classic straighter bow, but with a thinner feel, which offers superior touch and feel, while their junior shape has an 18mm bow that is perfect for beginners to learn the basics, says Jackson.

All adidas sticks have a 24mm bow, except for their X17 stick, which has a straighter 17mm bow. The LX features an adibow that is lower down on the stick, which helps midfielders control the ball. This stick also enables quick flicking (lobs). Aimed at the top level player, the TX 24 has a curve at the bottom of the stick and can be described as the ultimate drag flicking stick for corner specialists, she says. This stick also features two dual carbon rods inserted in its shaft that assists with backhand hitting. The X24 has a straight bow that is centrally positioned. “This type of bow helps when passing and as it is weighted more towards the toe, assists the player in hitting the ball,” says Ntuli.

The latest trend in world hockey is the late (low) bow, notes Pieterse. This stick shape gives players more of an advantage when using aerial skills and practicing their flicking.

TK will introduce sticks with the Deluxe shape next year. “The Deluxe Plus is the biggest bow that is allowed in world hockey,” says Pieterse. This bow shape ensures flickers create a good whip action when flicking and is great for specialized drag-flickers.

Toe designs Different toe shapes and sizes are popular for different styles and positions of play. Remind customers that smaller toes allow more speed and movement — unlike larger toes — but provide a smaller striking surface.

• If a player is looking for a shape that allows balance, control and maneuvering, recommend that they use a shorti toe design • The maxi shape may be more appropriate for a defensive player because it has a larger receiving area.

• If your customer is just a beginner, recommend the midi toe, because it provides a good striking surface and can be used for reverse play too.

• The hook toe is recommended for players who want ball control.

Both Kookaburra’s M-Bow and L-Bow sticks have a traditional toe design, while their IBow has a slightly thinner toe that aids ball control and feel, says Ludlow.

Gryphon offer their Classic curve and Deuce II that have thin heads and extended toes.

“This extended toe aids ball control, especially on the reverse stick side,” notes Schonegevel. “The Pro shape comes with a thin head that has a slightly shorter standard Midi toe.”

The adidas toe design features a Touch Compound, “which supports the contact patch with hook to ball and keeps it under for better accuracy,” says Ntuli.

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TK Sports Pty Ltd. 49 Joseph Street Highlands North Johannesburg 2192

p56 :: Sport

2012 Hockey stick imports R-m's

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The highest number of hockey sticks were imported between April and August 2012. In 2013 the number of hockey sticks imported between January to March in 2013 are considerably higher, but the number of sticks imported in April and May 2013 were lower than in 2012.

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Hockey stick imports from China is more than five times higher than from the next highest country, Italy, followed by the Netherlands.

The landed Rand value of hockey sticks were the highest during May, followed by November and January — even though they were not the months during which most hockey sticks are imported. In May 2013, the landed value was slightly lower than in 2012 — but in the first four months the value was much higher.

Hockey stick imports up

25000 In the first five months of 2013, 22% more hockey sticks were imported than in the same period of 2012. The landed Rand value of the sticks imported in this period is, however, 71% higher than in 2012 — even though the average price per stick is lower

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ast year more than 33 000 hockey sticks were imported into South Africa, with the average landed price per stick R406. During the first five months of 2013, about 3 000 more sticks were imported than the same period the year before, but the average price per stick was 18% lower.

In 2012, nearly three-quarters (73%) of all sticks were imported between April and August, with most sticks imported in the months April and August.

The average landed price per stick during these two months were, however, the lowest — namely R110 in April and R156 in August.

The highest average price per stick imported was recorded in February (R2 741), followed by November (R1 461) .

The highest value of hockey stick imports was recorded in May, with the average landing price per stick R810. The next highest import value was recorded in November, while the third highest landed import value was recorded in January (average landing price per stick R575).

Good start in 2013 This year started on a high for hockey stick imports, with the number of sticks in January 119% up compared to January 2012. This positive growth trend continued in February and March, but in April and May fewer sticks were imported than the year before.

But, in the period up to May 2013, the import value of sticks had been 76% of the full import value for the full year in 2012.

The value of imports in 2013, improved more than 200% during April and February, compared to the same months in the year before — but 23% fewer sticks were imported during April 2013, compared to April 2012. In May 2013, both the number of the sticks imported and the value of the imports were more than 20% lower than in May 2012.

By far the bulk of hockey sticks (78%) are imported from China, with Italy and the Netherlands contributing 13% and 8% respectively.

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

p58 :: Sport

Darts has been receiving increased television coverage in South Africa. CARIN HARDISTY asks what impact this has had and if participation has increased as a result

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Is SA darts hitting the Bull?

arts is one of those sports, where people are spontaneously drawn to the game. If there’s a dartboard and darts at someone’s house, visitors are likely to start playing. It’s a fun, social game that just about anyone can play.

Darts also have several benefits for a retailer.

It is non-seasonal, the darts are relatively small and therefore take up little shelf space, flights and shafts need to be replaced often and that potentially leads to further sales — and the sport is a growing one, with a steady growth in participation numbers over the past few years. There are therefore several reasons why darts should feature on a retailer’s shelves.

Darts as sport has also seen an increase in media coverage of late, with South Africans having the opportunity to watch international dart players perform on their TV screens at home.

It brought home the fact that darts is a massive spectator sport in the UK, where even local games draw enthusiastic full-house audiences.

Up until recently, however, darts coverage had experienced quite a dry-spell.

No matter the medium — television, radio, print, etc. — any exposure a sport gets, will make it easier to grow. It creates public awareness of its successes.

“It is ironic that one of the sports that has the most participants in South Africa, both competitively and recreationally, enjoy the least TV coverage,” says Patrick Franck of W.E.T. Sports, local distributors of Datadart. “Coverage of the English Premier Darts League has changed that, and helped to grow the sport.”

Coverage of local darts participation is also slowly catching on. “Much of this year’s National Championship was televised on Bay TV, a community channel in Port Elizabeth,” says Graham Stark, president of DSA (Darts South Africa). They were also interviewed on Lotus FM about the

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Contrary to the perception of the public at large, darts is a wonderful competitive sport, which can be played by the whole family. championship, and there has been coverage of previous championships, and interviews with DSA officials and players on SABC television stations.

“Some of our lady members featured on the SABC programme Women in Sport, and Deaf TV interviewed one of our deaf members,” adds Stark. “Media coverage, as well as the fact that we have grassroots representative structures in every province of our country, contributes positively towards awareness of our sport and growth at all levels.”

In South Africa, dart players are represented by two bodies.

DSA is the national federation responsible for selecting the Protea teams, who represent South Africa at international darts competitions. The association is affiliated to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the Africa Zone VI Darts Confederation and to the World Darts Federation (WDF).

SAPDO (SA Pro Darts Organisation) represents the professional players and was started by players themselves who wanted to play darts professionally after the first Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tournament was held in Johannesburg in a hall packed with cheering crowds. This tournament showed them how much money can be earned playing darts professionally.

The first PDC tournament in South Africa took place in 2006 — offering a total prize money of R225 000 and the chance for the winner to represent South Africa’s professional players in the

PDC World Championships — with Phil The Power Taylor wowing local crowds.

SAPDO, originally known as the South African Dart Players Association (SAPDA), was launched in 2008.

DSA has seen a definite increase in membership, says Stark. They recently added a new region (OR Tambo from the Eastern Cape) to make their member regions a total of 13, and they also accepted another eight new member districts (three from Eastern Cape, two from Western Cape, and one each from Gauteng, Northern Cape and Limpopo) to make it a total of 59 member districts. They currently also represent 358 clubs. The association is undergoing restructuring, after which the 13 regions will be reduced to represent the nine geopolitically correct provinces.

There is therefore a big interest among those who wish to play darts for their clubs, provinces and, ultimately, to represent the country. “The positive growth rate in DSA’s membership informs that there is growth in the recreational market, although some people choose to play social darts and do not join any formal structure,” says Stark.

It’s not only in the recreational market that South Africa has seen a growth in participation numbers, we have also seen an increase in the number of competitive players, says Charles The Sensation Losper, SAPDO executive director.

“This is due to the calibre of darts performance from these players and the fact that they have shown an increase in average per dart equivalent to those playing on the professional circuit.”

Franck confirms that they, as suppliers, have also noticed a definite increase in demand for darts, boards and accessories. He believes this is as result of the increased coverage, as well as the advent of a professional darts To p58

p60 :: Sport

SA darts cont from p60 league in South Africa that compliments the strong provincial set up and the thousands of weekend players.

DSA regularly sends players to compete in international competitions, for example the Protea men, women and youth teams will next be participating in the annual Africa Championships of Zone VI Darts Confederation (youth championship 27-30 August in Blantyre, Malawi) and in the biennial WDF World Cup (1-5 October in St Johns, Canada).

In the previous WDF World Cup, which took place in 2011, our Protea men beating top nations such as Scotland and Norway. In the youth girls event, our competitor got as far as the singles final, but lost to the England entrant. The Proteas also took part in the WDF Winmau Masters Tournament in London, England.

While the performance of players competing in international events does a lot for the country’s image, does the effect filter down to the average player back home in South Africa?

Yes, says Stark. “These top players, who represent us in international competitions, attract attention to our sport of darts, which impacts positively on the membership,” says Stark. “This in turn creates awareness in the communities from which the members come, thereby attracting more people to the sport.”

“South African players who compete overseas serve as role models and have definitely helped aspiring darts players to set goals of emulating their achievements,” adds Franck.

Darts is not just a pub game, reserved for beer drinking old men. It is open to every single member of the family, friendship group, corporate team building member, professional player, etc.

“Contrary to the perception of the public at large, darts is a wonderful competitive sport, which can be played by the whole family, subject to age restriction of course,” says Stark.

“The sport of darts has many positive role models amongst its members and provides for meaningful interaction between persons from diverse backgrounds, thereby contributing positively to nation building in our wonderful country.”

Playing for a living International events like the PDC have given South Africa’s professional darts players the chance to compete internationally against some of the best professional players in the world.

Taylor, who won his 16th World Championship in January this year, is sponsored by Unicorn, locally distributed by Opal Sports. Unicorn has also been the PDC’s official equipment provider since 1997 and they sponsor the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour and PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship.

The brand therefore has a strong involvement in professional darts, and has invested in helping local darts grow through these events.

It’s not only international stars who can get sponsorship for playing darts. Devon The Spartan Petersen is a South African who forms part of the Contenders team, sponsored by

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

Unicorn. In 2010, Petersen won the SA Open, which allowed him to play in the Ladbrokes. com World Championship. He also qualified for the 2011 PDC Pro Tour.

The SAPDO is confident that these professional players raise the profile of darts in South Africa.

“I can state that as a fact, as I was one of those players who played in the PDC World Championships two years in succession,” says Losper. “It was broadcast on DSTV and everybody knew who I was and wanted to start playing darts.”

Losper won the 2007 South African Open tournament — organised by PDC — and qualified for the South African Masters that same year.

As a result of his win at the SA Open, he qualified to play in the inaugural 2007 Grand Slam of Darts and the 2008 PDC World Darts Championship. The following year he took part in the Australian leg of the PDC Pro Tour, and defended his SA Open title, which again allowed him to take part in the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship and the South African Masters.

Helping growth It sometimes takes a bit more than word-ofmouth to encourage people to take up a sport.

To help develop the sport, DSA has set up a Coaches Commission, as well as a development programme called Operation Bull’s Eye, which consists of four programmes: Let’s Play Darts,

Adopt a School, Going for Tops and RAP (Responsible Administrative Programme).

• Let’s Play Darts is aimed at attracting new members. The programme encourages members of the public to join a nearby club, where they are introduced to the sport and taught the basic techniques of playing darts.

• Adopt a School is aimed at developing the sport of darts in schools. Once a school has adopted the sport, the provincial federation provides technical support and assistance to the learners. With this aid, it is hoped that the schools will then incorporate the sport into their regular extra mural programme, from where learners who play darts will graduate to the external DSA darts structures.

• Going for Tops is aimed at the good players to make them even better. This programme intends to develop these players to the level that they are able to compete on the international stage.

• RAP is targeted at the sport administrators at the different levels. It provides training and aims to instil good governance into the sport.

SAPDO helps the sport of darts grow in South Africa by organising dart competitions of a high standard. This provides a platform for players to participate in. “The rest is up to the players until such time as we are in a position to start our own dart academy,” says Losper.

Range info

New products from Elkadart

Elkadart, locally distributed by De Wet Sports, has introduced a range of new darts, flights and shafts to their existing range.

Their One-Fifty darts feature nickel plated barrels and an alumunium ripple shaft.

The Excalibur and Rhino darts feature 80% tungsten barrels while the Tornado and Titanium are made of 90% tungsten.

Excalibur darts have alumunium shafts, while Rhino darts have nylon shafts, with springs, and Tornado and Titanium both have alumunium ringed shafts.

The new darts come with custom 100 Micron flights, which are new to the range. They are stronger and thicker than the standard. The 150 Micron is their thickest nylon flight. As the name suggests, the new Crystal flights have a transparent crystal effect. These new flights come in 20 assorted sets per pack.

Their Ali Skimmed shaft features a CNC skimmed pattern, is a medium size (50mm) and comes in 10 sets per pack.

Unicorn’s competition dartboards Unicorn, locally distributed by Opal Sports, distributes several competition-quality dart boards.

Their Eclipse Pro is used in all PDC tournaments while the Striker and DB180 bristle boards are

PDC endorsed. All three are also endorsed by world champions.

Eclipse Pro features a completely staple-free construction, ultra-slim segmentation system (that makes the board 30% thinner than conventional round wire boards), an increased target area (especially in Doubles and Trebles) and an ultra-high visibility number ring and spider.

The Striker and DB180 boards both have a high quality round wire construction, SuperSlim wire fasteners that increase the playing area, and a staple-free Bullseye.

Unicorn’s XL double sided coiled paper board offers a full size playing surface. It is available in size 17” x ¾” and comes with two sets of darts.

Affordable quality from Datadart

Datadart, locally available from W.E.T. Sports, continues to grow by offering quality products at affordable prices.The G Force Tungsten Dart range provides excellent value for money and a selection of available grips.They now also have a 3D Dimplex flight and still provide a Titan Wire stem in medium or short. They also have a range of bristle dartboards with an eye catching finish that come in attractive packaging.

What do industry associations

The annual SAFTAD show is popular with retail visitors.

p62 :: Industry

offer members?

CARIN HARDISTY asks what benefits there are to being a member of an industry association

T

he South African market has seen several sport industry associations — representing both suppliers and retailers — come and go. Associations such as SASTAF (South African Sport Traders’ Federation), NSGA (National Sports Goods Association), SASTA (South African Sports Traders’ Association) and SASGAM (South African Sporting Goods Agents and Manufacturers) have all had great intentions, but one after the other they have had to close doors.

Of all of these, SASGAM lasted the longest. The first meeting between members of the sport industry, that eventually led to the forming of the association, took place in 1934. These industry members, who represented several golf and tennis ball suppliers, formed a committee to address issues affecting the South African market. The formal association, SASGAM, was formed 15 years later, after the war.

SASGAM was, however, disbanded in 2007. At this point the association, through the type of companies that had registered as members, no longer accurately represented the sport industry — resembling a footwear rather than a sport industry association, many members believed.

Technically, an industry association with a majority of footwear company members would have been more representative of the market, where footwear tends to make up the majority of product, than an association of mainly sport equipment suppliers. But, it did not bode well

Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September

for the members who felt their respective issues were not heard.

Five years later, we’re asking if there is a place in our sport market for a new sport association or even a revived SASGAM? Yes … and no, say former SASGAM members.

“I believe SASGAM, as an association, provided significant benefits to the sports industry in its entirety during the time it was in existence,” says Tony O’Hagan, who served in the roles of adidas MD and SASGAM chairman during his years in the industry.

An industry association offers a meeting ground of a group of people who share a common interest — protecting and promoting the interests of their business.

“The advent of new age marketing and the sophistication of the industry as whole, however, resulted in both the supply chain and retailers focusing on the individual requirements of their own entities,” feels O’Hagan. “This has become more prevalent, not only in South Africa, but worldwide, due to the diverse nature of main industry players.”

Camaraderie missed The way of doing business has changed over the years. In the past, there had been a lot more face-to-face meetings. Today, a lot of

Above: Former SASGAM chair Tony O’Hagan and then Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: SASGAM members enjoying meetings in the 1980’s: Colin Bartlett, Grant McDade, Myer Alperstein and Pierre Bester bowling in 1983; Eric Logan and John Pledger handing out prizes in 1983; Andrew de Wet, Pat Lang, John Abrahams and Peter Taylor in a golf cart in 1985; Andy Knox, Chicken Price, Dennis Potgieter and Harry Finlay partying in 1985 and Bryan Lidgey, Dave Tait, Howard Joscelyne and Peter Perfect bowling in 1984.

business is done over the phone, email or through internet portals, and it’s not common for agents to visit retailers anymore.

“The part of SASGAM that I miss the most is the camaraderie and get-togethers,” says an ex-SASGAM member who wishes to remain anonymous.

SASGAM also organised the annual trade show where members and non-members could get together and catch up on news.

While the sport industry seems to have problems keeping their industry associations afloat, SAFTAD (SA Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributors) is growing from strength to strength and those involved in the South African fishing are well-represented.

SAFTAD was formed after a need for a committee and organisation was established by developments in the fishing industry.

Some of the fishing companies did not wish to exhibit at the 1999 SASGAM show when they partnered with the SuperSport show for the first time, allowing the public access to the trade show.

SASGAM’s constitution specified that members had to exhibit at their annual show, and subsequently the objecting companies were asked to leave.

SASGAM successful Some of these companies then started hosting a very low-key trade show — inviting retailers to view their ranges, which they originally exhibited in rooms in a hotel. Every year more and more fishing companies wanted to join the

Industry :: p63

mini-show, organised by exhibitors like Mike Phillips of Kingfisher.

Eventually, the show became so big that a committee had to be appointed to help with the organising of the show — and in 2000 SAFTAD was formed.

Today SAFTAD is a successful association with a strong representation in the fishing tackle industry. The annual show, still organised by committee members, attracts about 50 exhibitors and the close to 700 retailers that visit annually, which 50% is more than the retailers who visit the major European fishing tackle trade show, EFTTEX . This year the 14th SAFTAD show was held in the Unisa Training Centre in Ormonde, Johannesburg, which has become a regular venue the past few years.

SAFTAD has also commissioned research on the size of the fishing tackle market and have engaged with government and other stake holders on behalf of members on issues like the cost of fishing licenses, etc.

SACRAA (South African Consolidated Recreational Anglers Association) was formed last year to represent every South African involved in fishing — suppliers, retailers, anglers, fishing organisations, etc. While it represents the interests of this broad spectrum of people and companies, it also aims to be able to get more members in order to be more representative of the broader fishing community.

The number of members is important for an association: the more registered members it represents, the more its voice is taken into account when campaigning for issues affecting

these members.

Need for sporting goods body There is, however, still room today for an industry association for the sports industry, says O’Hagan. “Despite the complexities of the modern-day supply base and the sophisticated retail environment, any modern-day cooperation could maybe have some relevance in the sphere of accurate market statistics and a united voice in matters relating to liaison with government, for example on import duties.”

Market statistics is an important tool for

‘The part of SASGAM that I miss the most is the camaraderie and get-togethers’ doing business. It is also an element that is lacking in South Africa, with companies very reluctant to part with their closely-guarded information for fear that it might land up in their competitors’ hands.

Organising a trade show today that would be supported by the South African sport companies, would also be a problem, foresees O’Hagan. This is because all the companies are focused on their own objectives and have differing agendas.

“There still appears to be a place for specialised sport shows, such as fishing and golf, as well as running expo’s,” says O’Hagan.

He questions, however, if this approach

would work for cricket, soccer, rugby, etc. “As a promotional exercise maybe,” he suggsts.

Benefit of industry body An industry association offers a meeting ground of a group of people who share a common interest — protecting and promoting the interests of their business. By being a member of an industry association, members can look forward to several ways in which their business can benefit.

• Political influence: an industry association should look after the interests of its members. This extends to campaigning for, or against, issues that might affect their members’ business interests.

• Business opportunities: an industry association will also offer its members various opportunities to further their business. o Trade shows: a trade show is an excellent platform to meet with your existing retail customers, and to meet potential new customers. See the June/July issue of Sports Trader on why you should attend or exhibit at trade shows. o Networking: it can be easy to pass over the importance of networking in person. Networking via electronic networks (email, social media, etc.) is done regularly, but how many of the people in your business circles do you see regularly faceto-face? Often the choice of doing further business with someone can come down to how well you know the person.

Some people might see indus To p63

2013 August/September :: Sports Trader

Trade bodies cont from p64

try golf days or other leisure pursuits as a waste of time, but in actual fact it is a day where you can meet with people in your line of business (some of whom you might not have met before) who might be future business partners — especially on days when retailers and suppliers meet.

A casual environment is more conducive to getting to know people and the better you know someone, the easier it is to decide if you wish to do work with them in the future.

Get-togethers also serve to build a closer sense of community among trade members, who can easily get locked up in their own business and isolate themselves from other trade members, as well as a sense of camaraderie.

Is there a place in our sport market for a new sport association?

• Inform: not only should an industry association represent its members, it should keep them informed — of what the association is doing as well as new developments that might affect the members. o Member meetings: regular meetings with its members keep everybody informed about what the association is doing. These meetings also have the added advantage of offering members regular contact with their fellow members, further allowing for networking opportunities and getting to know each other. o Publications: most associations either publish a newsletter, website or both.

These are useful tools for the association and members alike, because in the case of something requiring urgent attention a website / newsletter can be updated / sent out faster than organising a face-toface meeting with members. o Talks from market leaders: associations often organise speakers who are leaders in their fields, and who can provide relevant and informing information to the association’s members. These talks are often held in conjunction with trade shows, because of the convenience for members who are visiting/exhibiting already, but talks can also be held on their own without being associated with another show. o Market statistics: industry associations who represent the majority of businesses in their industry are in an ideal position to be able to gather data, that in turn will benefit their members. o International contacts: A trade body can obtain government funding to take members on international fact-finding missions, or visit trade shows, or liaise with other international organisations to visit South Africa.

Trade shows

Expectations for Cape Huntex The Huntex Cape show in September is hoping to register the same good growth as the Huntex Expo held in Johannesburg in April. This year 25% more visitors (35 006) attended the 4-day show at Gallagher Convention Centre to view new ranges from 230 exhibitors. This is the largest expo for hunters, sport shooters and for civilian small caliber weapons in Africa. Most hunting rifles, shotguns, revolvers, pistols, ammunition, airguns, bows, knives, optics, hunting clothing, footwear and other hunting gear available in South Africa, are on show. The Cape Huntex expo will be held from 21-24 September 2013 at the Nelson Wine Estate in Paarl. In 2014 the Gallagher Huntex promises to be even bigger with 9000m2 additional exhibition space already added for the 25-27 April show dates.

Fewer visitors at OutDoor The 20th OutDoor show, held from 11-14 July 2013 in Friedrichshafen, has shown that it can still attract 21 465 trade visitors from 93 countries despite challenging economic and unfavourable weather conditions in Europe.

Compared to last year’s 21 730 visitors, this is a slight decline, but there was strong growth in international visitors, especially from Chile, the US, India and Indonesia. The 913 exhibitors from 42 countries were hosted across 85 000 square meters and included most of the world’s top outdoor brands. The show also presented a historic overview of the growth of the outdoor industry over the past 20 years.

See p40 for the trends highlighted at the show.

Asia Bike stand-alone show Asia Bike will for the first time be a standalone show from 10-13 October 2013 and will no longer be held in conjunction with the Asia Outdoor show, as in the past two years. The July date is too early for the Asian bike industry to showcase new products and the two shows will in future be held separately in Nanjing.

Register for ISPO awards Companies are invited to enter their innovative products for the ISPO Awards that will run concurrent with ISPO Munich 2014 (January 26-29 2014) and ISPO Beijing (19-22 February 2014). The ISPO Brandnew category, which awards the best newcomers from the international sports business, is open to manufacturers who have been in business for less than four years and have never exhibited at ISPO Munich before.

Registration closes 1 October 2013. Entries for the ISPO Award Asian products close 10 January 2014 and ISPO Award Communication entries close 4 October 2013. The ISPO Textrends Forum showcases the best innovations from the fibre, membrane, zipper production as well as other components used in sportswear manufacturing. Entries for the forum close 4 October 2013.

Advertisers Index adidas Aqualine Awesome Tools Black Diamond Boreal Brooks Crown Footwear De Wet Sport Elkadart Fila Flexfit Footwear Trading Grendha Hi-tec Inov8 Intershu

17 35 41 48 7 21 31 35, 59 59 28 OBC OFC, 28, 38 33 39 25 5, 6, 33

Ipanema Jeep Jordan Jordan & Co JRT Crampton Karrimor Kartal Distribution Kookaburra Malik Malik SA Mille New Balance Nite-Ize Olympic Opal Sports Protect IT

33 38 37 36, 37 50 47 OBC 50 56 56 1 19 41 36 60 6

Ram Mountaineer Rebel Elite Rider Rock Spring Rocky SBR Agency Skechers Skins Skye Distribution Slazenger Super-Brands Thule TK Sport TOG Unicorn Zamberlan

48 25 33 5 31 21 OFC 24 1 57 24, 47, 57 49 55 7 60 7

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Sports Trader :: 2013 August/September