Scott Sports S.A. President, CEO and Co-owner Beat Zaugg has acquired a majority stake in the Swiss adventure travel and specialty outdoor retailer Transa, according to Swiss media reports.
Transa offers adventure travel services and outdoor gear from six locations in Berne, Basel, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Winterthur and its flagship location in Zurich as well as two retail outlets in Berne and Zurich, and online. The company has been in business since 1977.
The transaction is part of a succession plan that has been approved by Transa management and board of directors, including co-founder Beat Stunzi, who will continue to serve as Transa chairman. Globetrotter Switzerland, another adventure travel and outdoor retailer, remains Transa's second largest shareholders. Daniel Hummel remains CEO.
In a related transaction, the Transa board also disclosed last week that it had approved the sale of its Outdoor Trading AG subsidiary, which operates Jack Wolfskin stores in Switzerland, to its current sales manager Jurg Luthi. Jack Wolfskin is Germany's largest domestic outdoor brand.
Zaugg, who is busy directing integration of several acquisitions by Scott Sports, plans to participate in strategic decision making at Transa, but has no plans to involve himself in daily management.
Switzerland-based Scott Sport sells apparel, footwear and equipment for winter sports, running, cycling and motorsports and is among the more widely distributed European owned brands in North America. The company acquired assets of Garmont ski boot business in 2012 and the Powderhorn ski apparel brand in 2013.
In January 2015, Scott Sport shareholders sold a 30 percent stake in Scott Sport to the company’s Asian OEM and distribution partner Youngone Corp, which now owns 50.1 percent of the company’s shares. Scott Sports has since acquired Bergamont, a Swiss bicycle brand, from fellow Swiss bike maker BMC.
