Hi-Tec Sports has brought former Ecco Global Marketing Director, Tony Linfor on board as their own Group Marketing Director. The move is the latest step in Hi-Tec’s global re-branding effort that has been met with much success in both Europe and in the U.S.

Helen Durant, Hi-Tec’s PR and advertising manager in the U.K. told SEW that design and development of all footwear categories — Outdoor, Golf, Court, Athletic and the MAGNUM brand — are all executed on a global level which releases some costs into investing further into the brand. The investment in the brand, according to Durant, has attracted many new retailers.

BOSS also caught up with Scott Chantos, Hi-Tec’s VP of Sales in the U.S. He said that while the re-branding has been a global effort for about a year now, the U.S. subsidiary has been working on its brand image for the last three, and the effects are starting to show. Chantos said that they just finished up their Q2 and sales were up 15% with futures bookings up 15% as well.

Chantos also said that Hi-Tec has been putting a lot of effort into managing their product. “We are trying to control where it’s seen and how it’s seen,” he said. “As a result our average price points have also climbed about $15 in the past two years.”

Chantos said that their main demographic is currently the 45-60 year old age group, but with some new products to be launched at WSA and OR this year, they are hoping to move it lower.