The Schwan-Stabilo group, which acquired Deuter Sport GmbH & Co. K in 2006, has acquired Ortovox Sportartikel GmbH, a maker of avalanche safety products and manufacturer of expert-designed winter backpacks and functional sports clothing made from Merino wool. The deal closed July 1.


The strong Ortovox brand not only gives us the opportunity to use and expand our knowledge of backpacks but also offers a great deal of potential for us in new markets, said Sebastian Schwanhäußer, member of the Schwan-Stabilo group executive board.

 

Ortovox  will remain an independent company based in Taufkirchen, under the Schwan-Stabilo umbrella. The position of managing director is being assumed by Christian Schneidermeier, who has been a key player at Ortovox in his role as brand manager for the last three years, who, in cooperation with his team, doubled sales during this period.

 

Ortovox  has subsidiaries in Austria, USA and Canada, and is represented in 30 countries around the world. We are the voice of the mountains and offer our customers premium-quality products that enable people to enjoy safe mountain experiences. We will now be able to strengthen and expand this core brand with a strong parent, commented Schneidermeier.

 


Ortovox s success story began in 1980 with the introduction of the revolutionary F2 avalanche transceiver. Since then, Ortovox has been at the forefront of developments and is the market leader for avalanche safety technology and products. In recent years, the backpack business stream has quickly expanded with unmistakable designs and attention to detail for the end-user. Major achievements have been made in the area of functional clothing. Ortovox  uses fine Merino wool for every layer of apparel, offering a clothing system that is unique, functional and beautiful.



Schwan-Stabilo group reported sales for the 2009/10 financial year reach nearly $500 million. Globally, the company employed a staff of 3,879, of which 1,645 were based in Germany.



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