Gravis Footwear, a subsidiary of Burton, announced plans for major shake-ups in its operations last week. The company will move its product, sales, and marketing functions to Irvine, Calif. with the transfer expected to be complete in early 2007.
Not only will the company be changing its location, it will also be operating under a new leader as Fabrice Le Det was named general manager.
The relocation will take Gravis to the heart of the action sports culture and to close proximity to its team of snowboarders and surfers. In addition, adding Le Det will give the brand a leader with twenty years of experience in both action sports and traditional sports, including recent ventures at Reef and Callaway.
“Moving the Gravis brand to the West Coast will bring the company closer to its core demographics and allow more day-to-day interaction with the team in their environment,” says Laurent Potdevin, CEO for Burton. “In addition, bringing Fabrice onboard, with his extensive background in international operations, sales and business development, will be an asset to the brand.”
