Implus LLC, well known for its footwear accessory brands such Sof Sole, Yaktrax and Balega announced November 3 that it had acquired FuelBelt Inc., a hydration accessory brand.

Financial details of the deal were undisclosed.

The deal marked Implus’ third acquisition this year after Berkshire Partners made a majority investment in the company in April 2015, but more notably it’s the first acquisition outside Implus’ bread and butter of footwear accessories.

FuelBelt, founded in 1997 by seven-time Ironman World Champion participant Vinu Malik, is a pioneer in multi-bottle hydration belts, low profile handheld bottles and running accessories.

“We want to focus on the specialty outdoor and run accessory markets and become a one-stop shop for retailers in these categories,” Implus Senior Vice President of Specialty Retail Bert Pictor told The B.O.S.S. Report and Sports Executive Weekly. “That means moving beyond just footwear accessories. We want to play on the synergies of the brands for our retail partners.”

Pictor said Implus looks at acquiring brands that are first-to-market or leaders in their categories.

With FuelBelt, Pictor sees potential to expand the brand’s core triathlete consumer base to the wider endurance market in both run and outdoor. That includes innovations to further lighten the product and improve points of contact on the body to increase comfort, he said. FuelBelt recently introduced its Helium Collection (claimed as “the lightest in the world”) that includes hydration belts with two to four bottle options. Other products from the Helium line include super-stretch waistpacks and handheld bottles.

Malik will remain on board with FuelBelt, although some staffing changes are likely to occur with the company’s base moving from Vermont to Implus’ headquarters in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. “We are excited about the future for FuelBelt,” Malik said. “The Implus roster of specialty brands is extremely impressive and we are proud to have FuelBelt join such an expansive company that is continuing to grow its product offerings and be part of a team with cutting edge development and vast resources.”

The Implus family of brands now includes Sof Sole, Yaktrax, apara, Airplus, Sneaker Balls, Sof Comfort, Little Hotties, Perfect, TriggerPoint, ICETrekkers, FuelBelt and Balega. The company and its brands will be at the upcoming The Running Event and Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade shows. As the company grows, Pictor said Implus will continue to focus on its specialty retailers, providing both education and service as well as figure out the best e-commerce opportunities, “weather that be direct-to-consumer or through a reputable online partner.”

Implus is majority owned by Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based investment firm. Berkshire Partners has invested in more than 100 middle market companies since 1986 through eight private equity funds with aggregate capital commitments of over $11 billion.

–David Clucas