New Balance announced the creation of an independent company to accelerate the growth of company’s two casual-comfort footwear brands, Aravon and Dunham, as well as create new brands in the casual-comfort space. Bob Infantino was named president of the new company, DryDock Footwear.
He will take on the leadership and development of the Aravon and Dunham brands. Infantino led the growth of Clarks Companies North America for the past 18 years during which Clarks grew from a small company to the leading comfort brand in North America.
“Bob brings a long and extremely successful track record in the comfort footwear industry,” says Jim Davis, chairman of New Balance. “Bob’s expertise and focus on team-building will enable us to accelerate the growth of Aravon and Dunham as we drive to own the comfort business.”
“New Balance is one of the most respected companies in the industry so I am excited for the opportunity to not only grow the successful and vibrant brands of Aravon and Dunham but to also introduce new brands into the casual-comfort category,” says Bob Infantino, President of DryDock Footwear. “New Balance’s history of leadership and product innovation technology provides a strong platform for our future global growth.”
DryDock Footwear will have complete oversight and responsibility of product design, product development, sourcing and quality for the company’s comfort-casual brands. The company will leverage New Balance’s domestic manufacturing resources as well as its innovative product technologies.
In 1998, NBAS, Inc. acquired the Dunham brand to expand into the men’s casual footwear arena. A brand-new comfort performance footwear brand for women, Aravon, was introduced at retail in Spring 2004. DryDock plans to launch a new footwear brand in Fall 2012 in the casual-comfort space.
