LaCrosse Footwear made a strategic decision to discontinue END Footwear (Environmentally Neutral Design) as a standalone outdoor and running brand.
LaCrosse plans to leverage the END platform of innovative lightweight designs into the LaCrosse and Danner product lines and distribution channels for Fall 2010. The company does not anticipate incurring material expenses associated with this action.
LaCrosse in June acquired substantially all the assets comprising END's footwear business, including inventory, intellectual property, and other assets. The purchase price is expected to be approximately $500,000.
END began shipping product in late 2008 to provide everyday athletes with high performance footwear that follows responsible design, and is innovative and technical. END footwear had received the honors of Best Trail Running Shoe Debut from Runner's World magazine in their April 2009 issue and Best Road Running Shoe Debut in their June 2009 issue.
In the original release announcing the acquisition, LaCrosse Footwear said it intended to invest in increased marketing efforts and to leverage its capabilities in IT, sourcing, quality, logistics and its international reach to help grow the END brand. The acquisition of END's assets was expected to allow LaCrosse, which manufactures and sells footwear under both the LaCrosse and Danner brands, the opportunity to compete in new channels and product categories.
LaCrosse Footwear confirmed that many of the team members behind the development of END Footwear have been re-deployed within LaCrosse, including:
- Jeff Wammer, developer for outdoor product
- Donald McLellan, PLM for outdoor and accessories
- Drew Linth, PLM for LaCrosse/Danner military and law enforcement
- Vince Price, Special Projects
- Jessica Filaroski, Danner/LaCrosse Customer Service
- Paul Curran, Corporate Public Relations Manager for LaCrosse Footwear, Inc.
Andrew Estey (END co-founder) remains on contract with LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. to work on design projects for LaCrosse and Danner products.
