Warrior Lacrosse announced today that Innovative Hockey, the industry's leading designer and manufacturer of high
end graphite hockey sticks, shafts and blades has been acquired and will operate as a new division called Warrior Hockey.
“Innovative's reputation for high-performance products and its industry knowledge will enable us to offer the best technical hockey sticks under the Warrior Hockey name,” says Dave Morrow, president of Warrior Lacrosse.
Innovative was formed in 1996 by Ron Kunisaki, Innovative's president. “We are excited about the opportunity to work under the cutting-edge Warrior
brand to launch Warrior Hockey,” says Kunisaki. “Both Warrior and Innovative place the highest emphasis on offering the best product for high-performance athletes.”
Warrior Hockey will debut at the Let's Play Hockey International Expo in Las Vegas in January, 2006 with retail distribution in the stick category targeted for the 2006 hockey season in North America and Europe.
“Hockey and lacrosse have great commonality among their dealer bases and they are also counter-seasonal,” says Morrow. “As we move into the hockey arena, we plan to capitalize upon our strengths of limited retail distribution and a strong performance heritage.”
“Warrior has managed to redefine the lacrosse market with its unique approach to product design and distribution strategy,” says Bob Perani, president and owner of Perani's Hockey World in Michigan. “If they can
successfully replicate this formula in the hockey industry, they will quickly become a force to be reckoned with.”
Warrior Hockey will be based in Los Angeles with manufacturing in Tijuana, Mexico. Holmes Ghassemi, an industry veteran with more than 10 years in the sporting goods industry, including stints at Nike and Easton, was
recently hired as director of marketing to oversee the Warrior hockey and lacrosse business.
Warrior will also look to utilize Innovative's composite manufacturing facility in Mexico for the production of lacrosse composite handles.
