Lowa Sportschuhe GmbH reported that after more than 30 years, Werner Riethmann left active management of the company at the end of December 2023. He will, however, remain with the Bavarian hiking and mountain boot specialist as a shareholder with a 20 percent share and in an advisory capacity.
Alexander Nicolai, who has worked in a managerial role since 2019, has been running the company as sole managing director since the beginning of 2024. The extended management also includes Rudolf Limmer as commercial manager and Matthias Wanner as international sales manager.
The company said, “that since the beginning of the 1990s, Lowa’s rise to become one of the leading international manufacturers of mountain and hiking boots has been inextricably linked to the person of Werner Riethmann.”
“In 1992, Riethmann was appointed to management of the company, which was in a difficult financial situation. He had previously worked for Raichle, a Swiss manufacturer of alpine shoes, for 27 years and was highly respected in the industry. Together with the new owner of Lowa, Italian Tecnica Group headed by Giancarlo Zanatta, which continues to hold 80 percent of the shares, Riethmann set the course for a realignment.”
The company said this included the decision to concentrate on the mountain and trekking sector and to hand over the production of ski boots to Tecnica.
A key milestone in the company’s development is said to have been the launch of the Renegade in 1997, which has sold over 12 million pairs, making it one of the most successful outdoor products in Europe.
At that time, Riethmann reportedly had a hiking shoe manufactured for the first time in which the sole was not glued but molded, the cornerstone of a new generation of “light” outdoor shoes. Lowa produced around 300,000 pairs of shoes in 1993; recently, over 3 million pairs have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide.
Another building block under Riethmann was the takeover of the previous production partner in Slovakia in 2019, whereby Lowa secured its production base in addition to production in Jetzendorf, Upper Bavaria, under its “Made in Europe” principle.
“After more than 30 years as a partner and managing director, how could it be otherwise? A lot of my heart and soul is in Lowa,” commented Riethmann. “I am grateful that I was able to have a say in the proud history of this company, whose foundations were laid by the Wagner and Lederer families over such a long period.
Many thanks to everyone who accompanied and supported me during this time; however, the success of the past decades is not the work of one individual but rather the achievement of good teams that are united by the pursuit of the highest product quality. Today, Lowa is a growing and healthy company. With Alexander Nicolai and the management team, we are optimally positioned to continue on our path successfully.”
Reached at a busy Lowa booth at Shot Show on Tuesday, Peter Sachs, general manager, Lowa, LLC. added, “Werner’s legacy will live on because he listened to people and produced unique products to respond to their requests, respected his team & brand values and is leaving a global brand to the next generation in great shape!”
Giancarlo Zanatta (Tecnica Group) shared his thoughts on the Riethmann era, “When Tecnica took over the majority of Lowa in 1993, it was an absolute stroke of luck to have Werner Riethmann, an entrepreneur and managing director at the head of the company, with whom we shared the same understanding of the brand,” Zanatta said. “Lowa stands for the highest quality, innovation, and the pursuit of the best outdoor experience. With these premises, he has developed the brand and the company with competence and passion over the past 30 years. I would also like to personally thank Werner Riethmann for this long journey together and am pleased to continue to have him at our side as a co-partner.”
Image courtesy Lowa Sportschuhe GmbH
