COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 339920

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

58companies1856–1992founding years58still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Orvis Company, Inc.
1856
FoundedGroupe Herstal S.A.
1889
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedFortune Brands, Inc.
1904
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBlacks Leisure Group plc
1923
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedLafuma S.A.
1930
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedWham-O, Inc.
1948
FoundedASICS Corporation
1949
FoundedAmer Group plcFoundedHead N.V.
1950
FoundedBig 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
1955
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBenetton Group S.p.A.
1965
FoundedKarsten Manufacturing Corporation
1967
FoundedNIKE, Inc.
1968
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedOakley, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedOutdoor Research, Incorporated
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedEaston Sports, Inc.FoundedJohnson Worldwide Associates, Inc.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedThe Hockey Company
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The Orvis Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1856
Founded in 1856, The Orvis Company, Inc.
The Orvis Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1856
Founded in 1856, The Orvis Company, Inc.
Groupe Herstal S.A. →
Active · founded 1889 · Belgium
Groupe Herstal S.A.
Groupe Herstal S.A. →
Active · founded 1889 · Belgium
Groupe Herstal S.A.
Hillerich & Bradsby Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1897
Hillerich & Bradsby Company, Inc.
Hillerich & Bradsby Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1897
Hillerich & Bradsby Company, Inc.
Fortune Brands, Inc. →
Active · founded 1904
Fortune Brands, Inc., is a widely diversified conglomerate with principal businesses in distilled spirits, home…
Fortune Brands, Inc. →
Active · founded 1904
Fortune Brands, Inc., is a widely diversified conglomerate with principal businesses in distilled spirits, home…
Blacks Leisure Group plc →
Active · founded 1923 · United Kingdom
Blacks Leisure Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail sportswear and sporting goods groups and is that…
Blacks Leisure Group plc →
Active · founded 1923 · United Kingdom
Blacks Leisure Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail sportswear and sporting goods groups and is that…
Hummel International A/S →
Active · founded 1923 · Denmark
1950s:Hummel moves to Viby, Denmark.
Hummel International A/S →
Active · founded 1923 · Denmark
1950s:Hummel moves to Viby, Denmark.
Lafuma S.A. →
Active · founded 1930 · France
Lafuma S.A.
Lafuma S.A. →
Active · founded 1930 · France
Lafuma S.A.
Bridgestone Corporation →
Active · founded 1931 · Japan
Bridgestone Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer of tires, and the company is number three in the North…
Bridgestone Corporation →
Active · founded 1931 · Japan
Bridgestone Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer of tires, and the company is number three in the North…
Wham-O, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Wham-O, Inc.
Wham-O, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Wham-O, Inc.
ASICS Corporation →
Active · founded 1949 · Japan
ASICS Corporation is one of Japan's top makers of sport shoes and other equipment.
ASICS Corporation →
Active · founded 1949 · Japan
ASICS Corporation is one of Japan's top makers of sport shoes and other equipment.
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Leupold & Stevens, Inc., a fourth generation family-owned company, is one of the oldest and best-known manufacturers of…
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Leupold & Stevens, Inc., a fourth generation family-owned company, is one of the oldest and best-known manufacturers of…
Amer Group plc →
Active · founded 1950 · Finland
Finland's Amer Group plc is building a world-leading portfolio of sporting goods companies.
Amer Group plc →
Active · founded 1950 · Finland
Finland's Amer Group plc is building a world-leading portfolio of sporting goods companies.
Head N.V. →
Active · founded 1950 · The Netherlands
With its headquarters located in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Head N.V.
Head N.V. →
Active · founded 1950 · The Netherlands
With its headquarters located in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Head N.V.
School-Tech, Inc. →
Active · founded 1953
School-Tech, Inc.
School-Tech, Inc. →
Active · founded 1953
School-Tech, Inc.
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation is an El Segundo, California-based regional chain of approximately 275 value-oriented…
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation is an El Segundo, California-based regional chain of approximately 275 value-oriented…
Buck Knives Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Buck Knives Inc.
Buck Knives Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Buck Knives Inc.
Benetton Group S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1965 · Italy
Benetton Group S.p.A.
Benetton Group S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1965 · Italy
Benetton Group S.p.A.
Karsten Manufacturing Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Located in Phoenix, Arizona, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation is famous for its Ping golf clubs.
Karsten Manufacturing Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Located in Phoenix, Arizona, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation is famous for its Ping golf clubs.
Fat Face Ltd. →
Active · founded 1968 · United Kingdom
Company Persepctives: 1988 ...
Fat Face Ltd. →
Active · founded 1968 · United Kingdom
Company Persepctives: 1988 ...
NIKE, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Founded as an importer of Japanese shoes, NIKE, Inc.
NIKE, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Founded as an importer of Japanese shoes, NIKE, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Variflex, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Variflex, Inc.
Variflex, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Variflex, Inc.
Outdoor Research, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1981
Outdoor Research, Incorporated designs and manufactures gear for use in the outdoors, marketing products such as gloves…
Outdoor Research, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1981
Outdoor Research, Incorporated designs and manufactures gear for use in the outdoors, marketing products such as gloves…
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
Easton Sports, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Easton Sports, Inc., is a privately owned Van Nuys, California-based manufacturer of sports equipment.
Easton Sports, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Easton Sports, Inc., is a privately owned Van Nuys, California-based manufacturer of sports equipment.
Johnson Worldwide Associates, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Johnson Worldwide Associates, Inc.
Johnson Worldwide Associates, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Johnson Worldwide Associates, Inc.
Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1989
Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.
Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1989
Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.
The Hockey Company →
Active · founded 1991 · Canada
The Hockey Company is the world's largest manufacturer of hockey equipment, producing and distributing hockey products…
The Hockey Company →
Active · founded 1991 · Canada
The Hockey Company is the world's largest manufacturer of hockey equipment, producing and distributing hockey products…
Everlast Worldwide Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Everlast, a brand name all but synonymous with the sport of boxing, has been reborn after being acquired in the year…
Everlast Worldwide Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Everlast, a brand name all but synonymous with the sport of boxing, has been reborn after being acquired in the year…
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