Environment news : Act Global Forecasts Continued Growth in Synthetic Landscape Turf Driven by Environmental Benefits

Company cites environmental advantages of synthetic grass to include saving water, preventing pesticide use and reducing lawn maintenance pollution. 

Austin, TX September 26, 2013

As consumers continue to seek environmentally-responsible solutions, many home and business owners have recognized synthetic turf as an attractive alternative. John Baize, director of leading artificial turf manufacturer Act Global, said that a growing number of people are seeking the company’s artificial landscape turf for its environmental benefits.

“Artificial turf has been used for decades in sports fields for a variety of reasons, from improving the condition of worn out natural grass to extending playing time,” said Baize. “The realistic appearance of our synthetic landscape products, coupled with the environmental and maintenance benefits, has spurred rapid growth in this segment. We are projecting this trend to continue.”

In fact, the Synthetic Turf Council identifies the landscape and recreation market as the fastest growing segment in the synthetic turf industry.

Pesticides are widely used in commercial agriculture, as well as home and garden use, and are a growing public concern. According to Beyond Pesticides (beyondpesticides.org), 78 million households in the U.S. use pesticides. When using artificial grass, keeping a natural looking lawn requires no pesticides, water, or polluting lawn equipment.

Here are a few studies regarding pesticides:

Source: Beyond Pesticides

•     Children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults, and their developing organ systems are more vulnerable and less able to rid of toxins.
•     Studies have linked pesticides with hyperactivity, asthma, developmental delays, behavioral disorders, motor dysfunction, birth defects, neurotoxicity, liver or kidney damage and endocrine system disrupters.
•     Studies have shown that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns can increase their chance of developing canine lymphoma and bladder cancer.
•     Of commonly used lawn pesticides, 16 are toxic to birds, 24 are toxic to aquatic organisms and 11 are deadly to bees.

The Synthetic Turf Council estimates the total amount of synthetic turf installed in North America annually conserves close to a billion pounds of fertilizers and pesticides. The EPA notes runoff of pesticides and fertilizers is a principal cause of water pollution, which can cause algae blooms, depleted oxygen and damage to aquatic life.

Global water supplies are also shrinking, and communities across the world are facing challenges in maintaining healthy and affordable water. Every square foot of natural grass replaced with turf can save 55 gallons of water per year.

Baize stated that all Act Global’s products are responsibly sourced and proven safe for lead and other hazardous products. Their Xtreme Lawn artificial landscape turf features a thatch layer to resemble natural grass, and is available in a variety of colors and styles to match natural foliage. Visit Act Global’s website at http://www.ActGlobal.com to learn more about their artificial landscape grass or artificial sports turf.

About Act Global

Act Global, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a world leader in synthetic turf and artificial grass manufacturing. The company’s monofilament and fibrillated artificial Xtreme Turf and Xtreme Lawn products replicate natural grass for use in international stadiums, indoor sport centers, airports, synthetic lawns and other synthetic grass uses. Its LiteEarth and AvTurf affiliations add capabilities for landfills and airport applications. Act Global has four manufacturing locations in USA, Europe and Asia and installations in over 70 countries. Act Global is notable for currently being the first company in the world that is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer and holds an ISO 9001 certification. Its products have undergone hundreds of independent laboratory tests for quality, durability and performance.

By press release

Business news : Björn Borg: Reconstruction of Retail Operations of Björn Borg’s Dutch Distributor

September 26, 2013 02:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time

STOCKHOLM--Regulatory News:

Björn Borg’s (STO:BORG) distributor in the Netherlands has applied for a corporate reconstruction of its retail operations in the country. The plan is to implement a substantial reduction of the retail network, currently comprising 24 Björn Borg stores, against the backdrop of long-term weakness in the Dutch market, because of which several stores have underperformed expectations. The distributor’s wholesale operations, which generate the large part of brand sales in the country, are managed by a separate company that is not included in the reconstruction.

“We can see that this is a result of a tough macroeconomic situation in the Netherlands, where the performance of retail possessed one of the lows among EU countries in early 2013, according to Statistics Netherlands. This has strongly affected local demand and hurt opportunities for our distributor’s retail operations. The wholesale operations are profitable, however, and the brand maintains a strong position in the country, even if the Dutch economy is struggling with major problems,” says Arthur Engel, CEO of Björn Borg.

Björn Borg estimates that a reconstruction of the retail network in the Netherlands, according to the current plan, will reduce annual consolidated sales by approximately 3-4 percent based on 2012 sales. Lower purchases from the Dutch distributor for its retail network affected Björn Borg’s sales as early as the second quarter of 2013. A portion of sales from closed stores could eventually be shifted to other channels, including e-commerce.

The reconstruction is expected to be completed by December 31, 2013.

Björn Borg is required to make this information public in accordance with the Financial Instruments Trading Act or the Securities Market Act. The information was released for publication on September 26, 2013 at 8:30 am (CET).

About Björn Borg

The Group owns the Björn Borg trademark and its core business is underwear. It also offers sportswear and fragrances as well as footwear, luggage & bags and eyewear through licensees. Björn Borg products are sold in around thirty markets, of which Sweden and the Netherlands are the largest. The Björn Borg Group has operations at every level from branding to consumer sales in its own Björn Borg stores. In total, there are 57 Björn Borg stores, of which 17 are operated in the Group. Total sales of Björn Borg products in 2012 amounted to around SEK 1.6 billion at the consumer level. Group net sales amounted to SEK 551 million in 2012, with 139 employees. The Björn Borg share has been listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic in Stockholm since 2007.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

Contacts
Arthur Engel / CEO / mobile +46 701 813 401 / arthur.engel@bjornborg.com
or
Magnus Teeling / CFO / mobile +46 70 850 5537 / magnus.teeling@bjornborg.com

By press release 

Business people : NIXON NAMES NICK STOWE AS NEW CEO

NIXON NAMES NICK STOWE AS NEW CEO
CO-FOUNDER ANDY LAATS MOVES TO EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN ROLE

Encinitas, CA - After an exhaustive search, Nixon has named Nick Stowe as their new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Andy Laats, who is changing roles for family health reasons.

Stowe, 43, has over 20 years of successful leadership experience with start-ups and established global brands including jewelry company Stella & Dot, Converse and Hurley.

“Nick understands our potential, and he’s the kind of guy I want at Nixon,” said Laats. “He’s an experienced leader who not only has formal business training, but also knows how to grow strong consumer brands.”

“I am tremendously excited to be joining Nixon. Andy, together with co-founder Chad DiNenna and the team, have built an incredible, authentic brand that has amazing potential. I’m excited about the products we have coming and the opportunities to introduce the brand to an even broader audience around the globe,” said Stowe.

Prior to his role as COO at Stella & Dot, Stowe held general management positions leading Converse’s international expansion and overseeing the growth of NIKE's subsidiary brand portfolio which included Converse, Hurley, Cole Haan, Nike Bauer Hockey, and Starter. Originally from the UK, Stowe began his career at Bain & Company, serving clients from their London, Moscow and San Francisco offices. Stowe has a BA from Oxford University and an MBA from Stanford University.

About Nixon

Founded in 1998 in Encinitas, CA, Nixon is the premium watch and accessories brand for the youth lifestyle market. Focused on making the little stuff better, Nixon began with a small line of team-designed, custom-built watches sold exclusively in specialty boardsport and fashion retailers. Currently distributed in over 90 countries, Nixon’s product range has grown to include select men’s and women’s softgoods, leather goods, and custom audio products.

For more information, please visit: Nixon.com and Facebook.com/Nixon.

Retail news : France, New stores for Ski Republic network

With 60 locations today, SKI REPUBLIC network consolidated its fleet and intends to continue its expansion franchise.

Every year since its inception in 2007, the brand ski rental and snowboard opened new stores. It now has a network of 60 units (including more than a third under franchise) across 38 stations in the Pyrenees and the Alps (Savoie / Haute-Savoie / Isère / Hautes-Alpes / Alpes de Haute-Provence / Alpes Maritimes).

For the new season of winter sports, Ski Republic inaugurates its second presence outside France (after Andorra) with an opening in the prestigious Verbier, located in the municipality of Bagnes in the Swiss Valais. In France, it is the station of La Mongie and Arc 1950 Le Village to welcome new stores. Another highlight of the new season: Ski Republic and the chain of residences Odalys partners for more than two years, renew their agreement and announced the opening of two new stores, one in Les 2 Alpes, Isere, and the other in Saint-François Longchamp, Savoie. More than 60% of the offer proposed by Odalys mountain and now in partnership with Ski Republic.

The banner now offers five ranges of skis, including a new, the Exclusive, designed for skiers and snowboarders. And launches the possibility for victims fashions, coordinate their equipment to their outfit with a set of skis 6 colors called the Up and Down.

French Source franchise-magazine.com

New products : Basketball Footwear, Olajuwon set to launch his 'Dream Shake' line of shoes

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, whose nickname is the Dream, is on the verge of realizing yet another dream in his life.

On Saturday, at his DR34M Mansion in the NASA area, Olajuwon will unveil the first basketball shoes from the DR34M brand

The shoes, which will cost $185, are also the first from Olajuwon's 'Dream Shake' line of shoes.

"I'm very happy about it because for many years when I was playing I endorsed many shoe companies and I've always wanted to go from scratch, build my own brand," Olajuwon said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "So I went to different sources, looking at the manufacturing, selecting the material, making sure you bring the best product to market.

"I'm very excited to unveil the first Dream Shake shoe."

Olajuwon said it took two years before he was ready to launch his line of basketball shoes.

"It's the beginning of something I've always wanted to do," Olajuwon said. "This is the beginning of the realization of my dream.

"This dream of mine to be able to design your own shoe, pick you own material and create the first one."

And Olajuwon said his first creation, which includes Italian leather, has a very important feature that makes his shoes a cut above.

"First of all I went to Vibram, that is the Italian company that makes the sole," Olajuwon said. They are the greatest sole company in the world.

"The sole of the shoe is the key to the whole shoe. That's your base. That's why Vibram put their logo in the bottom of the shoes to prove that you have the right sole."

Not far from the Vibram logo on the bottom of the shoes is a design that represents Hakeem's famous spin move in the paint.

"Another thing, my experience in the past what I don't like about my shoes when I was playing, how can I make the adjustments to make it a little bit better, to make it comfortable, very light, more flexible? " Olajuwon said.

"So the first one, I think we accomplished it."

Olajuwon's first collection of shoes come in black, blue, red, orange and black and yellow and red, which Hakeem said represents the classic Rockets colors from the past.

And Olajuwon said it is also important to point out that his collection of basketball shoes is not just for playing basketball.

"What I like about this shoe, it's not just for the court," Olajuwon said. "It's designed also to wear with your jeans.

"It's really a basketball shoe, but when you put it with your jeans you're fashionable, so it solves both purposes."

Olajuwon will unveil his shoes from 11am to 2pm on Saturday.

He normally sees customers at his DR34M Mansion by appointment only.

This the first time he is opening his doors to anyone who wants to stop by.

Customers who purchase his products on Saturday will receive a free photo opportunity with Olajuwon or he will autograph one of the items that is purchased.

For those who don't buy anything, tickets for autographs can be purchased at the store or at fitermansports.com.

Olajuwon's products can also be purchased at his web site: www.DR34M.com.

By Mark Berman, Sports Director - bio , myfoxhouston.com
See the video online : http://www.myfoxhouston.com/olajuwon-set-to-launch-his-dream-shake-line-of-shoes

Awards : California Start-Up Vies for Prestigious Smithsonian People's Design Award with Innovative Self-Illuminating Skateboards

Southern California based Sunset Skateboard Co. has been nominated for the 2013 People's Design Award, presented by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, for creating a first-of-its-kind, motion-powered, self-illuminating skateboard. 

Sunset Beach, CA September 25, 2013 

Southern California based Sunset Skateboard Co. has been nominated for the 2013 People's Design Award, presented by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, for creating a first-of-its-kind, motion-powered, self-illuminating skateboard. The innovative Sunset Skateboard design combines a transparent polycarbonate skateboard deck with Sunset's patent-pending, self-illuminating Flare LED wheels. The end result is a head-turning "glowing skateboard" that lights up the nighttime sidewalk whenever it's in motion. The spinning LED's inside each wheel are powered by kinetic energy, meaning no batteries are ever required.

The skateboard is one of only 20 design works to be voted on by the public via Smithsonian Magazine's website (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/design-awards). The public can vote once per day through October 11, 2013. The winning design will be announced live on October 17 at the National Design Awards Gala in New York.

Sunset Skateboards were conceived and developed by company Co-Founders Jeremy Fissell & Scott Winn, two long-time college friends who were looking for a fun way to pass along their love of skateboarding to their kids. "Jeremy and I were both really into skating growing up and in college...

We reconnected after a bunch of years and found out we were both married with two boys. That's when we started kicking around some skateboard ideas," according to Winn. "We thought it would be cool to try to put a modern twist on the cruiser boards of the 70's. Something different, but still easy to ride," adds Fissell. "When we added the LED wheels to the clear deck prototype we were working with and saw the board light up for the first time...

It was definitely one of those magical moments." After creating a few working prototypes, they quickly realized they had a hit on their hands when all the neighborhood kids - as well as skaters of all ages and skill levels - had an equally huge reaction upon witnessing these never-before-seen, glowing skateboards. Sunset Skateboard Co. was born.



Many months of development later, Sunset Skateboard Co. is growing fast as their boards are now sold in hundreds of retail surf and skateboard shops across the US, with international expansion plans in the works as well. Their YouTube video is picking up steam with over 35,000 hits in the past few months (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVtLziT85KE) and their Facebook page is also gaining "likes" rapidly (http://www.facebook.com/SunsetSkateboard) as word is spreading. Skaters of all ages can purchase Sunset Skateboards on the company's website: http://www.SunsetSkateboards.com. With a "board-builder" feature offering a wide array of brightly-colored deck and wheel combinations, the customization options are endless for these "must-have" new skateboards. As for the prestigious Smithsonian nomination, the guys both summed it up quickly with a single word: "Stoked!"

By press release

Business news : Oliberté Manufactures the World’s First Fair Trade Certified Footwear

Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:10pm EDT

Oliberté Manufactures the World’s First Fair Trade Certified™ Footwear

Fair Trade USA certifies Oliberté factory in Ethiopia

Oliberté, maker of sustainably produced leather shoes and bags handmade in Africa, is the first footwear manufacturing facility in the world to be Fair Trade Certified™ by Fair Trade USA. Oliberté opened its factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2012 to produce high-quality products in a work environment that values workers’ rights and fair wages. Passing Fair Trade USA’s audit process means that Oliberté is now shipping the world’s first Fair Trade Certified shoes to its retailers worldwide.

“Becoming the world's first Fair Trade Certified footwear manufacturing factory was a rigorous process, but we did it because we believe this partnership will make us better as a company and employer,” says Tal Dehtiar, founder of Oliberté. “Our goal is to be a voice for ethical manufacturing so that factory workers around the world can provide a better life for themselves and their families.”

Oliberté’s Ethiopian factory, which employs 59 workers and will produce over 25,000 pairs of shoes over the next year, celebrated its one-year anniversary in August. The factory had to meet Fair Trade USA’s 255 standards and undergo a two-day, on-site audit that evaluated working conditions and employee access to good wages, maternity leave, safe working conditions, strict anti-child-labor regulations, equal-opportunity employment, the right to form a workers’ union, weekly doctor visits, employee handbooks, equipment safety checks and environmental stewardship.

“Fair Trade USA is proud to be working with Oliberté, an exceptional company committed to producing high quality, stylish footwear in Ethiopia that benefits factory workers and their families,” says Maya Spaull, Director of New Category Innovation at Fair Trade USA. As part of Fair Trade USA’s requirements, an additional premium is paid into a worker-controlled fund. Factory workers can vote to apply the funds towards community projects like building a well, buying computers for their families and community or they may split the profits equally.

Oliberté’s new line of fall and winter 2013 footwear for men and women displaying the Fair Trade Certified Factory logo is now shipping to retailers throughout North America and overseas, including best-selling styles the Adibo and the Mogado Hi, both available in brown-yellow pullup, a leather sourced in Ethiopia. Select new styles will also be available for purchase on www.oliberte.com starting October 1.
 
ABOUT OLIBERTE

Tal Dehtiar founded Oliberté in 2009 to create sustainable jobs for skilled artisans in Africa building rugged casual leather goods and footwear using natural rubber outsoles and hand-picked natural leather. Each pair of hand-crafted shoes uses an average of 1000 stitches and materials sourced from Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, Congo and Liberia and is produced in Oliberté’s Fair Trade Certified™ factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Oliberté is headquartered in Oakville, Canada, with warehousing in Mississauga, Ontario, Buffalo, New York, and Rye, UK. Oliberté is sold throughout the world at specialty retailers and online at www.oliberte.com.
 
ABOUT FAIR TRADE USA

Fair Trade USA, a nonprofit organization, is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. Fair Trade USA audits and certifies transactions between companies and their international suppliers to help ensure that farmers and workers are paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment, and receive community development funds to empower and improve their communities. Fair Trade USA also educates consumers, brings new manufacturers and retailers into the Fair Trade system, and provides farming communities with the tools, training and resources to thrive as international businesspeople. Visit www.FairTradeCertified.org.


For Oliberté
Elinor Fish, 970-963-4873 ext. 110
elinor.fish@backbonemedia.net

By press release 

New product : Baketball shoes LEBRON 11 iD, Power Harnessed, Creativity Unleashed

Expanded customization options available for the LEBRON 11 iD. 

Beginning Oct. 7, consumers can customize the LEBRON 11 through NIKEiD with more options than ever before. NIKEiD enables athletes to create their own player edition footwear and express their unique style on and off the court through bold colors, chroma color-shifting options, paint speckle, and glow-in-the-dark materials.

NIKEiD took insights from LeBron and brought to life LEBRON 11 customization options that include:

• Overlay options of 17 solid colors with an added paint speckle option.
• 7 NIKEiD exclusive chroma color shift material choices.
• Glow-in-the-dark material available on the outsole, logos, dynamic Flywire technology and laces.
• Three outsole choices: solid and translucent for indoor services and XDR rubber for the blacktop.
• Personalization in the form of a six-character name or a two-digit number on the inside of the tongue.

The LEBRON 11 iD can be designed and purchased globally on NIKEiD beginning Oct. 7.

Source Nike.

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Business people : GORDINI USA INC. NAMES MIKE FOWLER VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING

BURLINGTON, VT (September 24, 2013) – Gordini today announced the appointment of Mike Fowler as the brand’s vice president of sales and marketing. Fowler will oversee the brands’ internal and external sales teams for Gordini, DROP, licensed product and private label businesses, inclusive of all marketing efforts, trade shows and product merchandising. He will report to David Gellis, executive vice president and principal of Gordini.

“Mike is an accomplished addition to Gordini’s leadership team,” said David Gellis. “With proof in his past successes, I am confident that his expertise will leverage our sales and marketing teams to significantly grow the business.”

Having spent his entire career in the outdoor industry, Fowler comes to Gordini with over 20 years of relevant experience. Most recently, Fowler served as the Director of Sales for Manzella Productions. Fowler worked with the nationally recognized outdoor specialty store Uncle Dan’s, where he managed sales and operations for the four Chicago-based stores while simultaneously growing performance for the e-commerce channel.

“I am excited to join a team of craftsmen in the hand wear and cold weather business who put customers, product development and innovation in the forefront of all daily efforts,” said Fowler. “The energy and passion within the Gordini group is electric.”

Fowler will work remotely from his home in Evanston, IL where he lives with his family. He graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in Education and subsequently received his MBA from Southeast Missouri State University. When he is not working, Fowler enjoys skiing, biking, outdoor living and woodworking.

About Gordini

Gordini is an accessories brand of gloves, mittens, goggles and face protection, boasting a highly regarded reputation that has been in the making since 1956. Its heritage in true glove craftsmanship has earned the company a leading position in various classes of the hand wear trade from outdoor sports to work and industrial gloves.

By press release

Business news : Amer Sports, Commercial expansion in spotlight

This year Amer Sports Capital Markets Day (CMD) was focused on commercial expansion, highlighting the company’s expanding business to consumers and the progress in the key emerging markets of Russia and China.

During the day management also gave an update on Amer Sports strategy and financials. For CEO’s overview on strategy and CFO’s financial review, please watch the videos here.

CMD brought together about 60 investors and analysts in late August. The event was arranged at Amer Sports headquarter in Helsinki.

The annual CMD is a special opportunity for investment community to gain a broader understanding of the fundamentals of the company, and to discuss Amer Sports strategy and development with the top management. As in previous years, the event gathered positive feedback from the attendees.

Source Amer Sports