Amer Sports history

2005

Amer acquires Salomon

Amer Sports was ready to make a strategic move by acquiring Salomon and the family of brands Mavic, Bonfire, Arc'teryx, and Cliché. The combined business created a leading global sports equipment company with combined sales of EUR 1.7 billion and 7,300 employees. Salomon is known for highly innovative and performance oriented products. The new acquisition also expanded Amer Sports businesses in outdoor and opened completely new market areas of bicycle components and technical clothing.

Amer Sports' delisting from London Stock Exhange approved
The London listing authority approved the delisting of Amer Sports shares from the official list of London Stock Exchange. Delisting took place on Friday 24 June 2005. The Company's ordinary shares continued to be traded on the main list of the OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki.

2004

Amer changes its name to Amer Sports

2004 Amer changes its official name into Amer Sports Corporation to highlight the company's focus on 100% on the sports equipment the official name was changed into Amer Sports Corporation with the approval of Annual General Meeting.

Amer withdrawed from tobacco business
Amer withdrawed from its tobacco business on 26 March 2004 as Philip Morris agreed to buy back the exclusive right Amer Tobacco Ltd holds to produce and sell Philip Morris cigarettes in Finland. Additionally, Philip Morris acquired Amer Tobacco's cigarette trademarks and certain machinery and equipment. After 26 March 2004 a Philip Morris affiliate has been responsible for the sales of Philip Morris brands of tobacco products in Finland.

Precor acquires FPI
Precor strengthens its position as a full-line supplier of fitness equipment by acquiring Fitness Products International (FPI), a strength product producer and ClubCom, a provider of private television networks to clubs and fitness facilities. In addition, Precor is also acquiring ClubCom's video hardware and system division Cardio Theater.

2003

Wilson acquires Atec

Wilson Team Sports of Amer Group expanded its operations by acquiring Athletic Training Equipment Company Inc. (ATEC), a leading manufacturer of pitching machines for baseball and softball.

Atomic acquires Volant
Atomic, the Winter Sports Division of Amer Group, expanded its offerings by acquiring the Volant ski brand. Volant is a North American based ski brand which is mainly sold at the top-end of the market.

2002

Amer acquires Precor

Amer Group Plc acquires Precor Inc, an US based supplier of fitness equipment, for a total consideration of approximately EUR 180 million. Precor offers premium fitness equipment for both the home and commercial fitness markets. Precor is one of the best-known fitness equipment brands in the USA and is the market leader in elliptical fitness equipment. Its product portfolio includes cross trainers, treadmills and cycles, amongst others.

2001

Amer Group launches a new marketing name Amer Sports

Amer Group launched its new marketing name, Amer Sports, combined with a new logo, to be used in corporate marketing and advertising.

2000

Wilson acquiring DeMarini

In January the Group acquired the operations of the US based DeMarini Inc, manufacturers of baseball and softball bats. The company's operations became part of Wilson's Team Sports Division.

In 2000 the Group's focuses on seeking profitable growth, principally through increasing the core products' market shares. In addition the Group continues to target growth opportunities through acquisitions that are in line with Group strategy. Amer also has scope to improve its performance through further enhancing sourcing and supply chain management.

1999

Amer acquires Suunto
Amer Group's profitability improved significantly in 1999, as a result of all businesses improving their performance. In late 1999 the Group expanded its operations by acquiring Suunto, a manufacturer of in particular outdoor and diving instruments.

1998

Amer launches Stage II of Group result improvement plan
Stage II of the development program was launched with the emphasis on development of an efficient distribution organisation worldwide and to provide optimal service to the trade.

Wilson is back on track with all of its divisions in the black. Atomic's reorganisation has been completed and the full effect will be reflected on the 1999 results. Amer Group's reorganisation is now over and it can start to focus on seeking profitable growth and fighting for market share.

1996

Amer introduces a Group result improvement plan
The three-year reorganisation program was introduced for Wilson at the same time as a Group result improvement plan. The first stage involved the development of new innovations and game improvement products at Wilson, Atomic and Oxygen as well as organisational changes at Wilson and the Atomic Companies.

Roger Talermo to President and CEO
In addition, Amer's long debated shareholder structure was changed following the conversion of all the outstanding "K" shares into "A" shares. The Company now has one class of shares, "A" shares, listed on the Helsinki and London Stock Exchanges and giving the same benefits to all shareholders.

1994

Amer acquires Atomic
At the end of 1994, Amer acquired the operations of Atomic, the Austrian manufacturer of winter sports equipment. Atomic manufactures and markets alpine and cross-country ski equipment under the Atomic and Dynamic brands.

1989

Amer acquires Wilson
To safeguard its future business and growth potential, Amer acquired Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a leading worldwide sporting goods manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois. The acquisition was completed at the end of March 1989 for a total consideration of USD 200 million or FIM 860 million. Wilson is one of the leading global sporting goods companies producing and marketing golf, racquet and team sports equipment. The company's strategy is to develop innovative game improvement products for average sports participants.

1986

Amer establishes Sports Division
The Sports Division was first constituted in 1986, when Amer acquired 80% of the MacGregor Golf Company from the world famous golfer Jack Nicklaus. After several loss-making years, the company was divested in February 1997.

1985

Amer acquires Marimekko
In spring 1985, Amer acquired a majority holding in Marimekko, a Finnish design and textile company in the fields of interior decoration and ready-to-wear clothing. The company was divested in 1991.

1984

Amer obtains a listing on the London Stock Exchange
In 1984, Amer was as the second Finnish company to be listed on the London Stock Exchange, and trading of the company's "A" shares commenced on 29 May. In addition to the Helsinki and London Stock Exchanges, the Company's shares have been available through an ADR facility in the US since 1987; trading through the London Stock Exchange SEAQ International system started in 1989.

Amer acquired a majority holding in Korpivaara
In September 1984, Amer acquired a majority holding in Korpivaara, the oldest and largest importer of cars in Finland. Korpivaara had exclusive import and distribution rights for Toyota, Citroen and Suzuki cars and vans, Toyota forklift trucks and Bridgestone and Firestone tyres in Finland. Toyota was ranked as the leader in the Finnish vehicle sales statistics for more than ten years. Korpivaara also had its own vehicle lease and hire purchase finance business. The Toyota operations were divested in 1995, and the Citroen and Suzuki operations in 1996.

1980

Amer acquires Rias A/S
Following the acquisition of the majority share of its voting rights, the publicly quoted Danish company Rias A/S became part of Amer Group in1987. Rias was the leading distributor of plastic semi-manufactured products in the Nordic countries. Amer already had a Plastic Division, which included manufacture and marketing of "Terhi" plastic boats. Plastics was part of Amer following the Korpivaara acquisition in 1984 until its divestment at the beginning of 1990.

1977

Amer obtains a listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange
In 1977, Amer obtained a listing for its "A" shares on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Prior to the listing, the shareholder base was broadened from the four founder organisations (owners of the "K" shares) through a share issue of A shares targeted at the members of the founder shareholders and Amer's employees.

1973

The company changed its name to Amer Group Ltd (Amer-yhtymä Oy).

Amer acquires Weilin+Göös
The acquisition of Weilin+Göös in 1970, a long established Finnish printing and publishing business, saw the beginning of the Group's Publishing and Printing Division, which was part of the Group for over 25 years. Weilin+Göös was known as one of the largest publishers of encyclopaedias and textbooks in Finland and the leading publisher of diaries and calendars.

Amer acquires Koho-Tuote
For the first time Amer entered into a sporting goods business in 1974 through the acquisition of Koho-Tuote Oy, manufacturers of "Koho" ice hockey sticks and protective equipment. To supplement and expand its European sporting goods activities, in 1978 Amer acquired Koho Sporting Goods Corporation, based in Long Island, New York, which acted as a distributor of Koho products in North East USA. Les Industries du HockeyCanadien Inc., based in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, the manufacturer of the "Canadien" range of ice hockey sticks, was acquired in 1979 as well as Sherbrooke Sports Division, St. Jean, Quebec, manufacturers of ice hockey protective equipment. All ice hockey related businesses were subsequently divested in 1986.

1970

Amer acquires Hyppölä (later known as Amerpap)
Hyppölä (later known as Amerpap), a Finnish paper merchanting and paper converting company was acquired in 1979 and the Group's Paper Division was duly established. In 1987, a Chicago based paper merchants, Hobart Mc/Intosh Paper Company, was acquired and included into the Paper Division. Subsequently, the Division also encompassed a company both in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Paper Division's units were gradually sold during the 1990's; the final divestments occurred in 1994.

Amer acquires Time/system
To reinforce its publishing activities, Amer acquired several publishing and printing businesses including, among others, Time/system International A/S, a global producer and marketer of personal planning systems, which was acquired in 1987. Time/system, with sales subsidiaries in the Nordic countries, United Kingdom, Italy and Germany, was part of Amer Group until 1997, Weilin+Göös having been divested in 1995 and Time/system in 1997.

1960

Amer acquires three ships
During the 1960's Amer moved into ship-owning which was an efficient form of investment for the growing profits of the company's tobacco business. Amer acquired three ships, the m/s Finnboston, the m/s Finnpartner and the m/s Finn-Amer, which were profitably managed by a shipping company. During the 1970's as excess capacity developed in the industry, Amer decided to dispose of its shipping investments and the last ship was sold in 1981.

1950

Amer Tobacco Oy was established in Finland.