PUMA partners with Ronstan

WESTFORD, Mass. and PORTSMOUTH, R.I. – Sportlifestyle company PUMA North America has partnered with Ronstan International Inc. as the official U.S. sailing sales agency for the sportlifestyle brand, the companies reported in a release yesterday.

As part of the agreement, Ronstan will focus on the marine specialty retail category in the United States and represent PUMA’s performance sailing line, which includes performance outerwear, apparel, footwear and accessories for sailing enthusiasts.

Ronstan and PUMA officially announced their partnership and unveiled the PUMA performance sailing collection at the 13th annual Strictly Sailing Chicago Boat Show on Jan. 31.

“As we enter this new category, PUMA is turning to Ronstan, true experts within the sailing field, to assist us with meeting our goals and objectives in the competitive retail sailing environment,” said Tom Morgan, senior vice president of Sales for PUMA North America. “PUMA Sailing is designed to perform, inspire and excite and as we prepare for the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 and forge into this new category, we are confident the industry will be ready for a brand like PUMA to come in, mix things up and do things differently.”

Ronstan’s U.S. headquarters, based in Portsmouth, R.I., will handle the PUMA account and work with PUMA’s U.S. sales team based in Westford, Mass. Ronstan will focus its efforts on strategic retail partners in the sailing specialty category across the country.

Scot West, Ronstan’s U.S. president, will lead a team of six sales agents.

“We are thrilled with this partnership. Getting on board with a brand like PUMA as the Volvo Ocean Race is gearing up is a fantastic opportunity for us,” said West. “PUMA has been very aggressive in their development of the gear and marketing plans and we are excited to bring this new PUMA line to the market.”

There are three distinctive lines within PUMA’s Sailing offerings: Performance for extreme sport enthusiasts; Volvo Ocean Race – in honor of PUMA’s entry into that yachting event – for recreational and occasional sailors; and Lifestyle for general consumers who embrace nautical styles.

Ronstan will handle the sales for the Performance line to marine specialty sales retailers, while PUMA’s lifestyle sales agencies will handle the Lifestyle collections. Both Ronstan and PUMA will sell the Volvo Ocean Race products, Ronstan through marine channels, PUMA through mainstream markets.

PUMA announced its entrance into the sailing category in March 2007 as part of the company’s Phase IV business development plan. The entry into competitive sailing extends PUMA’s focus into premium lifestyle sports, following introductions into motorsport and golf. As part of PUMA’s entrance into the sailing category, PUMA will compete in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. PUMA will be the official supplier and the official licensee of replica merchandise for the event.

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