Profile of Asics Corporation: a leading producer of high performance footwear

26 pages, published in Issue 22, 3rd Quarter 2007   Report price: Euro 395.00; US$ 520.00

Asics Corporation is a manufacturer and retailer of shoes for a wide range of sporting activities. It also produces apparel and accessories for a number of different sporting activities.

The company has two main brands: Asics, which is a high performance brand for footwear and apparel; and Onitsuka Tiger, which is a sportstyle brand for footwear and apparel. Asics is the world?s fifth largest brand in the sports shoe market.

The company was founded in 1949 as the Onitsuka Company to manufacture and sell basketball shoes in Japan. In 1977 it merged with GTO Company and Jelenk Company to form Asics Corporation. The name Asics is an acronym for Anima Sana in Corpore Sano?a Latin phrase which translates as ?a sound mind in a sound body?.

The Asics group has a substantial global presence which augments its position as an industry leader. The Asics group is composed of Asics Corporation, 28 subsidiary companies and six affiliates, and it operates in 16 countries.

Since 1990, Asics has carried out research and development at its Research Institute of Sports Science?located in Kobe, Japan?and has made several advances in relation to its products and the analysis of running styles.

The future looks good for Asics. The overseas market for sporting goods is expected to remain solid, backed by keener interest in sports and sporting activities because of greater health consciousness. Yet, in order to ensure its future success, the company sees a need to expand across all its business units. In terms of product, while its focus will remain on running shoes, it is looking to develop its range of apparel, sportstyle products and children?s products. From an international perspective, Asics sees China and Taiwan as areas for potential growth?in manufacturing and in sales.

Profile of Asics Corporation: a leading producer of high performance footwear

• Summary
• Introduction
• Company development
• Products
• Design, manufacturing and distribution
• Sales and marketing
• Corporate social responsibility
• Financial performance
• Outlook

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• Fibres and fabrics for performance footwear, (3rd Quarter 2007)
• Fast track: tracking the leading players in sporting goods, (3rd Quarter 2005)
• Fast track: runaway success, (1st Quarter 2005)

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