Asics

ASICS (アシックス, Ashikkusu)[lower-alpha 1][3] is a Japanese multinational corporation which produces footwear and sports equipment designed for a wide range of sports. The name is an acronym for the Latin phrase anima sana in corpore sano,[4] which translates as "Healthy soul in a healthy body". In recent years their running shoes have often been ranked among the top performance footwear in the market.[5][6]

ASICS Corporation
Public (K.K)
Traded asTYO: 7936
ISINJP3118000003 
IndustrySportswear
Sports equipment
Founded1949 (1949)
FounderKihachiro Onitsuka
HeadquartersKobe, Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Kiyomi Wada
(Chairman)
ProductsAthletic shoes
Apparel
Sports equipment
Revenue ¥386.66 billion (2018)[1]
¥10.51 billion (2018)[1]
–¥20.07 billion (2018)[1]
Number of employees
8,823 (2018)[2]
Subsidiaries
  • Haglöfs
  • Runkeeper
  • ASICS Europe B.V.
  • ASICS Sports Corporation
  • ASICS Tiger Corporation
  • ASICS Tiger do Brasil Ltda.
  • ASICS Tiger Oceana Pty.
Websitewww.asics.com

History

Inside of the ASICS store on Newbury Street, in the Back Bay section of Boston
ASICS in Vaughan Mills
An ASICS shop on Albion Street, Leeds

ASICS Ltd. began as Onitsuka Co., Ltd on September 1, 1949.[7] Its founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, began manufacturing basketball shoes in his home town of Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Soon after the range of sports activities widened to a variety of Olympic styles used throughout the '50s, '60s and '70s by athletes worldwide.[8] Onitsuka became particularly renowned for the Mexico 66[9] design, in which the distinctive crossed stripes, now synonymous with the company brand, were featured for the first time. In 1977, Onitsuka Tiger merged with GTO and JELENK to form ASICS Corporation. Despite the name change, a vintage range of ASICS shoes are still produced and sold internationally under the Onitsuka Tiger label.

In its 2006 fiscal year, ASICS generated 171 billion yen in net sales and 13 billion yen in net income. Sixty-six percent of the company's income came from the sale of sports shoes, 24% from sportswear, and 10% from sports equipment. Forty-nine percent of the company's sales were in Japan, 28% in North America, and 19% in Europe.[10][11]

On July 12, 2010, ASICS bought the Swedish outdoor brand Haglöfs, for SEK1,000,000,000 ($128.7 million).[12]

On October 4, 2011, it was announced that ASICS would be the new official kit manufacturer for the Australian Cricket Team, replacing German manufacturer Adidas.[13]

Relationship with Nike

Nike, Inc., originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, was founded to sell Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the US. When Phil Knight visited Japan in 1963 shortly after he graduated from Stanford University, he was impressed by Onitsuka Tiger shoes with their high quality but reasonable prices. He immediately visited the Onitsuka Tiger office and asked to be their sales agent in the USA.[14] After a number of years, their relationship crumbled and both companies sued each other, with Nike retaining the naming rights to several shoes.[15]

Sponsorship

See also

Notes

  1. Officially ASICS Corporation

References

  1. "ASICS Annual Report 2018". ASICS. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  2. "Asics Company Profile". Craft. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  3. "ASICS Corporate". corp.asics.com.
  4. "About ASICS". ASICS America. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  5. "Runner's World Crowns Asics Gel-Nimbus 9 "The World's Best Shoe!"". Runnersworld.com. 2007-11-02. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  6. Remy, Mark (2008-11-14). "The Prez-Elect Wears Asics". Dailyviews.runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-16. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  7. "Asics History". Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  8. "THE HISTORY OF ASICS". Master Shoe.
  9. Mexico 66, Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, Onitsuka Mexico 66 | Tiger Central Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Asics". Petro Sports.
  11. "An Essay On Asics". Course Hero.
  12. Katsumura, Mariko (2010-07-12). "Japan's ASICS buys Sweden's Haglofs for $128.7 mln". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
  13. Emmett, James (2011-11-04). "ASICS partner with Cricket Australia – Sports Sponsorship news – Cricket Oceania". SportsPro Media. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  14. Phil., Knight (2016). Shoe dog : a memoir by the creator of Nike. Scribner Book Company. ISBN 9781501135910. OCLC 967823709.
  15. Phil., Knight (2016). Shoe dog : a memoir by the creator of Nike. Scribner Book Company. ISBN 9781501135910. OCLC 967823709.
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