Corporate:
+++ HeiQ has acquired 100% of the equity and voting rights in a Hong Kong-based materials technology company, Life Material Technologies, which develops bio-based antimicrobial additives and treatments used by manufacturers of plastics, coatings, textiles, ceramics and paper, for $6.45 million, plus a potential earn-out of up to $2.8 million based on Life’s financial performance during 2021
+++ Klarna has confirmed $639 million in new equity funding led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 21, with additional participation from existing investors - Adit Ventures, Honeycomb Asset Management and WestCap Group - to support its international expansion and further capitalize on global retail growth
Management:
+++ Jones Snowboards boosts its apparel development department by hiring a vice president of soft goods, Martijn Linden, who previously worked for Burton, Armada, Black Diamond, Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Patagonia and O’Neill
E-Commerce & DTC:
+++ Shopify has announced that its one-click Shop Pay checkout will become available to all merchants selling on Facebook and Instagram later this summer and to those selling on Google in late 2021, even if they don’t use Shopify
+++ Hestra, the Swedish sports glove company, is launching an international web store (more in The Outdoor Industry Compass)
Legal & Institutional:
+++ The Canadian Sporting Goods Association (CSGA) has appointed a new president and CEO, Jon Irwin, who previously worked at Geox, Under Armour, Salomon and Adidas in a variety of sales, strategy and management roles, effective July 1, succeeding Julian Savory, who is retiring after eight years of rebuilding the association
Trade Shows & Other Events:
+++ Because of the extension of Covid restrictions, the London Ski and Snowboard Festival 2021 has been postponed until October 2022
CSR & Sustainability:
+++ Parley For The Oceans has formed a long-term partnership with Brita to end the use of single-use plastic water bottles
+++ Confirming its sustainability goals, Canada Goose says it will stop purchasing fur by the end of this year and use instead fur recycled from customers’ coats pending an end to manufacturing products with fur by the end of 2022 at the latest
