06Jul 2018 by DS News Team
Madshus, Part 2 – Your Questions Answered. Some Of Them, At Least

Madshus, Part 2 – Your Questions Answered. Some Of Them, At Least

Gear News, Newsfeed, Training & Outfitting
Questions that you always wanted to ask - now answered by the Madshus pros: - Bjorn Ivar Austrem, R & D director - Per Wiik who runs both racing and marketing departments – and Nils Hult, Madshus CEO himself: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjzuCvLg6Nd/?taken-by=daily_skier - We all all know there are great skis and not-so great skis. Some ( many) medals were won even in the last season not on the newest skis, but on those 2-3, even 5 years old ( not specifically Madshus – we are talking all leading manufacturers here) How come ”great skis” can't be replicated en masse? - There are, obviously, external factors such as different snow, humidity, altitude etc. etc. But let's assume there are skis that “just run great always” as per their happy owner. There are…
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03Jul 2018 by DS News Team
Norway, Biri, Madshus – Part 1

Norway, Biri, Madshus – Part 1

Gear News, Newsfeed
Martin Madshus produced his very first pair of skis in his barn in 1906 beating Abel Rossignol by a year  ( the Frenchman began making skis in Voiron “only”in 1907) Madshus as a company has been continuously operating ever since, thus making it the oldest ski manufacturer in the world. It likely also is the world's most modern – at least one of, considering the amount of ( hugely expensive ) robots employed at the production line in Biri, some 30 kilometers from Lillehammer. https://www.instagram.com/p/BkxUS18Azdp/?taken-by=daily_skier When you purchase Madshus, you become an owner of much more than a pair of skis. Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world for manufacturing – that's the price the business pays for highly skilled work force and stringent ecological regulations.…
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30Jan 2018 by DS News Team
ISPO 2018: What We Saw, Noticed and Liked

ISPO 2018: What We Saw, Noticed and Liked

Gear News, Newsfeed
ISPO is huge. No photo or even video could convey ginormous size of the exhibition spread over 16 cavernous halls. It also would not let you forget for a second that industrial heart of the world these days is beating in China. And in India. And in Bangladesh. And Pakistan. [caption id="attachment_6585" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Marwe had its people dressed in real cool looking vests with multiple pockets. Production perspectives uncertain as Asian manufacturers are only willing to produce in volume [/caption] Since cross country skiing is a niche sport, alas, Asian manufacturers who think in terms of volume, are not yet big in this sector. The things, however, are slowly changing – several Chinese producers had their products on display, mostly entry-level ski boots and rollerskis. ISPO is fundametally different…
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27May 2017 by DS News Team
Madshus Sold

Madshus Sold

Gear News, Money & Finance, Newsfeed
A business deal much awaited in the skiing world was announced late on Friday. Madshus AS, together with its corporate parent K2, was sold to Kohlberg & Company, a private equity firm. Many, especially in Norway, had expected that the storied Norwegian ski & apparel producer would be spun off and sold back to a Norwegian business. Rumors swirled that Swix Sport (or its owner, Ferd Group) were looking to purchase Madshus. It would make sense: the two companies are located close to each other in the outskirts of Lillehammer – working together would bring massive savings in everything from manufacturing and warehousing to marketing and distribution. Alas, that was not to be the case, as Madshus AS remains in American hands – at least for now. New-York based Kohlberg…
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10May 2017 by DS News Team
Madshus Awaits Its Fate

Madshus Awaits Its Fate

Gear News, Money & Finance, Newsfeed, Training & Outfitting
The Madshus' fate is about to be decided. According to SGB Media, a social media marketing firm, Michael Polk, CEO of Newell Brands, said this week that "...Negotiations around the sale of the Winter Sports unit are in full flight and are expected to close in the second quarter..." You want to know the connection? Well, let's see. Back in 1988, a legacy Norwegian ski producer was bought by K2 Sports Inc. from Seattle, best known for its eponymous Alpine ski. Then, in 2007, K2 itself was bought by Jarden Corp.., owned and run by Martin Franklin, a British investor and triathlete. Finally, last year Jarden was swallowed whole by an even bigger corporate fish, Newell Brands Inc., whose boss, Mr. Polk, had immediately announced his intention to sell off…
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