I blogged about this a month ago...glad to see it's confirmed...
now the big question, what does Jake buy next???
2/5/2008
Burton Acquires Alien Workshop And Habitat
DNA Distribution, which includes skateboarding brands Alien Workshop, Habitat and Reflex, today announced that the company has been acquired by Burton.
The two companies began discussions over a year ago and found that they share a common approach in the way that they contribute to boardsports culture, including a commitment to creating long-lasting relationships with their teams of international athletes. In addition, both are committed to advancing and innovating hardgoods technologies, as well as the artistry and creativity associated with these sports; supporting a solid team of amateur riders; and providing best customer service practices.
DNA Distribution will continue to operate in Dayton, Ohio and CEO and Co-Founder Chris Carter will continue to oversee the DNA brands, which include Alien Workshop, Habitat and Reflex Bearings.
“We are very excited to bring the DNA family of brands to Burton - a company that we truly respect,” says Chris Carter, Chief Executive Officer for DNA Distribution. “Burton clearly leads their market in terms of team, innovation, marketing and values. Joe, Mike and I look forward to leveraging Burton's strengths to reach the full potential for the DNA brands: Alien Workshop, Habitat and Reflex.”
“Through surfing and snowboarding we have learned that hardgoods are the foundation of all boardsports, and with the addition of DNA to our family, we are on our way to delivering skaters what they want and expect,” says Jake Burton, Founder and Chairman of Burton. “As with Al Merrick and the crew at Channel Islands, the relationship with Chris, Mike and Joe at DNA has been a natural fit right from the start. Everyone around here is committed to growing Burton into a true boardsports company, so I am confident that we can provide a home where DNA and their team of skaters can build upon what they have already excelled at in the skate industry.”
“We couldn't have found a better company to work with than DNA,” says Laurent Potdevin, Burton’s Chief Executive Officer. “Burton and all of its brands are authentically committed to snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding without distractions from other sports, products or categories. This acquisition completes a strategy that we have been very focused on for quite some time and marks a new milestone in the evolution of Burton and its family of brands.”
Location: buying used stuff off of SF, so i can look "gnar" with my pre-thrashed gear
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Re: New Aliens in the Workshop...Burton lands...
Quote:
Originally Posted by skategeezer
“Through surfing and snowboarding we have learned that hardgoods are the foundation of all boardsports,
*snort*
burton of ALL people should know that this is NOT true.
on campus here, i see SO many burton jackets, hats, pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, gloves, and i'm pretty sure boxer shorts. less than 1/3 of these people actually snowboard.
on a side note, brooke, is it alright if i post this on another forum?
Think about it for a second Bro. Do you think Burton would sell all of those t-shirts, hats, and jackets if they had never made a board? C'mon, hardgoods are the foundation that allow them to sell all of those softgoods...
Interesting though. I wonder if they will tap in to the "beer-run-longboard"market....
I blogged about this a month ago...glad to see it's confirmed...
now the big question, what does Jake buy next???
The big B needs a longboard/speedboard company that's ready to break out mainstream. Will they buy outside of the US? What US firms would fit the bill?
The big B needs a longboard/speedboard company that's ready to break out mainstream. Will they buy outside of the US? What US firms would fit the bill?
If so, then why did they buy AWS (which is known almost exclusively for "shortboards")?
I was blown away when I found out thay Burton
acquired Channel Islands from Al Merrick, and they
will be developing space age high tech surfboards in the lab...
That interests me, greatly...........................!
Burton buying a shortboard company does not..
Unless they plan on making longboards and high performance
space age slalom/downhill decks, that could be a freat thing..
Time will tell....
__________________ I Surf Concrete: Goofy + Mongo = GONGO galaclandsurfing dot com
If so, then why did they buy AWS (which is known almost exclusively for "shortboards")?
For practice? Street cred? They're not done yet? I dunno, but I agree with you that it's not consistent with the longboard-centric strategy that I have for them.
There's a lot more room for their high-tech approach in longboards than in shortboards, IMO. Longboarding is more like snowboarding, physically. And the state of the DH sport feels a lot like snowboarding did "back in the day" when only a few devoted nuts were doing it. In short, I've been wondering who's going to be the Burton of the upcoming DH/free-ride skate revolution for a while now.
So what if it's gonna be Burton?
If they were to buy up a tech-minded DH/longboard firm, who would they buy? I don't think it's obvious. Wefunk would have been a good call in a few years, if it were still active. Landy and Kebbek seem content with perfecting their maple builds. Rayne?
Last edited by hexagon5un; 02-06-2008 at 01:25 AM.
IMO the only longboard companys that fit with Burtons "ideals" are Gravity for there product line and Sector 9 their distribution and market depth...I can't see either selling out
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by livefortoday2007
It is almost like racism to seperate street skating and longboards.
New Aliens in the Workshop...Burton lands...
