Adidas

Adidas Group AG , founded in 1949, is a German firm based with Herzogenaurach, specialized in the articles of sport.

Description

It is about a company which manufactures and distributes articles of sport: clothing, shoes, balloons, equipment of golf, etc In 2005, the company affirms to employ approximately 13 000 paid in the world.

It is also universally known under name: the mark with the three bands , in relation to its logo.

Its head office is with Herzogenaurach, in Bavaria. (In France: Adidas France with Landersheim. )

History

Adolf Dassler is the son of a Savetier Bavarian which specializes in the Pantoufle S, which manufactures sport shoes since the Années 1920.

The brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler were owners, each one for half, of the company " Schuhfabrik Gebrueder Dassler" (manufactures shoes of the Dassler brothers) in Herzogenaurach close to Nuremberg. They were brothers, they were friendly, they managed their company together. Adolf was regarded as an excellent shoe-maker and an excellent creator of shoes. But he was a poor salesman. Rudolf was an excellent shoe-maker but a poor creator. On the other hand, he was a salesman except par. With them two, they trained the perfect team. They were complementary perfectly. Adolf created the shoes and organized their manufacture; Rudolf sold them in all Germany and even succeeded in exporting them. Their company was flourishing. Then the second world war came. Although quadragénaires, the Dassler brothers were mobilized and were thus obliged to move away from their company. Business management échut thus to their respective wives. From statute of wives, they passed to the statute of managing jointly. Very quickly, they became rival; each one trying to draw the cover with it. And they were not génaient to do it. And they were not the holy ones because no intrigue frightened them. Moreover it is at that time that the wretched rumor started to circulate which claimed that Horst Dassler, wire of Adolf, were actually the son of Rudolf. The ignominie of this rumor testifies to hateful environment that the two women had succeeded in making reign within the Dassler clan. Of competition in rumor, of intrigue in low blow, the two women ended up becoming enemy mortals. Moreover for this period, the company has its safety only with the orders of the German army (shoes and boots for the soldiers). In 1945, when the Dassler brothers returned in Herzogenaurach, it was too late. It had become impossible to reconcile anyone. In spite of the many attempts, they had to admit that it had become impossible to work together. They thus decided to liquidate the company " Schuhfabrik Gebrueder Dassler" and to divide it in two equal parts. They made build partitions to divide the buildings and divided the machines.

With its nickname, “Adi”, and the first syllable of its family name, “Das”, it creates in 1948 the company which will starting from August 18th, 1949 bear officially the name of Adidas AG, official deposit of the Brand name. His/her Rudolf brother founds the sporting mark Puma, a pronounceable name in all the languages. He installs his company in the same city as his brother, but on other side of the river Aurach.

In the Years 1960, his/her Horst son takes the reins of the company. After its sudden death in 1987, the group enters a phase of crisis. In 1990, incompetents to give it to flood, the heirs decide to sell. Supported by the Crédit Lyonnais, Bernard Tapie repurchases it, but accumulates enormous losses, in spite of suppressions of employment and the call to subcontracting.

In 1993, investors take it again in hand and entrust the direction of it to Robert Louis-Dreyfus. This last renews the product range, while calling upon high-speed motorboats to make the products desirable. In 1995, the title of the company is with dimensions in purse.

In 1997, it acquires the manufacturer of skis Solomon (ski), but separates some after eight years, the profits discounted not being with go.

In August 2005, the company announces a friendly tender offer, for the sum of 3,8 billion US dollars, on Reebok, a concurrent company.

Leaders

Bernard Tapie (1990-1993)
Robert Louis-Dreyfus (1993-2007)
Herbert Hainer (chairman of the Group adidas AG gathering adidas performance/heritage/style, and reebok) (2001-2005)
Erich Stamminger (chairman of the section adidas (2006 -)

Anecdotes

In 1936, with the Olympic Games of Berlin, the American athlete Jesse Owens gains four gold medals, whereas it carries Espadrille S made by one of Dassler. According to the legend, it would be Adolf which would have manufactured them.
a Acronyme can be formed with the letters of Adidas: All Day I Dream Butt Sports. The group of Korn néo-metal, often equipped by Adidas, also composed a song on the Acronyme A.D.I.D.A.S, however it means this time All Day I Dream About Sex.
the name Adidas comes from the nickname of its creator: Adolf (Adi) Dassler.
Since 1970, Adidas provides the balloons of the football world cup.
In 1982, the musical group Run DMC, with its song My Adidas , makes an extraordinary publicity in an involuntary way. Its members sing this song while carrying Adidas tennis, in bond with the style of the group. During a concert gathering 20.000 spectators in New York, when they sing My Adidas , almost all the spectators raised their Adidas shoes. The leaders of the German firm were very surprised. In 1986, Adidas signs a contract of 1 million USD, it is the engaging launching of the contracts of the emblêmes of Hip Hop with marks sportswear.
the English singer Chris Martin of the formation Coldplay carries, with each spectacle given, a pair of Adidas Blanc line black.

Financial data

Source: “OPESC”

Stock exchange data

Shareholding

Floating 84.4%, Barclays PLC 5.4%, Funds Templeton 5.0%, Fidelity Investments 5.2%.

External bond

Official site

Sources

Adidas - Of a small family firm of Bavaria to a world giant
Robert L. Louis-Dreyfus

Simple: Adidas

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