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Columbia Sportswear Company (NASDAQ: COLM) and Outdoor Retailer announced today that Columbia plans to return to the main floor exhibition area at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market show being held at The Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, July 21-24.
Columbia’s new 4,000 square foot exhibit is designed to highlight the company’s renewed commitment to serving the needs of outdoor specialty retailers and their consumers. The booth features interactive displays showcasing the science behind Columbia’s portfolio of technologies that help outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the endless variety of outdoor activities. In addition, visitors will learn about the portfolio of services offered by Columbia designed to help specialty outdoor retailers manage and grow their business, which is especially important during these challenging economic times.
“Columbia’s commitment to the outdoor market has been an industry-driving force for more than 50 years,” said Mick McCormick, executive vice president of global sales and marketing. “Building on that rich history, our plans for this year’s OR Summer Market represent the beginning of a new era in our relationship with specialty retailers. We’ve spent the past two years infusing our entire product line with meaningful technologies for outdoor consumers, creating innovative tools and services for specialty retailers, and deploying a new brand marketing campaign that is connecting with consumers and motivating them to explore what Columbia has to offer.
“Outdoor Retailer Summer Market provides the perfect venue for us to elevate the Columbia brand by unveiling our expanded portfolio of product innovations for Spring 2010, together with tools and services that specialty outdoor retailers can deploy immediately to improve their business results. We are excited to show outdoor retailers our commitment to partnering with them for long-term growth.”
Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director, added, “Columbia Sportswear is one of the bedrock brands of the outdoor industry. The Outdoor Retailer team is proud that Columbia has chosen OR to be one of a select few events it will concentrate its design and marketing energies on. We are thrilled to have them back on the main floor at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer and Winter Markets and beyond.”
Columbia’s booth, organized around the three primary Spring and Summer end-use categories of Trail, Water and Travel, will include interactive exhibits showcasing the innovative technologies featured in more than 80 percent of Columbia’s Spring 2010 apparel and footwear products:
• OMNI-Shade™ for sun protection;
• OMNI-Dry™ for advanced evaporation;
• OMNI-Freeze™ for advanced cooling;
• OMNI-Shield™ for advanced repellency;
• OMIN-Tech™ for waterproof breathable protection;
• Techlite™ for lightweight footwear performance;
• OMNI-Grip™ for advanced footwear traction;
In addition, visitors will find demonstrations and information about:
• columbiabrands.com – an on-line, business-to-business commerce site through which specialty retailers can place and track orders, check inventory availability to fill at-once demand, and analyze their order history;
• 3point5.com – an on-line training site where retail sales associates can learn about Columbia’s innovative technologies, demonstrate their knowledge, and earn rewards for completing the educational segments;
• Columbia’s expanded auto-replenishment program that will feature 55 Spring 2010 styles to enhance retailer profitability;
• The reorganization of the company’s U.S. and Canadian sales forces in order to provide greater service and attention to specialty retailers;
• Columbia’s Sustainability and Community Relations programs, ongoing investments in environmentally sustainable business practices, philanthropic giving, and employee volunteer programs that focus on outdoor education, environmental conservation, and community involvement.
Continuing its long-standing support of outdoor preservation efforts, Columbia is partnering with the Conservation Alliance to host a special fundraising event from 4:30 to 6:00pm on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009. All proceeds from the sale of Columbia’s new Switchback™ trail-running shoe during the event will be donated to the Conservation Alliance in recognition of its 20th anniversary and to celebrate the recent public lands victories it helped achieve through the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2009. This Act added over two million acres of wilderness in nine states to the National Wilderness Preservation System and expanded the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. A similar fundraising event held at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in February, 2009 resulted in a donation of more than $7,500 from the sale of Sorel footwear. With the help and generosity of those who attend, Columbia hopes to exceed that donation amount at this event.
About Columbia Sportswear
Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia Sportswear Company is a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel and footwear. As one of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world and a leading seller of skiwear in the United States, the company has developed an international reputation for quality, performance, functionality and value. The company manages a portfolio of outdoor brands including Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Hardwear, Sorel, Montrail and Pacific Trail.
About Outdoor Retailer Summer Market
Outdoor Retailer (OR), produced by Nielsen Business Media of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is a full service trade show company that creates, markets and produces high-quality expos and educational conferences. OR is the leading outdoor industry business-to-business event management company, bringing together manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation. Now celebrating more than 25 years of successful events, Outdoor Retailer gathers approximately 40,000 attendees on a semi-annual basis for its Winter and Summer Market shows.
The next opportunity to preview the future of the outdoor industry will start at the Open Air Demo Pineview Reservoir (near Odgen, Utah) on July 20, 2009, followed by the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace Convention Center from July 21-24, 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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