著名背包品牌Gregory日前被KSS户外控股有限公司收购 - 国际

　　KSS高管之一Schiller在谈到这次收购目的时说：KSS收购Gregory的主要使命就是帮助Gregory建立一个健康有序的发展平台，以进一步拓展国内外市场，并在坚持Gregory核心理念的前提下，KSS将继续发掘、收购或控股一些其他一线的利基品牌，以实现其在户外行业的细分市场上大展宏图的战略目标。

　　Kanders和Schiller两人都是投资高手，在过去的12年中，Kanders和Schiller这对老搭档已经进行了50例类似的收购案，其中包括在2007年以近45亿美元的天价卖掉了全球著名的美国装甲控股集团公司（纽约证券交易所代码：AH），即Gregory当时的母公司。而近日又从Gregory的所有者Bianchi公司（Bianchi从2007年中期开始正式掌管Gregory公司）手中将Gregory购进。

　　Gregory收购案的的另一主人公John Simons从2006年起担任Gregory公司的董事长，之前的6年，在美国著名食品公司Swift任董事长间首席执行官。Gregory收购案完成后，Simons仍继续担任Gregory公司董事长一职。

　　此次收购恰逢在Gregory品牌30周年庆典之际。在过去的30年，Gregory背包一直以先进的科技引领全球户外潮流，并获奖无数。今年3月份，Gregory公司将总部从加州特曼库拉市迁到了首府萨克拉曼多市，而其品牌创立者Wayne Gregory仍然负责产品的研发工作。

　　原文：KSS outdoor Holdings, LLC, Acquires Gregory Mountain Products

　　SACRAMENTO, Calif., -- On March 26, 2008, KSS Outdoor Holdings, LLC (KSS) -- comprised of veteran investors Warren Kanders, Robert Schiller and John Simons -- purchased Gregory Mountain Products, the market leader in backpack technology for more than 30 years. Terms were not disclosed.

　　KSS Outdoor Holdings plans to grow Gregory organically and to establish the company as a platform for growth within the outdoor recreation industry, according to Schiller. KSS plans to identify, acquire and integrate top-tier niche brands within the industry which are consistent with the three investors' overall strategic vision and with Gregory's core values, he said. The group expects to pursue both buy-and-hold acquisitions and brands that integrate cohesively with Gregory.

　　Longtime partners Kanders and Schiller have successfully used this approach in other business ventures. Together, through 12 years and 50 acquisitions, the two men built Armor Holdings (formerly AH: NYSE), a global supplier of law enforcement and military safety equipment. They sold the company in 2007 for approximately $4.5 billion.

　　Simons has served as Gregory's president for the past two years. Previously, Simons served for six years as the president and CEO of Swift and Company -- one of the country's most well-known food-industry corporations -- where he oversaw the company's $10 billion operations. Simons will continue in his role as president of Gregory.

　　KSS Outdoor Holdings has opted to pursue a growth strategy within the outdoor industry because the Gregory purchase offered the opportunity to acquire a clean, authentic brand, and because it finds the outdoor business compelling from a long-term investment perspective. KSS believes it can capitalize on a long-term global trend of people pursuing healthier, more active lifestyles.

　　The acquisition comes at the height of Gregory's 30-year history. The brand has recently introduced several award-winning backpack series, earning awards and acclaim from Backpacker magazine, National Geographic Adventure, and Popular Science. Popular Science named one of Gregory's backpack suspension systems a 'Best of 2006' award-winner for technological innovation in the recreation category.