Sole Tech Sells To The Nidecker Group

[Watson]

This is being discussed in a couple separate SoleTech related threads, figured it could probably use it's own thread.

https://shop-eat-surf.com/2024/05/sole-tech-owner-to-sell-etnies-es-emerica-and-thirtytwo-to-nidecker-group/

The gist of it: Pierre Senizergues, sole owner of Etnies, eS, Emerica, and 32 has sold the brands to a family owned group that owns a bunch of snowboard brands. SoleTech will cease to exist and the Nidecker Group will take over the brands. Pierre will remain as CEO of the four brands.

[work_lurker]

Is this the same group that bought Active Rideshop after their like 3rd bankruptcy?

[jakeumms]

Is this the same group that bought Active Rideshop after their like 3rd bankruptcy?

Doesn't seem like it. That was a Venture Capital group that buys zombie brands if I recall correctly. These people just sound like they're snow sport magnates. Could've been a lot worse...

*Active's President from their successful years formed a group to buy it from V Cap Tengram Group, who had forced it into liquidation.

[Sketch Hitchcock]

Here’s the press release linked on the Nidecker site:

https://assets.website-files.com/664f068469574c484d01738d/6650ba300ec8badcd93fec12_Nidecker-Group_PressRelease05.24.24.pdf

Some fantastic images in there

[layzieyez]

RIP Soletech

[fs1/2cab]

What exactly does that mean for the riders and existing shoes from each brand? Will shoes like the éS Swift, the Emerica Spanky Hi or the Etnies Joslin remain the same in the future?

[Jebediah]

Here’s the press release linked on the Nidecker site:

https://assets.website-files.com/664f068469574c484d01738d/6650ba300ec8badcd93fec12_Nidecker-Group_PressRelease05.24.24.pdf

Some fantastic images in there

damn I wanna get the homies together for some synchronized flat land

[Ninj2]

I thought this shit died like five times already? How come shit never really dies? Cool stuff dies but shit  lives for fucking ever.  God hates us.

[work_lurker]

What exactly does that mean for the riders and existing shoes from each brand? Will shoes like the éS Swift, the Emerica Spanky Hi or the Etnies Joslin remain the same in the future?

My company recently switched ownership, old owner retired and sold it to 2 new guys. They kept telling us at the beginning of the year that "NOTHING WAS GOING TO CHANGE", it was just going to be different names owning it. Well, this month they completely slashed my commission arrangement I had been in the past 3 years, saying it wasn't sustainable, and they paid me literally 25% of what my commission check was supposed to be.

It's different, I get it, but it probably won't be that different here. Only a matter of time until contracts either don't get renewed, or get hella slashed at renewal.

Good luck Sole Tech riders, hope you have your resumes up to date.

[douchenozzle]

Maybe Tom Asta will finally get a sponsor that fits

[TheLurper]

This kind of feels like an older relative who has been sick for a long time and finally passes. It is sad to those them, but also a relief that their suffering is finally over.

Also, Henry has a pretty intense rocket flip.

[Free hat]

Maybe Tom Asta will finally get a sponsor that fits

Asta on NB makes sense to me but I could also see him going the HG800 or whatever they’re called route and ensuring he gets the biggest bag while he can.

[Allen.]

I thought this shit died like five times already? How come shit never really dies? Cool stuff dies but shit  lives for fucking ever.  God hates us.

Nobody Ever Really Dies

[The real veganshawn]

Bummer

[BRINK]

What will they do now that they can't milk the "skater owned and operated" lie and the pathetic excuse that "large sportswear brands with lots of money are the reason we are dying" excuse for the executive team's unfathomably awful management of the corporation for 20 more years ...

Shoutout to everyone leaving, because as you may have noticed, most people who do end up having their careers elevated and treated with more respect by companies that treat skateboarding with more respect.

[augustmoon]

So what the helm was Don Brown doing over there? 

[GAY]

Sole Tech has nowhere to go but up so…

[ToySanta]

This kind of feels like an older relative who has been sick for a long time and finally passes. It is sad to those them, but also a relief that their suffering is finally over.

Damn, but yeah! SoleTech’s is the slowest death. Yeesh.

I thought this shit died like five times already? How come shit never really dies? Cool stuff dies but shit  lives for fucking ever.  God hates us.

We don’t want to be the ones that kill things, is all. Every revived company.. or like DiCaprio in The Revenant when he floats the body down the river. He wouldn’t be the last laid hands, but it’s still a death sentence.

[Troubadour26]

Templeton 2’s will be the last pair of Sole Tech shoes I buy.

[greerpark]

Honestly, not that bad of an outcome.

1. Family owned company (even ridiculously wealthy) have more leeway for higher operating standards because they aren't beholden to "money line go up" anyone-owns-it public co's and it's their "family legacy" so they don't want shitty behavior attached to their name.

2. Not Private Equity that just squeezes the juice to eke out a 30% return in 2 years.

3. They run YES snowboards which is actually a decently respected snowboard brand. Think Burton / Gravis except hoping they don't go the way of Gravis lol

4. The brothers can actually do a kickflip

[fakie nollie]

I legit hope they turn it into something better than what we have now. The brand of éS is so tarnished and their harping on their glory years is wack as fuck. I don’t know who ultimately made those decisions but for fucks sake please make it something original

Oh maybe the same for emerica if they have the time

And etnies can suck a frank

[Luddite]

Is there any shoe brands fully owned by skaters now? I realize these guys can kinda kickflip…

Is lakai still owned by whatever corporation owns huf?

Pontus only kinda owns Last Resort as it was already another guys fashion footwear brand before he got involved?

[Madam, I'm Adam]

It’s cool that they skate, but that doesn’t really mean much. This kind of deal rarely works out for the better in the long run. Whatever though, prove me wrong.

On a related note, I guess dwindle and blind/almost/etc are dead already. Kind of a shame that blind has disappeared the way it has, with all the history behind it.

[Sila]

Is there any shoe brands fully owned by skaters now? I realize these guys can kinda kickflip…

Is lakai still owned by whatever corporation owns huf?

Pontus only kinda owns Last Resort as it was already another guys fashion footwear brand before he got involved?

Opus

Fishing Lines (?)

State have looked done since covid

That Japanese brand Possessed..don't know if the owners skate

There's also that brand made up of ex ipath crew that's supposed to happen this year maybe

[moonordie]

"skater owned" doesn't mean shit to me. Usually skaters are terrible at being responsible financially so brands are most likely to crap out.
Also a lot of skaters have this God complex just for being good at skateboarding which makes them obnoxious assholes.
I'd rather somebody who knows whatever brown to be a decent, straight up person with decent work ethics rather than a skater that only cares about skating and nothing else. Don't get me wrong, I love skateboarding to death but if I would skate for a brand is rather the person owning it can actually take care of it.
Maybe a good example is Crail, probably if it would have been only Rick and Carroll brand wouldn't last long.

[TheLurper]

Skater owned used to be really important to me.

Sadly, a lot of the skater owned companies acted like we owed them rather than we were all part of the community.

While some companies do hold up their end of the bargain, a lot refuse to do shit for the scene. I think Ocean did a good job explaining how they were supposed to act:
https://www.skateboarding.com/news/skateboarding-though-corporate-america-we-are-inefficient-and-proud

[roba]

Rick and Howard

[Ty Evans Lightman]

Expand Quote

Rick and Howard

[close]

Nice slapism

[RichardBarkley]

Expand Quote

Rick and Howard

[close]

[Shtonk]

Honestly, not that bad of an outcome.

1. Family owned company (even ridiculously wealthy) have more leeway for higher operating standards because they aren't beholden to "money line go up" anyone-owns-it public co's and it's their "family legacy" so they don't want shitty behavior attached to their name.

2. Not Private Equity that just squeezes the juice to eke out a 30% return in 2 years.

3. They run YES snowboards which is actually a decently respected snowboard brand. Think Burton / Gravis except hoping they don't go the way of Gravis lol

4. The brothers can actually do a kickflip

Seeing as they are from snowsports, their legacy is actually not the best. Nidecker as a snowboard brand vanished 20 years ago. They have one of the bigger factories iirc but their brand work was a failure. YES is going the same route, although the founders are legends and the current team is stacked. But the whole identity, the style, it's just not good. They should be the Girl of snowboarding but they're more like Flip.