Tecnica

Italian shoe manufacturer. It was founded in 1960 and at first it produced only work shoes, in keeping with the production already established by Oreste Zanatta. His sons, Giancarlo and Ambrosiano, shifted production in the early 1970s toward the sports sector. And it was in 1970 that Tecnica presented its first Moon Boot: it became a synonym for after-ski and sold over 300 million pairs around the world. Today, the company produces ski boots, after-ski footwear, trekking boots, outdoor shoes, in-line skates, apparel and accessories. Through a series of purchases, mergers, and marketing agreements, the group also operates the labels Think Pink (sports apparel, acquired in 1992), Lowa (German company, market leader in trekking footwear, purchased in 1993), Dolomite (acquired in 1998), Marker (ski fasteners, snowboards) and Volk (skiing).
&Quad;2002, March. Giancarlo Zanatta, president and managing director of the Gruppo Tecnica (the Tecnica, Dolomite, Nitro, Lowa, Think Pink and Marker labels, as well as distributor of the products of Volkl and Elan), was appointed chairman of Assosport, national association of manufacturers of sporting goods.
&Quad;2002, April. Agreement signed for the acquisition of the last 15 percent of the shares of Marker International, a German ski-fastener manufacturer, of which it had owned 85 percent since 1999 through the holding company CT Holding. From turnover of 59 million Euros in 1999, Marker International rose to 64 million in 2001. The Gruppo Tecnica ended 2002 with a turnover of 294 million Euros, a 4 percent increase over the year before, which had already enjoyed an increase of 16.7 percent.
&Quad;2003, January. Agreement signed between Benetton and Tecnica for the purchase of the Nordica label. The Montebelluna-based company won out over the competition of several sector leaders, including Atomic and Head. Benetton received a 10 percent share of Tecnica’s capital.
&Quad;2003, April. Tecnica purchases Rollerblade as well.