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Where Football Focus fits like a Glove… and more besides
Never judge by appearances. We all do and we also have a tendency to judge things by what we believe them to be, rather than constantly keeping an eye out for their evolution. Such, perhaps, is the way that Uhlsport could be perceived. For some time there had been questions and comment on the UK distribution, then there is that very general view that they simply have to be on the top of the football “glove buying” list, When SGB UK went to take an exclusive look inside the company that is loudly making a new “Precision Football” statement, we had to rethink that view quite dramatically
Arriving at the head office in the sleepy town of Balingen,Germany, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were visiting any purpose built modern facility on an industrial park. First misconception. Putting aside the beautiful wooded surroundings and castle in the background, take a walk into what initially seems a very ordinary low grey structure (dare we say, drab) and the world immediately takes on a new perspective.
The minimalist yet state of the art Uhlsport headquarters has been specifically designed to take in everything from creative flow right through to ergonomics and even eco friendly capability. Every workspace has complete thought and purpose behind it, enabling people to work and interact to their greatest potential. The open matrix creates a campus like feel to the environment, at the heart of which is marketing and product development, driving the forward initiatives. The idea is that everyone can communicate and therefore add to creativity by being close and therefore more dynamic in response.
It is this same precise thought that is put into the Uhlsport business and the Uhlsport products. Precision, that has been rapidly turning the company into an influential force in the the global football market. There are 120 people working out of the German centre, but the business is growing dynamically,Uhlsport UK has been recently established (a 75% subsidiary) and there are similar size operations in France, Sweden,Denmark, Portugal and Spain,with exports to a further 50 countries.A new SAP Data management system gives direct access to real time stock and delivery information for all European subsidiaries ,with an adjoining ca. 9000m3 warehouse adding to this efficiency. On average 2000 consignments are shipped per day, increasing to 40,000 daily during peak season. All with absolute – precision, right down to the labelling system.
SGB UK met with Managing Director, Thomas Keppler and Thomas Plath - Head of International Sales who, along with the UK Sales Manager, Colin Hay, took us through some more of the recent changes at this historic football company. Notably, the product and marketing focus. The Uhlsport name is considered by many to lead within the goalkeeping market, but the brand’s focus is based on their much broader heritage in football. They started by making studs, then leather soles, some 30 years before goalkeeping even came into their product equation.
Having originally crafted sole systems for others and now, today, themselves becoming the number four boot brand in Germany, Uhlsport have an absolute right to talk about and be the brand behind real technical advancement in footwear. Uhlsport’s dynamic new statement, “Think the sole is immortal? We don’t” is certainly more than a catchy line. It promotes their revolutionary new KIKKSOKKE boot which they are launching with noticeably with no outsole. The radical design echoes the minimalist style of the headquarters in some ways, precise and purposeful in its construction to do the best possible job. Dual density materials and an added footbed for comfort are also at the heart of a design that simply enables the boot to be worn like a sock. Turning technology inside out,without compromising on performance.
Backing this brave new boot, is a marketing campaign that is equally dramatic in its creativity, yet equally to the point in terms of getting results. Posters, point of sale and in store merchandising will all put the KIKKSOKKE under the spotlight, but the boot will be joined by its own target audience too, when the “Local Hero” campaign swings into action through retailers. This consumer programme will be driven by the retail partners who will select local players who they feel deserve recognition. They will be given exclusive access to the Uhlsport website to obtain test kit and provide product feedback, ultimately featuring in a media campaign that applauds their performance as well as highlights the product.
Uhlsport are also turning their focus to Futsal, which has some three million players registered already in the UK alone. With a specially designed shoe in production they are also ready to strike in this rapidly growing 5-aside arena.
“The launch of many brand new product developments with the flagship project KIKKSOKKE will make a considerable impact to the profile of the brand and the accompanying marketing campaign will give additional sellthrough- support to our customers.” Plath told SGB UK.
Anyone still questioning the power and precise football expertise that Uhlsport have, should consider that they are now dealing with a Pan European business growing globally year on year. And that they have invested that success significantly and carefully where they can make the most impact. Football. The business in Germany has long been at the top in team sport products, distributing Spalding and Kempa alongside the Uhlsport portfolio.
I confess that I did smile at the enthusiasm for Kempa and handball and, like everything else, quickly changed my view when I actually looked a bit more closely at what is actually one of the worlds' leading teamsports. The German Handball Federation (DHB) alone has more than 840.000 members, 5.000 clubs and 34.000 teams, so that is a lot of potential business and Kempa was created as a specialist brand to make the most of it.
For Uhlsport this is simply another example of their vision and absolute know how. They know their heritage, understand their future and are aware of how to use authentic product expertise to make impact…precisely.
UHLSPORT UK
The company has established a strong national sales and customer service team operating from the new Uhlsport offices in Manchester.
Your line up:
Colin Hay – UK Sales Manager
Gary Bright – London & Home Counties
Paul Simmonds – South West & South Wales
Paul Raven – North East England, Yorkshire & Scotland
Simon Terry – North West, North Wales & Midlands
Head Office: Jan Cox, Krystal Bassett
Tel: +44 (161) 955 4386/4398
