Black Diamond Equipment Partners With Gore for Its Fall 2014 Apparel Line
Black Diamond Equipment Also Set to Debut Its Patent-Pending Cohaesive Garment Technology
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 9, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond, Inc. (Nasdaq:BDE) (the "Company" or "Black Diamond"), a global leading supplier of innovative, high performance, active outdoor and action sports equipment and apparel, has partnered with W. L. Gore & Associates ("Gore"), the inventor of GORE-TEX® high performance fabric technologies, for the Black Diamond® fall 2014 apparel line.
"We are pleased that Black Diamond has selected Gore to be the central component of their new fall 2014 technical outerwear collection," said Tom Boyle, strategic marketing at Gore. "Gore's scientific and rigorous product development aligns perfectly with Black Diamond's. It's exciting to work with a company that continually aims to bring the most advanced technologies and fabrics to market, which provide the ultimate in performance and style."
The Black Diamond apparel collection utilizing Gore's technology is expected to be the cornerstone of the fall 2014 line, with distinct technical outerwear features, including the debut of a new embedded, concealed technology called Cohaesive™. Cohaesive is a patent-pending cord management system from Cohaesive Garment Technology that embeds and bonds 3D hardware components directly into the garment's fabric. With the Cohaesive hardware right on the fabric surface, the athlete gains intuitive ease-of-use, even while wearing gloves in adverse conditions. This technology will be available in all Black Diamond jackets featuring GORE-TEX fabric.
Tim Bantle, director of apparel at Black Diamond Equipment, commented: "Black Diamond's athlete-employees live by the Company ethos: Use. Design. Engineer. Build. Repeat. We are dedicated to relentless innovation and integrity, designing and engineering equipment that pushes limits and challenges conventions for our global community of users. Our partnership with Gore manifests this philosophy and will empower our customers."
The fall 2014 Black Diamond apparel line for men and women includes collection-defining pieces featuring Gore technology. The front point shell, bibs and pants feature three-layer GORE-TEX Pro fabric engineered with added durability to withstand abrasion, while protecting against long-lasting extreme and variable weather. GORE-TEX Active products in the minimalist Sharp End series is the ideal solution for highly aerobic, done-in-a-day alpine activities, even in bad weather.
Black Diamond is also introducing a combination of taped-seam construction in garments featuring both Gore WINDSTOPPER® Active and WINDSTOPPER Soft Shell materials. With their taped seams, the Convergent™ Down Hoody and Shell, which features WINDSTOPPER Active fabric, and the Induction™ Shell and Pants, which features WINDSTOPPER Soft Shell fabric, creates a new standard in breathability and weather resistance.
With its fall 2014 apparel line featuring Gore technologies, Black Diamond addresses the needs of alpinists the same way it has for 25 years with equipment—by designing intuitive, thoughtfully engineered and beautifully executed products that climbers and skiers can trust.
About W. L. Gore & Associates
W. L. Gore & Associates is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company's portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices, to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore posts annual sales of more than $3.2 billion and employs approximately 10,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. "100 Best Companies to Work For" lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. To learn more, please visit www.gore.com.
About Black Diamond, Inc.
Black Diamond, Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of innovative active outdoor performance products for climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, skiing, cycling and other outdoor recreation activities for a wide range of year-round use. The Company's principal brands, Black Diamond®, Gregory™, POC™ and PIEPS™, are iconic in the active outdoor industry and linked intrinsically with the modern history of these sports. Black Diamond is synonymous with performance, innovation, durability and safety that the outdoor and action sport communities rely on and embrace in their active lifestyle. Headquartered in Salt Lake City at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, the Company's products are created and tested on some of the best alpine peaks, slopes, crags, roads and trails in the world. These close connections to the Black Diamond lifestyle enhance the authenticity of the Company's brands, inspire product innovation and strengthen customer loyalty. The Company's products are sold by leading specialty retailers in the U.S. and 50 countries around the world. For additional information, please visit the Company's websites at www.blackdiamond-inc.com, www.blackdiamondequipment.com, www.gregorypacks.com, www.pocsports.com or www.pieps.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Please note that in this press release we may use words such as "appears," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "expects," "intends," "future," and similar expressions which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, the overall level of consumer spending on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; the financial strength of the Company's customers; the Company's ability to implement its growth strategy; the Company's ability to successfully integrate and grow acquisitions; the Company's exposure to product liability or product warranty claims and other loss contingencies; stability of the Company's manufacturing facilities and foreign suppliers; the Company's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products; foreign currency fluctuations; our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards; and legal, regulatory, political and economic risks in international markets. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release, and speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.
CONTACT: Company Contact:
Warren B. Kanders
Executive Chairman
Tel 1-203-428-2000
warren.kanders@bdel.com
or
Peter Metcalf
Chief Executive Officer
Tel 1-801-278-5552
peter.metcalf@bdel.com
Investor Relations:
Liolios Group, Inc.
Cody Slach
Tel 1-949-574-3860
BDE@liolios.com
Media Contact:
John L. DiCuollo
Backbone Media, LLC
Tel 1-970-963-4873
john.dicuollo@backbonemedia.net
Released October 9, 2013