There are numerous top sports equipment companies all over the world. And over the year, the sporting equipment business has seen massive growth. So naturally, there is an enormous demand for sporting equipment.
Many companies around the world produce and sell sports gear. Moreover, with the boarding scope of various sporting activities, equipment is constantly needed to meet the demand.
There are many big sporting equipment companies whose products are considered top-class. Pro athletes and sports clubs even use their top-class products.
Today we bring you the list of the top sports equipment companies in the world. Moreover, this list has some of the biggest companies like Nike and Adidas to sport-specified companies.
So, let’s look at the list of the top equipment companies worldwide without further delay.
13 Top Sports Equipment Companies Globally
We have prepared this list to reference with the various trusted sources around the internet like Ranker.com. So, let us take a quick peek at the take before diving into the full details of the list.
| Company | Country |
| 13. Brine | USA |
| 12. Bauer Hockey | USA |
| 11. Black Diamond | USA |
| 10. Babolat | France |
| 9. Avery Dennison | USA |
| 8. Athleta | USA |
| 7. ASICS | Japan |
| 6. Aqua Lung / La Spirotechnique | France |
| 5. Apeks | England |
| 4. AND1 | USA |
| 3. Amer Sports | Finland |
| 2. Adidas | Germany |
| 1. Nike | USA |
13. Brine
Brine is the first company on our list of the best sports equipment manufacturers. The W.H. Brine Company was founded by W.H. Bine in 1922.
The business is based in Milford, Massachusetts, in the United States. The business was initially privately owned by the Brine family. But on August 4, 2006, New Balance bought this business.
When the business first began, it made uniforms and small sports equipment. Then, they quickly expanded to produce soccer and lacrosse equipment. Brine was also the first to use synthetic leather to cover the soccer ball.
At the moment, Brine produces equipment for lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, and volleyball. In a similar vein, the business also produces clothing and shoes.
Bauer Hockey 12.
In Kitchener, Ontario, the Bauer family founded The Bauer Hockey company.
Additionally, Bauer produces clothing, fitness, recreational, and ice hockey gear. Initially marketed and traded as “Bauer Supreme,” the company’s top line.
Bauer then began making the perforated TUUK chassis in 1994. The apparatus attaches the steel blade to the skate’s actual boot.
At the moment, Bauer manufactures items like hockey jocks, compression underwear, shin guards, skates, shoulder pads, elbow pads, and sticks. Additionally, its equipment, including the ice hockey skates, is permitted for use in the ringette sport.
Canstar, the parent company of Bauer, was fully acquired by Nike in 1994. The company’s merchandise was consequently renamed Nike Buer in 2006.
Black Diamond 11.
A publicly traded American company, The Black Diamond. The business was established on December 1st, 1989, and is owned by Clarus Corporation.
His pistons gained notoriety for their excellence right away, and the Chouinard Equipment Company was established.
After that, a former employee group bought the Chouinard business, and Black Diamond was established. Black Diamond Equipment Europe was also founded in Switzerland in 1996.
The company’s products were then made available all over the world. The business produces and designs equipment for mountain sports like climbing and skiing.
Babolat 10.
Next on our list is a French sports equipment manufacturer. The company, which makes equipment for tennis, badminton, and padel, is among the oldest in the sports industry.
In 1875, Pierre Babolat established the company as a family enterprise. The business started out and prospered because of the gut racquet strings. It eventually rose to become a leading manufacturer of racquet sports equipment.
Tennis as a sport had expanded internationally in the 1950s. Knowing this, Paul Babolat created an international retail network for his goods that quickly became popular.
Similar to this, Babolat’s recognition grew over time, and the business kept its attention on strings up until 1994. Following that, the business changed its name to a tennis company and began producing racquet frames.
Additionally, the business is a leader in connected sports technology. In a similar vein, the business introduced a PIQ-powered connected tennis wearable in 2015.
Avery Dennison 9.
Avery Dennison is a multinational, publicly traded manufacturer of sporting goods that was established in 1990. It is a Fortune 500 company with American headquarters.
The business was originally established in 1935 as Kum Kleen Products. The company’s joint partners were Mr. and Mrs. Ray Staton Avery. Avery Adhesive was the new name of the business later in 1937.
The company’s name changed a few times over the ensuing years before finally becoming Avery Dennison in 1990. Avery Dennison, however, is the owner of the full name, brand, and history.
The business produces and distributes clothing, branding labels, and pressure-sensitive gluey materials. In a similar vein, it also makes specialized medical products and RFID inlays.
information management products, retail branding, information solutions, and pressure-sensitive material.
The athlete 8.
Women’s activewear company Athleta was established in 1998. This well-known brand creates comfortable clothing for women that empowers them.
Activewear manufacturers have only recently begun to cater to women. In addition, the women felt restricted by the painful cuts and masculine styles.
Scott Kerslake was a former investment banker, surfer, and cyclist. He used to ride bikes with women and noticed the discomfort they experienced. Then Kerslake had the idea to start a clothing company that catered to women.
He made the decision to create activewear for women so they could exercise and engage in sports in comfort and style. He established the Atheta brand, which specializes in women’s activewear, as a result.
The company also emphasizes empowering women and designing feminine activewear that is comfortable. The slogan of the company is “The Power of She.”
Athleta was bought by Gap for $150 million in 2008. The brand’s history of women’s empowerment was then furthered in 2016 with the launch of the “Power of She” campaign.
7. ASICS
The Japanese multinational corporation ASICS is the next. The business was initially established in 1949 as Onitsuka Tiger.
The company was founded by Kihachiro Onitsuka with the intention of producing basketball shoes in his hometown of Kobe. Later, the company’s sportswear evolved into a range of Olympic designs.
To create ASCIS Corporation, Onitsuka Tiger merged with GTO and JELENK in 1977. The vintage line of ASICS shoes is still manufactured and distributed globally under the Onitsuka Tiger brand name, despite the name change.
Although ASICS is best known for its footwear, it also produces and sells other items like hoodies, compression clothing, and accessories like bags and backpacks.
6. La Spirotechnique / Aqua Lung
Our list of the top six suppliers of sporting goods includes a French company. A company called Aqua Lung, formerly known as La Spirotechnique, manufactures diving equipment such as scuba and self-contained breathing apparatuses.
A ship-of-the-line lieutenant named Jacques-Yves Cousteau and an engineer named Émile Gagnan founded the business in 1942.
Air Liquide was commissioned by Cousteau and Gagnan in 1943 to produce two scuba set prototypes at its Boulogne-Billancourt facility. In the same year, they shot the underwater movie Épaves (Shipwrecks) using those prototypes.
The first contemporary diving regulators were the two collections of prototypes. Later that year, the first current diving regulator was patented by both of the founders.
La Spirotechnique was established by Air Liquide in 1946 to design and manufacture diving regulators and other equipment on a large scale. In the same year, La Spirotechnique introduced the CG45, the first modern regulator to be commercially successful.
Similar to that, the business introduced the Mistral, a single-stage regulator, in 1955. This regulator cost less to make and was simpler to breathe through than the CG45. Additionally, the Mistral’s launch contributed to the globalization of scuba diving.
Up until 2016, the business was a division of Air Liquide. The company was later sold by Air Liquide to Montagu Private Equity in 2016.
5. Apeks
Another well-known manufacturer of scuba diving gear is Apeks Marine Equipment Ltd. Located in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, the business.
In 1974, Ken Ainscough and Eric Partington, whose names are anagrams of the word “apeks,” founded the business.
In the north of England, the founders launched their business out of a small garage. Despite operating out of a garage, their equipment quickly became well-known.
Apeks gear is used in some of the most unpredictable diving environments. In addition, the company’s products are among the best and have excellent reliability.
Apeks gear is used by many tech-savvy and professional drivers. Additionally, the products are not only dependable and cozy but also environmentally friendly. Both the manufacturing processes and the raw materials used are environmentally conscious.
In 1997, Aqua Lung purchased the business.
4. AND1
The business was established in 1993 by Seth Berger, Jay Coen Gilbert, and Tom Austin as a joint graduate school project. The phrase that the basketball hosts used inspired them to name their business.
Selling trash talk T-shirts and basketball-themed slogans was the company’s first business venture. But the T-shirts were so well-known that within a year of their release, they were available in 1,500 stores across America.
In the middle of 1996, NBA star Stephon Marbury was named the organization’s first spokesperson. Following that, AND1 released its first set of basketball shoes. The business drafted more NBA players for their product promotion after signing Marbury.
The company’s marketing strategy was effective. By the 2001 NBA season, the business had overtaken Nike as the market leader among NBA endorsers. It also rose to the position of No. 2 among basketball brands in the USA.
Over the past year, AND1 has been sold a few times. The company was purchased and sold by American Sporting Goods, Brown Shoes Company, and Galaxy Brands.
After that, it later became a member of the publicly traded Sequential Brands Group, which manages brands.
Amer Sports 3.
The Amer Sports is ranked third on our. It was established in 1950 and sells sporting goods in Finland.
The business was founded as a multi-industry organization to diversify publishing, ship ownership, and tobacco trading. The business established a sports division in 1986 after acquiring the majority of the golf supply business.
Then, in 1974, the Amer purchased the manufacturer of hockey equipment and began to enter the markets for sporting goods. Similar to that, Wison Sporting Goods Company, a major manufacturer of golf clubs, racquets, and other sporting goods, joined the business three years later.
The business gradually grew into a global manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods. However, the business continued to deal in tobacco until 2004.
Amer acquired the Austrian ski manufacturer Atomic, the Finnish sports equipment manufacturer Sunnto, and the American baseball and softball company Demarini over the years. Similar to that, the business acquired Salomon, an outdoor sports company, from Adidas.
Arc’teryx, Peak, Precor, Armada, ENVE Composites, Louisville Slugger, DeMarini, and Sports Tracker are all part of the business. An affiliate of Anta Sports is Amer Sports.
Adidas 2.
Adidas, a multinational company based in Germany, is on our number two. The business, which was established in 1924, creates and produces footwear, apparel, and accessories.
Adolf “Adi” Dassler established the business. He began making sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room after the First World War. Rudolf Dassler joined him in the “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory” later in 1924.
The Dassler contributed to the creation of precise running shoes for numerous sports. To raise the standard, heavy metal spikes were exchanged for canvas and rubber.
As a result, the boots gained enormous popularity after being worn by American sprinter Jesse Owens during the 1936 Summer Olympics. As a result of Owens’ four gold medal victories, Dassler shoes gained prominence.
Due to the unfortunate separation of the brothers, Adolf established the business and formally registered it as Adidas AG from Adi Dassler. The Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit, created in 1967, was the first item of clothing produced by the company.
Adidas also produces and creates apparel for other sports, including baseball, basketball, cricket, golf, etc. Adidas, however, has always prioritized football uniforms.
It is a significant business that provides uniforms for clubs and teams playing football internationally. Additionally, it is Europe’s biggest sportswear producer.
1. Nike
The top sports equipment manufacturer is Nike, Inc. In 1964, Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc. was established as a multinational American corporation.
This business was founded in 1964 by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman. In 1971, the company’s name was changed to Nike.
The business began by acting as a distributor for the Japanese shoe manufacturer Onitsuka Tiger. Sadly, this partnership with the brand came to an end in 1971. However, Nike had a 50% share of the American athletic shoe market by 1980.
One of the largest companies is Nike, which designs, develops, produces, and markets and sells footwear, clothing, accessories, supplies, and other goods and services on a global scale. Additionally, the “Just Do It” brand and the Swoosh logo are present.
The business sponsors numerous well-known athletes and international sports organizations. Nike also offers accessories like Jordan Brand and Converse. Additionally, it sells its goods under its own name.
The business is the world’s biggest supplier of athletic clothing and footwear. Sports equipment is also directly produced by it.
Conclusion
Sports equipment is becoming increasingly necessary as sporting activities broaden in scope. Globally, these equipment companies provide them.
Additionally, some of these businesses have a history. These businesses create and produce high-quality goods all over the world.
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