Asics

Asics (アシックス, Ashikkusu)[lower-alpha 1][3] is a Japanese multinational corporation which produces sports equipment designed for a wide range of sports. The name is an acronym for the Latin phrase anima sana in corpore sano,[4] which translates as "Healthy soul in a healthy body". In recent years their running shoes have often been ranked among the top performance footwear in the market.[5][6]

For the integrated circuit (ASIC), see Application-specific integrated circuit.
ASICS Corporation
TypePublic (K.K)
TYO: 7936
IndustrySports equipment, textile
Founded1949 (1949) (as Onitsuka Tiger)
1977 (1977) (renamed to Asics)
FounderKihachiro Onitsuka
Headquarters
Kobe
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Kiyomi Wada
(Chairman)
ProductsSneakers, clothing
Revenue ¥386.66 billion (2018)[1]
¥10.51 billion (2018)[1]
–¥20.07 billion (2018)[1]
Number of employees
8,823 (2018)[2]
Subsidiaries
Websiteasics.com
Novak Djokovic endorsed Asics footwear from the start of the 2018 season. Asics celebrated it with new tennis shoe Asics Gel-Resolution Novak

Products manufactured and marketed by Asics include footwear (sneakers, sandals), clothing (t-shirts, jackets, hoodies, compression garment, pants, shorts, socks), and accessories (bags, backpacks, caps).

History
ASICS in Vaughan Mills
Inside of the ASICS store on Newbury Street, in the Back Bay section of Boston

ASICS Ltd. began as Onitsuka Co., Ltd on September 1, 1949.[7] Its founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, began manufacturing basketball shoes in his home town of Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Soon after the range of sports activities widened to a variety of Olympic styles used throughout the '50s, '60s and '70s by athletes worldwide.[8] Onitsuka became particularly renowned for the Mexico 66[9] design, in which the distinctive crossed stripes, now synonymous with the company brand, were featured for the first time. Martial arts star Bruce Lee was the first known celebrity to popularize this design. In 1977, Onitsuka Tiger merged with GTO and JELENK to form ASICS Corporation. Despite the name change, a vintage range of ASICS shoes are still produced and sold internationally under the Onitsuka Tiger label.

In its 2006 fiscal year, ASICS generated 171 billion yen in net sales and 13 billion yen in net income. Sixty-six percent of the company's income came from the sale of sports shoes, 24% from sportswear, and 10% from sports equipment. Forty-nine percent of the company's sales were in Japan, 28% in North America, and 19% in Europe.[10][11]

On July 12, 2010, ASICS bought the Swedish outdoor brand Haglöfs, for SEK1,000,000,000 ($128.7 million).[12]

On October 4, 2011, it was announced that ASICS would be the new official kit manufacturer for the Australian Cricket Team, replacing German manufacturer Adidas.[13]

Relationship with Nike

Nike, Inc., originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, was founded to sell Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the US. When Phil Knight visited Japan in 1963 shortly after he graduated from Stanford University, he was impressed by Onitsuka Tiger shoes with their high quality but reasonable prices. He immediately visited the Onitsuka Tiger office and asked to be their sales agent in the USA.[14] After a number of years, their relationship crumbled and both companies sued each other, with Nike retaining the naming rights to several shoes.[15]

Sponsorships
Main article: List of Asics sponsorships
  • A pair of Asics wrestling shoes, model Split Second V
  • A pair of Asics running shoes, model GEL-Kinsei
  • A pair of Asics running shoes, model Gel-Pulse 11
  • Asics Gel-Cumulus 22, men's running shoes

See also

Notes
  1. Officially Asics Corporation

References
  1. "ASICS Annual Report 2018". ASICS. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  2. "ASICS Company Profile". Craft. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  3. "ASICS Corporate". corp.asics.com.
  4. "About ASICS". ASICS America. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  5. "Runner's World Crowns Asics Gel-Nimbus 9 "The World's Best Shoe!"". Runnersworld.com. 2007-11-02. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  6. Remy, Mark (2008-11-14). "The Prez-Elect Wears Asics". Dailyviews.runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-16. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  7. "Asics History". Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  8. "THE HISTORY OF ASICS". Master Shoe.
  9. Mexico 66, Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, Onitsuka Mexico 66 | Tiger Central Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Asics". Petro Sports.
  11. "An Essay On Asics". Course Hero.
  12. Katsumura, Mariko (2010-07-12). "Japan's ASICS buys Sweden's Haglofs for $128.7 mln". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
  13. Emmett, James (2011-11-04). "ASICS partner with Cricket Australia – Sports Sponsorship news – Cricket Oceania". SportsPro Media. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  14. Phil., Knight (2016). Shoe dog : a memoir by the creator of Nike. Scribner Book Company. ISBN 9781501135910. OCLC 967823709.
  15. Phil Knight (2016). Shoe Dog: a memoir by the creator of Nike. Scribner Book Company. ISBN 9781501135910. OCLC 967823709.
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