Gul (watersports)

Established in 1967 by Dennis Cross, Gul produces watersports apparel. Products include wetsuits, jackets, bodyboards, buoyancy aids, and life jackets.

Gul Watersports
TypeLimited company
IndustryWholesale
Founded1967 (1967)
Headquarters
Saint Columb, Cornwall
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Dennis Cross (Founder)
Nick Fox (Managing Director)
Jack Knowles (Sales Manager)
Grant Goodhew (Senior Technical Designer)
ProductsSurfing, sailing and kayaking equipment & apparel
Number of employees
50+
ParentFrasers Group[1]
Websitegul.com

History

Gul was founded by Dennis Cross after realising there was a need for a solution to the cold Atlantic waters. After making a makeshift wetsuit, Cross decided to produce the suits on a larger and more professional scale. This resulted in the establishment of the company in 1967.

Gul is credited with pioneering the first one-piece wetsuit in 1974/75.[2] It was first nicknamed "the steamer" because of the steam given off from the suit once taken off allowing heat held inside to escape. Further expansion was given to the company when windsurfing was introduced in the mid-1970s, as wetsuits are ideal for the sport. Gul started to diversify in the 1980s when it introduced its first watch, and later moved into other watersports including sailing, kayaking, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, and more.

In 2015 the Gul brand was acquired by Sports Direct subsidiaries Gul IP Limited and Brand Holdings Limited.

Headquarters

In 1996 Gul moved to a new 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) factory in Bodmin costing around £2 million. In 2011 Gul moved to a nearby location of a smaller size.

References
  1. "Mike Ashley's choice for Findel board tainted by role in USC collapse". Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. "Gul History". History. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
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