[leadin]Utah-based Vista Outdoor Inc. continues on a conquest as one of the world’s largest outdoor gear companies, today announcing the agreement to purchase Bell, Giro, C-Preme, and Blackburn brands from BRG Sports Inc.[/leadin]
The acquisition adds helmets for cycling, snow sports, and power-sports (as well as goggles, footwear, and cycling accessories) to Vista’s product portfolio.
It’s part of the company’s “objective of becoming a world-leading outdoor sports and recreation products company,” said Vista Outdoor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark DeYoung.
Indeed, the $400 million deal nets Vista a couple of the cycling and snowsports industries’ premium brands. More than 600 employees come with the transaction. (See the full press release here.)
This is Vista’s third acquisition since becoming an independent public company a year ago. We interviewed DeYoung last month about Vista’s acquisition of CamelBak and Jimmy Styks. (See “CamelBak To Ammo: Update On A Gear Giant.”)
From backpacks and bow-hunting brands, to Bushnell and ski goggle maker Bollé, Vista now owns more than 40 brands and has 6,000+ employees.
Other Vista brands include hunting and shooting-sports companies like Federal Premium, Savage Arms, Primos, and BLACKHAWK. (See a full list of brands here.)
The addition of Bell, Giro, C-Preme, and Blackburn gives the company a solid stake in snowsports but even more notably in the cycling industry. With an aggressive acquisition path and massive scale, it will be interesting to see what waves Vista makes as it enters this new realm of the outdoors-recreation world.
