Asics is "feeling a 'runners high' after a year of record-breaking sales for its Americas division," according to Joanna Clay of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Irvine-based Asics America -- which "includes the U.S., Brazil, Canada and Mexico -- for the first time" topped $1B in sales in '14. The sales record represented a 15% "gain from the year before and surpassed its home base in Japan as the top region for the sportswear company." Asics America also recently "moved into a larger, state-of-the-art facility." The HQ, with some 300 employees and "room to grow, is three times the size of its former facility." Asics CEO Kevin Wulff said that three segments "helped drive his division," including a "strong year in the running category, the growing popularity of sportswear and renewed branding efforts." Asics "saw its footwear sector grow" by 12% in '14, a "key leader in the division's record-breaking year." Wulff: "We've really aggressively tried to own running." Clay notes apparel and accessories for the brand "also saw significant gains," with running clothes seeing a 75% gain over '13. Asics America has "renewed its focus on marketing the brand, sponsoring key events in the running world and opening up brick-and-mortar stores." Wulff said that Asics in the next year "plans to renew its focus on the female consumer, who makes up about half the brand's business." Asics also will "announce two new sport categories" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/27).
