Heelys, Inc. (NASDAQ: HLYS), the youth sports lifestyle company, and its
European company, Heeling Sports EMEA, announce an agreement with its
distributor, Trotwood Import/Export to take over the distribution of
Heelys in France, Monaco and Andorra. Heeling Sports France, a branch of
Heeling Sports EMEA, will manage these countries. The branch office
based in Annecy, France opened on May 1, 2008, and will be located at 14
Avenue du Pre de Challes, F-74940 Annecy-le-Vieux France.
Trotwood Import/Export has served as Heelys distributor in these
countries since 2003 and will provide consulting services to Heeling
Sports EMEA, and Heeling Sports France for one year. Heelys’
new branch office will be staffed initially by customer service and
marketing roles in addition to a sales organization.
“Trotwood Import/Export has been a strategic
partner and played a significant role in establishing the Heelys’
brand in France, Monaco and Andorra over the past five plus years. As a
result, we have a strong foundation in which our new branch office can
continue building the brand and the European business,”
said Ralph Parks, CEO of Heelys. “We look
forward to continuing to work with Margarete and David Stanley, owners
and operators of the Trotwood Import/Export, during the transition and
over the next year to help us build on their success.”
Mr. Serge Darcy will serve as the Country Manager for Heeling Sports
France. He joined the company on March 10, 2008 and brings more than 25
years of extensive sales and sales management, marketing and general
management experience. He has worked for brands such as New Balance, The
National Basketball Association, Salomon and Compex SA, in the sports
and sports footwear markets.
“We are very pleased to have Serge, who has
such strong market- and brand-related experience, join us to lead the
continued business building objective for Heelys in the critical France,
Monaco and Andorra markets. Serge comes with extensive experience and is
very well-known and respected in the retail trade in these markets,”
stated John O’Neil, Vice President
International for Heelys.
The Heeling Sports EMEA warehouse operated by DSV in Ghent Belgium will
service the retail trade for Heeling Sports France. The EMEA warehouse
was established in 2007 to support the growth of the brand in the EMEA
region and to provide continued support to the Heeling Sports
distributor partners.
Heelys recently announced the opening of its European office, Heeling
Sports EMEA (SPRL) based in Brussels, Belgium. Serving as Heelys’
European headquarters, Heeling Sports EMEA extends Heelys’
brand and business development throughout Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, the CIS/Russian Federation and the Balkan Region. Heelys serves
more than 6,000 stores in the USA and more than 70 international markets.
About Heelys, Inc.
(NASDAQ: HLYS) Heelys, Inc. designs, markets and
distributes innovative, action sports-inspired products under the HEELYS®
brand targeted to the youth market. The company’s
primary product, HEELYS-wheeled footwear, is the patented dual-purpose
footwear that incorporates a stealth, removable wheel in the heel.
HEELYS-wheeled footwear allows the user to seamlessly transition from
walking or running to skating by shifting weight to the heel. Users can
transform HEELYS-wheeled footwear into street footwear by removing the
wheel. HEELYS-wheeled footwear provides users with a unique combination
of fun and style that differentiates it from other footwear and wheeled
sports products.
