Jump to content

Skis Rossignol

From Alfawiki
Rossignol
IndustrySporting goods
Founded1907
FounderAbel Rossignol
Headquarters
Isère
,
France
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Bruno Cercley (former CEO)
ProductsAlpine skis, snowboard gear, Nordic skiing gear, outerwear, accessories
OwnerAltor Equity Partners and Boix-Vives family (since 2013)
Websitewww.rossignol.com

Skis Rossignol S.A., commonly known as Rossignol, is a French company specializing in the production of alpine, snowboard, and Nordic skiing gear, along with associated outerwear and accessories. Its headquarters are located in Isère, France. Rossignol was a pioneer in manufacturing plastic skis and owns the brands Dynastar and LOOK. In 2005, the company was purchased by the boardsport equipment firm Quiksilver for $560 million but was later sold in 2008 for $147 million to former CEO Bruno Cercley. In 2013, Macquarie divested Rossignol and its subsidiaries Lange and Dynastar to a consortium consisting of Altor Equity Partners and the Boix-Vives family.

History

Established in 1907 by Abel Rossignol, the business initially produced wooden items for the textile industry before transitioning to ski manufacturing. In 1937, Émile Allais secured three world championship titles using Rossignol Olympic 41 skis. The company's global expansion accelerated after Laurent Boix-Vives took ownership in 1956. A significant milestone occurred during the 1960 Winter Olympics when Jean Vuarnet won the downhill event on the first-ever all-metal skis, the Allais 60s.

Rossignol launched its inaugural fiberglass ski model, the Strato, in 1964. By the 1970s, it had established a distribution network in the United States and began producing Nordic skis, eventually becoming the largest ski manufacturer worldwide. At the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary, athletes equipped with Rossignol gear captured six of ten alpine gold medals.

In 1990, Rossignol expanded by acquiring Italy’s Caber boot factory and rebranding its products under the Rossignol name; it also owned Lange ski boots at that time. The company further grew into bindings by purchasing Geze and Look brands and entered markets for snowboards and mountain apparel. Rossignol’s equipment played a role in triumphs at both the 1992 Albertville and 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics.

Quiksilver’s acquisition of Rossignol in 2006 was reversed by 2008 due to financial challenges stemming from debt related to the purchase, which contributed to Quiksilver’s eventual bankruptcy.

A notable athlete associated with Rossignol is Italian skier Alberto Tomba, who excelled in technical skiing disciplines throughout the late 1980s and 1990s.

The brand name Rossignol translates to nightingale in French.

Team riders and skiers

Freestyle

Alpine

Snowboard

Biathlon


See also

References

  • Chappaz, Gilles (2008) La légende Rossignol - 100 Ans Free Presse

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Skis_Rossignol&oldid=38881"