The company uses the feedback to determine how and how much teenagers use their packs. Although advertising remains a key part of JanSport's marketing mix, the firm has tried less traditional approaches as well. About three years ago, the company began identifying trend-setting teens around the country and giving them free packs. The theory: With "cool" teens using JanSport packs, others will want to own one too. They aren't the only ones. In the past several years, the backpack market has become increasingly crowded, especially in the day pack category, as retailers like L.
Bean and Eddie Bauer have introduced packs of their own. Johnson Worldwide launched a new line of day packs under its Eureka brand this year. Still, JanSport remains the top backpack maker in the country, with a Eastpak, Ward Hill, Mass. Bean, Freeport, Maine, is third with 4 percent. Day packs account for about 60 to 70 percent of all backpacks sold, and generate the overwhelming majority of JanSport's business.
But the company also competes in the market for the technical packs used for backpacking and mountain climbing. In fact, JanSport co-founder Murray Peltz didn't have laptops and CD players in mind when he won an award for his design of a flexible frame backpack in Peltz used the prize money to start the business with his cousin Skip Yowell and girlfriend Jan Lewis in his father's Seattle transmission shop. He asked Lewis to marry him, and promised he would name the company after her if she did.
She said yes, and JanSport was born. The company has been through several changes in ownership since. This also includes our JanSport Collegiate Licensed Apparel business, which will be winding down business in the coming months.
In addition to the decoration operations and JanSport, impacted positions also support some of the other brands and businesses across the company. JanSport, founded in in Seattle, has been a fixture in the Fox Cities since it was purchased and moved here in The facility devoted to screen printing and embroidery on T-shirt and sweatshirts remained here, however.
Harley-Davidson T-shirts were the other half of the business at that time. That's just in decoration,". At the time of a expansion, the company was eligible for job creation tax credits authorized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. However, after maintaining a base of jobs and creating 40 new jobs through Jan. As a result, JanSport sales began to grow at a steady clip. In the company controlled about 5.
The sale of daypacks then surged with the start of the s, so that by the company controlled 27 percent of the market and had a virtual lock on the college bookstore channel.
At JanSport, we strive to help you carry the stuff you need, where you need it, in the most functional, fashionable way possible.
A psychology major, Delorey had no ambitions for a business career, although he had worked in a bookstore at Eastern Michigan University. Vanderhyden eventually convinced Delorey to come to work for Downers, and he accepted, taking charge of assembling the company's first college sales force.
He successfully carried out what Spalding had begun, although the company suffered a misstep in when it had to discontinue an apparel line that got off to a poor start. But a year later the company launched JanSport Apparel, offering pants, jeans, sweatshirts, jackets, and other products in keeping with a rugged outdoor image. Aside from daypacks, JanSport also was enjoying strong growth in the backpack and briefcase divisions, leading to expansions in the company's production and distribution capabilities.
In December the company moved its international headquarters from Everett, Wisconsin, to a new ,square-foot facility near Appleton, twice as large as the former Downers plant. For years JanSport successfully sold daypacks into the mass merchants, full-line, and specialty channels, but by the mids the company had to revisit its distribution policy, which had been tilted too much in favor of selling to mass merchants. It also faced increased competition from Wolverine and The North Face, both of which made strong bids in the daypack category.
To protect the value of its brand, JanSport in launched a replacement brand for the mass merchandise market, Wolf Creek, and began to restrict which retailers would be able to carry the JanSport lines. The company also entered the rugged footwear business in , but the timing proved poor. The market for such products was soft, and JanSport decided that despite having a quality product to sell it was better served by making a quick exit from the business and not devoting resources to an area that required a long-term commitment.
In it introduced waterproof rubber-bottom packs. A year later it brought out a technical equipment line, offering specialty packs suited for laptop computers and CD players, as well as bags designed for biking, hiking, skating, and skateboarding.
In JanSport invented the innovative Airlift and Loadlift backpacks. The company also began to offer transparent packs in response to the shootings at Columbine High School and violence on other school campuses. Innovation continued into the new century. In JanSport introduced a collection of business casual luggage, as well as the Lifestyle line of shoulder bags and crossover packs. A year later the company brought out its first technical product designed with women in mind.
Also in it added an Active travel line of bags. Aside from internal growth, JanSport grew by way of acquisitions. The company was formed in the s as Eastern Canvas Products, maker of duffel bags and backpacks for the U. In it entered the daypack market under the Eastpak label, selling into the college market. At the end of Delorey, who was just 50, chose to retire, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and to pursue volunteer work after countless long hours working for JanSport.
He was replaced as president by Michael P. Cisler, a year veteran of the company who had spearheaded the Eastpak acquisition and was well familiar with virtually the entire operation, having held positions in operations, information systems, marketing, finance, and strategic planning.
During his two-year tenure as president, Cisler oversaw the launch of a line of outerwear and accessories, to be designed by a recent VF acquisition, The North Face. VF brought the supply chain expertise and other resources. JanSport also looked to bring back some of its original products, tents and sleeping bags, and possibly make another attempt at footwear. In the fall of JanSport decided to move its equipment division to The North Face facilities in San Francisco, leaving the customer apparel business—the licensed clothing business created by Downers for the college bookstore and sporting goods stores—to remain in Appleton.
Zuhl, Joanne, "Greenville, Wis.
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