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History
The company’s heritage dates back to 1906 when the company, then owned by William Riley and known as the New Balance Arch Company, manufactured orthopedic shoes and arch supports. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, an increasing number of runners turned to New Balance for custom-made shoes, thanks to the company’s unique expertise in handcrafting specialized footwear. In 1956, Paul Kidd bought the business and increased the shoe-making sector. The demand for New Balance athletic shoes grew, and soon the production of custom-made running shoes was the company’s primary source of business.
On Boston Marathon Day in 1972, New Balance was purchased by its current owner, James S. Davis. At that time, the company consisted of six people making thirty pairs of Trackster running shoes each day. The Trackster was the first athletic shoe made in a wide range of sizes and widths.
Since then, New Balance has established a unique reputation for technological innovation and width sizing, reigning today as the industry’s “fit expert” and the premiere manufacturer of performance-oriented athletic footwear and apparel for men, women, and children. The company’s objective is straightforward: equip the serious athlete with innovative footwear and apparel that provides the best performance, fit, quality, and comfort.
Today, New Balance produces more than 35 million pairs of footwear a year globally in a range of product categories including running, cross-training, walking, basketball, tennis, adventure, and kids. Work and hiking boots, sandals, boat shoes, and rugged casual styles are available through the company’s Dunham outdoor performance brand, which joined the New Balance family in fall 1998. In spring 2003, active casual footwear for men and women was introduced under the PF Flyers brand. The company introduced Aravon in spring 2004, a new comfort performance footwear brand, and acquired Warrior Lacrosse, the premier manufacturer of lacrosse equipment, to further pursue the team sports market. |
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