July 28, 2005
21ST Century Lifestyle Brand J.Lindeberg Launches Future of Sports Golf Shoes with PUMA®

The J.Lindeberg Future Sports Golf Shoe signals a revolutionary new design approach in golf shoes. The design ethos of the Future Sports Golf Shoe follows that of the J.Lindeberg Golf apparel, combining high performance functionality with modern, contemporary design. Key design elements include a squared toe, sculptured heel, the “JL bridge logo” branding on the kiltie, PUMA’s signature formstripe, and of course, bright, bold colors. The shoe also offers an exclusive breathable waterproof barrier to keep the feet dry and comfortable in any condition.

Jesper Parnevik, the undisputed style icon of modern golf and the pioneer of the J.Lindeberg Future Sports Golf collection admits, “For years, there has not been much in the way of modern developments in golf shoes. Now, finally there is a shoe that is truly modern and stylish.” American Hank Kuehne, who possesses the longest drive on the PGA said, “I love the fact that the shoe is extremely comfortable and is definitely high performance while looking great.” Cool new golfer James Heath volunteers, “The look of the J.Lindeberg Future Sports Golf Shoe is a perfect complement for the J.Lindeberg clothing, that is perfect for the modern movement in golf right now.”

The shoe will be available to consumers in a limited edition release this holiday season, followed by a larger distribution of two colorways (white/black and white/fluorescent orange) in February 2006. Parnevik, Kuehne and Heath will introduce exciting new promotional colors throughout the remainder of the year.

Creative Director Johan Lindeberg says, “Golf has been so much a part of my life, and my business, that creating a new golf shoe was a natural extension of what I have already done in golfwear. The design process took 18 months, but I really wanted to find the perfect balance between a dimensional and modern design and full performance features. I am proud to have these three great ambassadors – Parvenik, Kuehne and Heath – thoroughly endorse the shoe.“

About J.Lindeberg
Established in 1996 by Johan Lindeberg in New York and Stockholm – J.Lindeberg includes J.Lindeberg Concept, Progressive Tailoring, j.lindeberg.denim and Future Sports. With 10 flagship stores and distribution in over 25 countries, Johan’s vision to create THE 21st Century lifestyle brand for the modern consumer is fast becoming a reality.

Photo Credits: Robert Ashcroft/ PUMA
August 19, 2005
PUMA Signs on as Sponsor of the “Weltklasse Zurich” Athletics Competition

The Weltklasse Zurich meeting belongs to the six meetings of the IAAF Golden League and is known for its unique atmosphere and well-informed audience. The IAAF-Meeting-Evaluation has voted Weltklasse Zurich as the best track in the world 12 times since 1988. Last year, the meeting was televised in more than 150 countries.

“We are very excited about the partnership with the best track meeting in the world,” said Pascal Rolling, PUMA’s International Running Marketing Manager. “We will not only strengthen our brand’s positioning with this sponsorship, we will enlarge it.”

“We welcome PUMA as a new sponsor to our meeting”, says meeting director Hansjörg Wirz. “We are delighted to collaborate with a company that will bring new ideas and promote the meeting to a broader audience.”

Over the years several PUMA athletes have made their mark in Zurich like Americans Renaldo Nehemiah and Evelyn Ashford along side Jamaican Merlene Ottey – with 17 participations in the meeting and overall eight victories, she is one of the darlings of the public. To date there have been 23 world records state in Zurich.

Herzogenaurach, Germany, November 4, 2005
Consolidated financial results for the 3rd Quarter and First Nine Months of 2005

PUMA AG announces its consolidated financial results for the 3rd Quarter and First Nine Months of 2005

Highlights Q3:

  • Another record quarter in sales and earnings
  • Branded sales rise more than 18% and consolidated sales more than 16%
  • Gross profit margin above 52%
  • Strong EBIT margin remains above 24%
  • Net earnings increases by almost 12% and EPS reaches 5.70 € versus 5.14 €

Highlights First Nine Months:

  • Global brand sales strongly up by over 16%
  • Growth in consolidated sales accelerates to almost 14%
  • Gross profit margin remains around 53%
  • EBIT margin at 24%
  • >EPS jumps from 13.42 € to 15.02 €

Outlook 2005:

  • Future orders up by more than 10% marking the 39th consecutive quarter of order increase
  • Management now expects double-digit sales growth and confirms the 5th consecutive year of record earnings for 2005
November 10, 2005
PUMA Launches Italian Away Kit

For his second Italian National Team kit design, Barrett’s signature styling of clean lines, slim tailoring and layered garments come to the forefront. A deep v-neck revealing the new FIGC badge on an azzuri blue underlay creates a statement look for the team. The distinctive styling of the white v-neck creates a sophisticated, yet understated feel. This deep v-neck technique also hints at the team’s new 2006 home kit to be released on March 1st.

“Launched under the tag ‘Italians Look Better,’ the kit embodies the charisma of the team,” said Filip Trulsson, PUMA Teamsport Business Unit Manager. “Italians are known for their inherent style and we think it’s a necessity to maintain this essence of fashion when creating the football kit for the team. Through Barrett’s vision and our internal design talent, we are continually able to deliver a performance kit with unique visual interest and appeal.”

Over the past two years, Neil Barrett has worked closely with PUMA’s design team merging the brand’s technical sport integrity with his fashion sensibility. All of the garments, from the playing kit to the team apparel, utilize proven functional materials and cut lines to provide optimum performance. The shirt introduces a new groundbreaking woven rip-stop fabric, specially developed for PUMA in close co-operation with Toray Textiles and Manchester Metropolitan University.The woven fabric is extremely lightweight, carries outstanding wicking properties and has limited stretch to prevent shirt pulling.

In addition to the playing kit and selected team wear, a new FIFA-approved ball will be launched for the Italian National team – the v1.06. Introducing a new-patented panel concept based on a verified geometrical approach, this construction secures the roundest, most technically advanced ball on the market. Continuing with PUMA’s patented dimple technology, the new v1.06 ball delivers more speed, more distance and improved trajectory.

About Neil Barrett
Of British descent, Neil Barrett’s professional history is thoroughly Italian, including five years as Senior Menswear Designer at Gucci, four years as Design Director of Prada Menswear and launching his own brand name collection in 1999 produced by among others, the Prada Group and Allegri. For further information, please visit www.neilbarrett.com

November 11, 2005
PUMA and Italy Extend Co-Operation
The Italian National Football Team signs new long-term agreement beyond 2014 World Cup Finals

“The announcement of the long-term strategic partnership with the Italian Football Association underlines PUMA’s reinforced commitment to further strengthen its position as one of the leading football brands,” said Jochen Zeitz, CEO and Chairman of PUMA AG, and continued: “The Italian National Team, more than any other national team property in world football, perfectly embodies PUMA’s unique sportlifestyle positioning and we are delighted about the extension of this already successful collaboration.”

This announcement coincides with the introduction of the new 2006 Italy National Team away kit designed by PUMA in collaboration with Neil Barrett. The away kit will make its debut in a friendly against Holland in Amsterdam on November 12th and will also be worn by Gli Azzurri in a friendly game against fellow PUMA team Ivory Coast on November 16th in Geneva.

Italy, whose honors include three FIFA World Cup titles (1934, 1938 & 1982), a UEFA European Championship title (1968) and one Olympic Gold medal (1936), has qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany securing first place ahead of Group 5 qualification contenders Norway, Scotland, Slovenia, Belarus and Moldova.

November 13, 2005
PUMA Signs Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian Football Association Agrees To Long Term Agreement With PUMA

“The co-operation with the Saudi Arabian Football Association clearly underlines PUMA’s commitment to the middle east region,” said Oliver Wirth, Managing Director of PUMA’s newly founded subsidiary PUMA Middle East, and continued: “Having qualified for the last four football world championships is a record that speaks for itself. Clearly, it is a great statement for PUMA to be associated with the region’s most successful national team.”

Saudi Arabia will be endorsing PUMA’s new v1.06 statement product concept come 2006.

The Saudi Arabian Football Association was founded in 1959 and has been an affiliated AFC and FIFA member since the year it was founded. The Saudi national team is currently ranked 31st in the FIFA World Ranking and its major honors include three AFC Asian Cup titles (1984, 1988 and 1996) and two Gulf Cup winners’ medals (1994 and 2002). Saudi Arabia became the first AFC affiliated national team to win international honors when they won the FIFA U17 World Cup in 1989.

The Saudi Arabia national team has qualified for four successive football world championships. The team coached by former Argentine international Gabriel Calderon secured its ticket for Germany 2006, having won all six games against Stage 2 qualification contenders Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka before getting the upper hand on Stage 3 qualification opposition South Korea, Uzbekistan and Kuwait, maintaining their undefeated record with four wins and two draws.

Photo Credits: Robert Ashcroft/ PUMA
November 17, 2005
PUMA To Kit Out 11 Teams At The World Cup

With the play-offs now completed, the following PUMA contracted National Teams are confirmed for participation in next year’s major sporting event:

  • Czech Republic
  • Ghana
  • Iran
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Paraguay
  • Poland
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Switzerland
  • Togo
  • Tunisia

“This is a tremendous statement for PUMA and once again underlines our commitment to football with the aim of further strengthening PUMA as one of the leading football brands,” said Jochen Zeitz, CEO & Chairman of PUMA, and continued: “We take great pride in being the brand with most national teams at next year’s event and would like to congratulate all eleven Federations for their wonderful achievement as well as those PUMA associated Federations that battled hard throughout the qualification.”

All associated PUMA National Teams will be endorsing the brand’s new v1.06 statement product concept come 2006. The v1.06 statement product concept will be launched at the African Cup of Nations where PUMA again is the dominating brand with six national teams confirmed including: Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo and titleholders Tunisia.

Three of the African teams above, i.e. Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, make their debut at the World Cupä with Tunisia making their fourth appearance. For Saudi Arabia this has been the fourth successive successful qualification campaign with Iran bound to appear for the third time. For Paraguay and Poland, the upcoming finals represent their seventh appearance. Czech Republic and Switzerland will both be making the trip for the eighth time with Italy further enhancing their impressive record of sixteen appearances in total.

December 14, 2005
PUMA Signs Angola
PUMA with 12 Teams Dominant Kit Supplier at the World Cup

“The co-operation with the Angolan Football Federation is final confirmation of PUMA’s unparalleled involvement in African football,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman & CEO of PUMA A.G., and continued: “Needless to say, we are delighted to be the official supplier to all five African national teams for next year’s tournament in Germany, let alone the fact that we are the dominant kit supplier with a total of twelve teams come June next year.”

Angola will be endorsing PUMA’s new v1.06 statement product concept to be introduced in January, coinciding with the start of the 2006 CAF African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Tournament debutants Angola successfully qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup having overcome Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Gabon, Algeria and Rwanda in Group 4 of the CAF qualification group stages. Angola, nicknamed ‘Palancas Negras’ (Black Antelopes), recorded this historic milestone following a 1-0 away win in Rwanda on the last day of qualifying to oust Nigeria at the top of the table, thereby putting an end to 21 years of longing.

Photo Credits: Robert Ashcroft/ PUMA
December 19, 2005
PUMA Takes Over Distribution in Argentina
Joint Venture with UNISOL S.A.

UNISOL not only has valuable know-how of the local market, but also combines broad product and marketing experience with an extensive manufacturing background. Through this joint venture PUMA’s position in Argentina will be further strengthened and maximized. Argentina currently is the largest market for PUMA in Latin America.

Jochen Zeitz, CEO and Chairman of PUMA AG: “As licensee UNISOL have done an outstanding job in the past – not only in building the brand, but also in extending brand visibility. With the new partnership as well as our direct involvement in the management of all aspects of our brand, we will ensure that we jointly capitalize even more on future opportunities and further accelerate desirability throughout the South American market.”

Nisan Devecyan, Managing Partner of UNISOL S.A.: “We would like to thank PUMA for the trustful partnership over the past decades. Now with this joint venture cooperation we will be able to quickly explore the further potential in the Argentine market.”

Photo Credits: Conné/ PUMA
January 19, 2006
PUMA Announces Cooperation with UNITED FOR AFRICA
Herzogenaurach, Germany, January 19th, 2006 – Today PUMA announced a charitable partnership with UNITED FOR AFRICA, at the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Cairo.

“We are pleased to contribute to the mission of UNITED FOR AFRICA and their humanitarian efforts. With our number one position in African football, PUMA has a great opportunity to raise awareness and support the UNITED FOR AFRICA initiatives,” said Jochen Zeitz, PUMA Chairman and CEO.

As the current supplier to the Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia Football Associations, PUMA has a long history and strong affiliation with African Football. The 2006 partnership with UNITED FOR AFRICA is an extension of that commitment.

About UNITED FOR AFRICA

Under the patronage of German Federal President Horst Koehler, over thirty international charity organisations have joined forces through the initiative UNITED FOR AFRICA. The aim of UNITED FOR AFRICA is to act against the conception of Africa as the “lost continent” and to attract the attention of the public not only to the long-term plight and poverty of millions of people on the African continent, but also to their potential and the signs of hope.

This umbrella initiative maintains more than 5000 projects throughout the African continent. The variety of projects includes support for street children, orphanages, AIDS-education programs, and counselling for child soldiers. Helping people to help themselves is the aim of the local work that has been done by mainly African local staff. More details available at www.united-for-africa.org

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