COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 316219

Other Footwear Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

42companies1825–1999founding years40still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedC&J Clark International Ltd.FoundedC&J Clark International Ltd.
1825
FoundedBrown Shoe Company, Inc.
1881
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedRed Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
1905
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
FoundedBrooks Sports Inc.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedThe Stride Rite Corporation
1919
FoundedEram SA
1927
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedThe Timberland Company
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedPuma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport
1948
FoundedASICS CorporationFoundedMaxwell Shoe Company, Inc.Foundedadidas-Salomon AG
1949
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedK-Swiss, Inc.
1966
FoundedNIKE, Inc.
1968
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedOakley, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedNine West Group, Inc.
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedThe Hockey Company
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedDC Shoes, Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1881
Brown Shoe Company, Inc., is a retailer, wholesaler, and licenser of men's, women's, and children's footwear.
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1881
Brown Shoe Company, Inc., is a retailer, wholesaler, and licenser of men's, women's, and children's footwear.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1905
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1905
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
Brooks Sports Inc. →
Active · founded 1914
Brooks Sports Inc.
Brooks Sports Inc. →
Active · founded 1914
Brooks Sports Inc.
The Stride Rite Corporation →
Active · founded 1919
Founded in 1919 as Green Shoe Manufacturing Company, the Stride Rite Corporation has become a major designer and…
The Stride Rite Corporation →
Active · founded 1919
Founded in 1919 as Green Shoe Manufacturing Company, the Stride Rite Corporation has become a major designer and…
Hummel International A/S →
Active · founded 1923 · Denmark
1950s:Hummel moves to Viby, Denmark.
Hummel International A/S →
Active · founded 1923 · Denmark
1950s:Hummel moves to Viby, Denmark.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
The Timberland Company →
Active · founded 1933
Early 1980s:An Italian craze for Timberland boots turns Timberland into a fashion brand and ignites an explosion in…
The Timberland Company →
Active · founded 1933
Early 1980s:An Italian craze for Timberland boots turns Timberland into a fashion brand and ignites an explosion in…
Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport →
Active · founded 1948 · Germany
Puma AG is among the world's leading manufacturers of athletic shoes, sportswear, and accessories.
Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport →
Active · founded 1948 · Germany
Puma AG is among the world's leading manufacturers of athletic shoes, sportswear, and accessories.
ASICS Corporation →
Active · founded 1949 · Japan
ASICS Corporation is one of Japan's top makers of sport shoes and other equipment.
ASICS Corporation →
Active · founded 1949 · Japan
ASICS Corporation is one of Japan's top makers of sport shoes and other equipment.
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc.
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc.
adidas-Salomon AG →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
German-based adidas-Salomon AG is the second largest manufacturer of sporting goods in the world.
adidas-Salomon AG →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
German-based adidas-Salomon AG is the second largest manufacturer of sporting goods in the world.
Ecco Sko A/S →
Active · founded 1963 · Denmark
Ecco Sko A/S is one of the world's top ten shoemakers and a worldwide leader in the "comfort" shoe segment.
Ecco Sko A/S →
Active · founded 1963 · Denmark
Ecco Sko A/S is one of the world's top ten shoemakers and a worldwide leader in the "comfort" shoe segment.
K-Swiss, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Founded in 1966, K-Swiss, Inc.
K-Swiss, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Founded in 1966, K-Swiss, Inc.
NIKE, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Founded as an importer of Japanese shoes, NIKE, Inc.
NIKE, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Founded as an importer of Japanese shoes, NIKE, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Nine West Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Nine West Group, Inc.
Nine West Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Nine West Group, Inc.
The Hockey Company →
Active · founded 1991 · Canada
The Hockey Company is the world's largest manufacturer of hockey equipment, producing and distributing hockey products…
The Hockey Company →
Active · founded 1991 · Canada
The Hockey Company is the world's largest manufacturer of hockey equipment, producing and distributing hockey products…
DC Shoes, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Australian surfwear manufacturer Billabong International Ltd.
DC Shoes, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Australian surfwear manufacturer Billabong International Ltd.
SSL International plc →
Defunct · founded 1999 · United Kingdom
SSL International plc is one of the United Kingdom's major healthcare companies.
SSL International plc →
Defunct · founded 1999 · United Kingdom
SSL International plc is one of the United Kingdom's major healthcare companies.
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