"Today, three companies sit above the rest and dominate ski-retail. Following that acquisition, Jarden continued expanding the collective, adding Backcountry Access and Dalbello, which led to the K2-MDV name (Marker, Dalbello, Völkl). In 2017, the private-equity firm Kohlberg & Company bought the entire winter-sports group from Jarden and rebranded it in 2022 to Elevate Outdoor Collective, which it remains today."
"The downside comes from the private-equity model itself. These firms face intense pressure to maximize profit, which can hinder long-term product development at the cost of revenue. Niche, low-volume products are more likely to be cut in favor of mass-appeal items. Bulk-purchased materials may lower manufacturing costs but not necessarily retail prices. And within each company, "nonessential" but valuable staff may be removed to cut costs-as seen with the elimination of the U.S. Völkl management team."
Three corporate groups now control the majority of ski-retail brands through acquisitions and private-equity ownership. Brands under those groups generally continue independent research, development, and manufacturing, keeping product lines and production locations distinct (for example, Madshus in Biri, Norway; Völkl in Straubing, Germany; Line and K2 in China). Private-equity ownership applies intense pressure to maximize profit, encouraging cuts to niche, low-volume products, reductions in specialized staff, and cost-saving measures like bulk material purchases. Those measures can lower production costs without lowering retail prices and can constrain long-term product innovation and diversity.
Read at SnowBrains
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