Elan Skis, the Slovenian-based legacy supplier of handcrafted skis, announced today the new formation of Elan Sports USA, an independent subsidiary of Elan d.o.o., effective immediately, under the leadership of Gary Fleming as president.
Elan Sports USA, located in Lebanon, N.H., is part of a long-term strategy, the brand said, supported by a
healthy increase in both sales and brand awareness in recent years, aimed at committing ample resources for growth and expansion in North America.
“The formation of Elan Sports USA represents the brand’s unwavering commitment to the U.S. market,” said Fleming. “This step is an investment by Elan to continually provide the highest level of service and customer engagement that retailers have come to expect.”
After its purchase by private investors in the fall of 2015, Elan installed new senior leadership who then turned their focus towards the North American market. This led to the appointment of industry veteran Jeff Mechura in 2016 to oversee global product development and marketing. Working in conjunction with divisional head, Leon Korosec, an extensive global rebranding effort was undertaken and valuable insight was gained into the domestic U.S. ski market.
Korosec added, “With a clean, consistent brand message, well-received product in the marketplace and a dynamic, well established professional rep force, the formation of Elan Sports USA is timely and logical next step in our multi-year global growth plan.”
Elan skis had previously been distributed in the U.S. by Alpina Sports Corporation (ASC), an independent subsidiary of Alpina d.o.o. By acquiring ASC, Elan Sports USA will now be the distributor of Alpina alpine and Nordic products.
Elan is a dedicated ski manufacturer in the Slovenian Alps with more than 70 years of experience building the best skis in the world for friends and families who live the skiing lifestyle and are all about good times in the mountains. Earning praise year after year in test results and design awards, the innovative product manufactured is a reflection of the brand’s heritage and dedication to not just building skis, but building better skis to produce lifetime experiences in the mountains. For more information, visit: https://www.elanskis.com/en/.
–Aaron Bible is SIA’s content manager and a regular contributor covering the ski, outdoor and bike industry for publications including Elevation Outdoors, Men’s Health, Backpacker, Outdoor Insights and many more. Follow his adventures in Colorado and around the world on Instagram @ahbible.