Burton Realigns Analog for Snow, Moves Brand to Vermont

Burton Snowboards has been one of the recession’s success stories—experiencing several years of financial growth and even paying out bonuses to its employees over the last two years. While this might have made some companies cocky or complacent, Burton is heeding the message that has resounded loud and clear during this recession: Focus on your core business or, ultimately, pay the price.To that end, it recently announced a company realignment that will see the relocation and downsizing of its Analog brand, currently based in Southern California. Analog will return to its roots of being a pure snowboarding brand and will move back to its original home in Burlington, Vt. Analog has a deep heritage in snowboarding, from the time when Greg Dacyshyn, Burton’s chief creative officer, and the late Jeffy Anderson, team rider, created the brand. Analog will now revert to being a winter-only brand.

Analog was created in 1999 as a more progressive, style-conscious outerwear collection, led by a handful of top pros at the time, including Anderson, Trevor Andrew and Gigi Ruf. Since then, Analog continued to drive many of snowboarding’s outerwear style trends. In 2003, Analog added a streetwear component to its line, followed by surf apparel, a surf team and an Analog skate platform.

Burton will ultimately transition out of Analog surf and skate apparel by next fall, although this apparel will be shipped through spring/summer of 2013 and will be marketed and supported. The new Analog will only design and distribute Analog outerwear and tech apparel, which will be known as ATF, along with basics.

The Analog snow team—made up of Danny Davis, Mikkel Bang and Zak Hale—will continue on as Analog riders. For the Analog surf and skate teams, Burton will work with the team riders individually on an exit strategy to transition them out of the brand.Other aspects of the company-wide realignment include Burton’s Gravis brand ultimately moving its headquarters to Tokyo and being solely distributed in Asian markets that sell lifestyle shoes and bags; the development of protective headwear under the Anon brand name; and transitioning out of the company’s program brands (Foursquare, Forum and Special Blend).

Burton will continue to offer its RED helmets on a limited basis, but the bulk of helmet and optics product lines will be combined under the Anon brand.Conversely, one California brand has been saved. Burton’s Channel Islands brand, acquired in 2006, will not be affected and will continue to design, develop and manufacture best-in-class surf hardgoods products out of Carpinteria, Calif. Burton senior management are content with their relationship to Channel Islands. Burton acquired this brand in 2006, when it was called Channel Islands Surfboards, after founder and CEO Jake Burton forged an agreement with owner Al Merrick over their similar mindset and passion for their respective sports. They shared a vision of putting the sport of surfing in the hands of the team athletes and for the product development.

One of the key factors that led Burton senior management to these realignment decisions, according to a press release issued by the company, is the success of Burton’s entry on a year-round basis into the apparel and bag/pack business, which has grown significantly in all seasons. The message Burton received from the marketplace is that for long-term success, this is the direction the company should be pursuing, along with its core hardgoods and outerwear business.

Burton has already made reinvesting in the company a priority, making significant investments recently in its headquarters and infrastructure, including acquiring the building next door to its Vermont headquarters, where the company built Craig’s, a 10,000-square-foot R&D and prototype facility, and Area 13, a 6,000-square-foot Burton/Anon/Analog wholesale showroom. Craig’s (named after the late Craig Kelly, a professional snowboarder who was known as the godfather of freeriding) is known as the most advanced and sophisticated snowboard-prototype facility in the world, according to the press release. Ideas are conceived, built and on snow in less than 24 hours.

Area 13 is Burton’s marquee showroom, where retailers form all over the world can come to Vermont to see future product lines.Burton Snowboards is privately held and owned by Burton and his wife, company President Donna Carpenter. Burton founded the company in 1977 out of his Vermont barn. In addition to its headquarters in Vermont, Burton has offices in Austria, Japan, Australia and California. ●