The European Outdoor Group Adds Burton And Nitro As First Boardsport Members
Founded in 2003, by 19 of the largest outdoor companies, The European Outdoor Group have just added Burton and Nitro to their list of members, marking a real progression in what is perceived as ‘outdoor’ by the general consumer.
Burton Snowboards has joined the European Outdoor Group
Press Release: The European Outdoor Group (EOG) has confirmed that two snowboard companies have joined the association, as the first members that are wholly from the boardsports sector. Burton and Nitro have had their applications approved by the EOG’s membership committee and are now full members. In addition, Salomon is adding its snowboard business to its existing membership. The development highlights the clear alignment and synergy between parts of the boardsports sector and the traditional outdoor industry, which is already reflected in the EOG’s full list of members. The EOG now has 102 full members and 10 associate members, including brands, technology brands, retailers and national associations from throughout Europe.
Burton, Salomon and Nitro are, respectively, the three biggest snowboard businesses in the world, producing apparel and hardware that is typically sold alongside outdoor brands in retail. The two companies applied to join the EOG in order to cooperate with like-minded organisations and contribute to the association’s work in areas such as market research, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
Mark Held, EOG general secretary, comments: “The EOG is delighted to welcome Burton and Nitro as members. There is already much overlap between traditional outdoor and parts of boardsports – in reality, consumers make no clear separation. And of course, we have plenty of other members that operate in the snowboard space. This expansion to our membership is a clear reflection of the evolving definition of ‘outdoor’, which is being driven by consumer behaviour. It’s also very good news for our growing portfolio of projects, which will really benefit from additional input and insight from Burton, Nitro and the other companies that have joined the association recently.”
Franck Waterlot, vice president of sales and marketing at Burton Snowboards, comments: “Since the beginning, snowboarding has contributed to the growth of outdoor sports participation, especially when it comes to the younger generation and always in its own, alternative way. Lately, the boundaries between outdoor sports have started to disappear and it’s high time to join forces, to learn from each other and to together develop our community with the same collective passion. At Burton, we are both proud and excited to be part of the European Outdoor Group and we are very much looking forward to actively contributing to its activities.”
Andi Aurhammer, marketing manager at Nitro Snowboards, comments: “We, Nitro Snowboards, are very proud to be joining the European Outdoor Group to help strengthen the common interests of the European outdoor industry. We are excited to be a part of a group that represents the outdoor sector as a collective unit and strives to promote and improve the outdoor sector so more people in the future can participate and benefit from the outdoor sports that we all love. We understand that we must stand together as a collective to make the outdoor space better for future generations!”
The European Outdoor Group works with members and stakeholders to collaborate on a range of projects of shared interest, such as market research, responsibility and sustainability, public affairs, the promotion of outdoor (through the #itsgreatoutthere campaign), and trade events. Outdoor businesses with an interest in joining the EOG should get in touch via email on [email protected], or call +44 (0) 1539 727255.
