Vital Apparel Acquires InSport

Women's activewear vendor Vital Apparel has purchased InSport International Inc., which specializes in performance running, training and triathlon apparel. Terms of the transaction between the two privately held companies were not disclosed. InSport generated sales between $10 million and $12 million in 2005. Combined, Vital will now reach about $50 million in sales.

According to Vital president Kerry Kligerman, the acquisition unites "two complementary brands and businesses. While InSport focuses on the high-end running market, Vital produces branded and private label athletic wear for full line sports stores."

He adds, "We acquired InSport because we thought it was a great authentic brand. They're a true performance brand and have a great following in the specialty running market. We hope to be able to boost their positioning by providing some resources to the mix?both financial and other?to round off the offering and grow the brand with a much larger product assortment."

The deal enables InSport to tap into Vital Apparel's extensive network of overseas suppliers and factories.

"We are very excited about the core competencies Vital brings to the table, especially in customer service and sourcing," says Eric Merk, whose family has owned InSport since 1995. "We are excited about the great synergies between the two companies because of the talented people and great product and operations currently in place."

Kligerman anticipates that Vital will benefit from InSport's expertise in performance fabrics.

"There's tons and tons of technologies in all their garments," says Kligerman. "There's a customer that demands that in a product, and they deliver it."

InSport, which was founded in 1978 and has 22 employees, will continue to operate from Beaverton, OR. Huntington Station, NY-based Vital Apparel Group, owned by Kligerman and Chris Rosen, encompasses the Vital Apparel clothing brand; Vital Accessories, which includes the ProMarx business purchased in 2004; and the newly established Vital Performance unit, which will include InSport. Vital has about 85 employees.

?THOMAS J. RYAN