ECCO

Infobox_Company
company_name = ECCO Sko A/S
company_
company_type = Aktieselskab
company_slogan =
foundation = 1963
founder = Karl Toosbuy
location = flagicon|Denmark Bredebro, Denmark
key_people = Dieter Kasprzak (CEO)
Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak (Chairman)
num_employees = 12,670
products = Shoes
revenue = 4,470 billion DKK (2006) [cite web | url=http://www.ecco.com/downloads/ECCO_annual_report_2006_UK.pdf |title=ECCO Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2008-02-18 |format=PDF |] | homepage = [http://www.ecco.com/ ecco.com]

ECCO Sko A/S is a Danish shoe manufacturer. The company was founded in 1963 in Bredebro, and now operates more than 3,000 shops worldwide, selling an extensive range of men's and women's shoes, and manufactures 12 million pairs of shoes each year. The company is owned by Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak, daughter of founder Karl Toosbuy who died in 2004.

Production

It owns tanneries in the Netherlands, Portugal, Indonesia, and Thailand, and has engaged in a research program to reduce the environmental impact of the tanning process. ECCO's shoes are produced in factories, either under its own ownership or under license, in a number of countries including Slovakia, Japan, Cyprus, Thailand, Indonesia, Portugal and most recently, China and India [cite web| url=http://www.ecco.com/int/en/aboutus/organisation/businessunits.jsp |title=ECCO Organisation; Business Units |accessdate=2008-02-18 |format=HTML |] . It projects a brand image of a combination of comfort and style, generally operating at prices that are a little above average for the mass market while remaining within reach for wide range of consumers. Many of ECCO's dressier shoes now use fiberglass shanks instead of the more popular metal shank, making them airport friendly, however, with new shoe removal procedures at airports worldwide, this value is not as significant as it once was. ECCO began making golf shoes in 1999 and unveiled a running shoe in 2004.

International

The company has expanded its operations into markets in Asia and in Eastern and Central Europe. ECCO has also expanded to Canada and the United States, through other independent retailers and online sales, although there are limited number of mono-brand stores operated by the company.

References

External links

* [http://www.ecco.com/ Corporate website]
* [http://www.custom-golf-clubs.com/eccoGolfShoes.htm ECCO Golf Shoe Review]