This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Walsh

Walsh

The number one brand in fell running shoes is branching out – and the growing trail running category is the one to benefit. Jonathan Crompton, Managing Director of Norman Walsh Footwear, explains to SGB about the move…

I

f you’re lucky enough to read the brilliant Feet In The Clouds, Richard Askwith’s account of his own trials in fell running, you might notice that only one brand of fell shoe is ever mentioned – Walsh. The name is synonymous with one of Britain’s more unusual sports, and the company’s

reputation in the fell running arena is absolutely spotless. Now, Walsh are taking the name and reputation and stepping across in a quite natural extension, to take in trail shoes. A growth category in outdoor sports, many running shoe specialists have a trail shoe – but many of the more successful brands don’t come from a traditional running shoe background. The North Face, Salomon, Inov-8 are just a few of the top names in the category – and with Walsh’s reputation firm in a sister sport, they have the heritage and knowledge that could make them a major player in trail shoes.

The Norman Walsh Footwear factory in Bolton and the team that makes the Fell Running range; Jonathan Crompton is front left and Dennis Crompton is front right leaning on the bench.

12

SGB: Just how big is Walsh in terms of production?

Jon Crompton:

Including our casual leisure wear, we sell in the region of 100,000 shoes a year. On the performance side, our fell running

shoes are made in the UK. We make about 6,000 pairs of those a year.

Now we’re entering the trail running market, we’re using a factory in China which we have approved, with our production team in place over there to ensure quality control.

SGB: Tell us a little about the company’s history…

JC: Norman Walsh founded the company in 1961, having previously worked at Reebok, when it was Foster Brothers.

When it started up, Walsh Footwear was predominantly an athletics company, making track spikes, running spikes, javelin shoes and then it progressed into road running shoes, marathon running shoes and more. Norman was very, very well known for making the best rugby boots you could buy. He made very small

numbers in very

SGB OUTDOOR APRIL 2010 Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44
Produced with Yudu - www.yudu.com