***OFFICIAL*** Bauer purchasing Mission-Itech

[Slapshot 0]

JOFA got absorbed by RBK or as RBK advertised, "The switch is on", but I can't see Mission or Itech being absorbed completely.

Most likely they are going to share technologies and/or consolidate certain product lines. Itech may end up as the official visor line and/or you see the i2 cage on bauer designed cages. It will be interesting to see what happens in the helmet and skate department. It's kinda like when Mercedes merged with Chrysler, you saw a lot of Chrysler cars with Mercedes engines, transmissions or shared technologies. Although that had its problems as well.

I'm sure it will take a few seasons for us to see the repercussions.

[Jordan 13]

So, how does working in the hockey industry as a rep look to all the wanna-bes right now? Yesterday, you had 13 years in with Mission. Today, you have a pat on the back and thanks a lot. This is the reality of the business.

That is the reality in any business. Nothing unique about this particular industry.

[DarkStar50 679]

So, how does working in the hockey industry as a rep look to all the wanna-bes right now? Yesterday, you had 13 years in with Mission. Today, you have a pat on the back and thanks a lot. This is the reality of the business.

That is the reality in any business. Nothing unique about this particular industry.

It is the reality in any business. It is just that after 30 years in the business I can still see how some members here think that the hockey industry is a fun/cool place to work in. I was just letting out a gentle reminder that days like today are the ones where reps are mighty worried. They have no idea what their future might be tomorrow.

It is dog-eat-dog out there.

[Rags81 0]

I PRAY Bauer continues the AGX skate line and the Titanium stick line.

It really couldn't hurt them to keep Mission's customer base.

There are a lot of people who can't wear Bauer skates. And fit perfectly into Mission AGX. With the lower lacing height and snug fit, and great heal lock.

And the Ti sticks are great.

As far as products go, if nothing else, i hope they keep those two things going. They SHOULD keep them. No reason at all to discontinue them.

I hope they don't just send Mission-Itech employees packing. This whole thing can be done correctly or wrong. Own Mission, that's fine, but keep their concepts, their innovations, and most importantly their employees.

[ringer 0]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

[DarkStar50 679]

Kind of like the Red Wings and Hossa!

Capitalism

An economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production. Capitalism encourages private investment and business, compared to a government-controlled economy. Investors in these private companies (i.e. shareholders) also own the firms and are known as capitalists.

[shooter27 116]

Is there an official press release out yet? I'd be quite interested to see how some things are worded.

[CapsFan 5]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

Wouldn't Bauer buying them out be better than Mission going away completely? I'm not sure that that would have happened, but given the state of the industry...

[Rags81 0]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

The thing that makes me hope the AGX continues, is the lower lacing height, the heel lock, and the ankle padding. The stiffeners and lateral support is BELOW the ankle pockets. Making the ankles more comfortable and it doesn't sacrifice the lateral support. Its great. Like a pair of athletic running shoes on ice.

Those things make the skate great.

If they could implement those factors into the NME line... like how Mission has the AG and the XP.

-An NME with lower lacing height, and the stiffeners and support BELOW the ankle pockets.

-And an NME with the standard lacing height.

Both a snug fit, anatomical fit, heel lock, and super-padded soft comfortable ankle pockets.

And keep the new Titanium stick line.

[ringer 0]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

Wouldn't Bauer buying them out be better than Mission going away completely? I'm not sure that that would have happened, but given the state of the industry...

i was under the impression that Mission was on their way up! what with the new line of equipment (NME) and all the NHLers wearing Mission stuff!

maybe this was all to appear as mission had a bigger share of the market to make themselves appear more valuable to a possible buyer?, ie Bauer

[shooter27 116]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

Before we start going and pointing fingers at Bauer as the bad guy here, lets all take a step back. First off, I think we will all admit that none of us know the financial condition of Mission-Itech. Given the state of the industry it is quite possible that the company was in dire straights to begin with and it may have just closed its doors altogether. While M&A deals do generally cause some pain for the people involved in the companies, in many cases the new organization comes out the other side of the integration process a healthier and more robust company. Unless we hear from Bauer that all they really bought was the Mission-Itech name, I would guess that they will be keeping some of the company's products as well as people. Will people lose their jobs from both sides? Absolutely, but at the end of the day it is possible that the number losing jobs is smaller than if Mission-Itech were to have been in financial trouble and just closed up shop.

I know a lot of people here know people in the industry and people at these companies, and I can understand how you would feel bad for the position they may be put in because of this deal. But to say that this is simply a case of Bauer being greedy without having all of the financial and integration plan details of the transaction is shortsighted and, in my opinion, downright wrong.

i was under the impression that Mission was on their way up! what with the new line of equipment (NME) and all the NHLers wearing Mission stuff!

maybe this was all to appear as mission had a bigger share of the market to make themselves appear more valuable to a possible buyer?, ie Bauer

Gaining market share in the pros has nothing to do with the financial health of the company.

[Rags81 0]

especially with the new NME line coming out? i think it'll be hard to keep the NME AND the AGX line, although bauer does have the vapor and supreme...

bauer just gets greedier and greedier

Wouldn't Bauer buying them out be better than Mission going away completely? I'm not sure that that would have happened, but given the state of the industry...

i was under the impression that Mission was on their way up! what with the new line of equipment (NME) and all the NHLers wearing Mission stuff!

maybe this was all to appear as mission had a bigger share of the market to make themselves appear more valuable to a possible buyer?, ie Bauer

I thought the same thing.

And i was excited because their skates and sticks fit me so well.

Again, i just really hope the skates and sticks are continued by Bauer the way Mission was doing it.

[Gummer12 134]

market share in pros (NHL) vs market share in retail aren't the same

[sdcopp 1]

For all the gloom and doom talk (and this certainly sucks for employees affected, don't get me wrong there) This could actually be a very good thing for the consumer.

It would be foolhardy for Bauer to not reign in technology Mission has developed, like the Titanium sticks, even if it is rebranded. You don't acquire a competitor that is really quite different from yourself just to bury them. You acquire like companies to strengthen your own. If this is done right, it really will be a wonderful thing for the industry. IF.

And for all those affected at Mission-Itech and possibly even Bauer, I hope they land on their feet.

[AmoriZep 0]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

[Rags81 0]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

That is EXACTLY what i keep saying.

The profit made from the Mission products would go to Bauer anyway, so why change anything?

Keep the AGX and NME skates and keep the Titanium sticks.

[Gummer12 134]

Why? when you can incorporate their R&D and Proven technology, to make your equipment that much better. Just wait and see what they end up doing before we make hasty judgements.

[shooter27 116]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

The idea behind buying companies in the corporate M&A market is 1+1=3. In other words, by putting the two companies together and cutting redundant costs your profits won't simply be the sum of company A's profits and company B's profits, but something larger. In most cases the way that an acquisition price is agreed upon and the way the acquisition gets capitalized (the combination of debt, equity, and other capital sources used) are highly dependent upon this synergy calculation. Without those synergies the acquisition would not make financial sense and therefore would not happen. While it is possible to keep the separate product lines, to simply buy the company and not change anything would not make any sense from a financial prospective. Let's not forget here, these companies exist to make money and if they can find ways to make more money they will, and should, do it.

[AmoriZep 0]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

That is EXACTLY what i keep saying.

The profit made from the Mission products would go to Bauer anyway, so why change anything?

Keep the AGX and NME skates and keep the Titanium sticks.

EXACTLY....

RBK hasn't touched a thing on CCM....kept the line separate and RBK ventured into the market on their own....

and i've been using Bauer all of my life, and i don't think anything negative resulted in Nike buying Bauer....and because Nike couldn't get by on their venture, Bauer became their logical option...now that Bauer is on their own again, just give them and their new owners the benefit of the doubt here...

although i'm not a fan, Mission has established enough of a following that Bauer shouldn't HAVE to touch anything

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

The idea behind buying companies in the corporate M&A market is 1+1=3. In other words, by putting the two companies together and cutting redundant costs your profits won't simply be the sum of company A's profits and company B's profits, but something larger. While it is possible to keep the separate product lines, to simply buy the company and not change anything would not make any sense from a financial prospective. Let's not forget here, these companies exist to make money and if they can find ways to make more money they will, and should, do it.

granted, but most of the users here (from what i can gather) are worried their gear is going to change....i don't think that's going to be the case...

financial aspects are a different matter....

[Rags81 0]

All i am hoping for is two things:

1) a line of skates that continues the AGX concepts.

lower lacing height

great heel lock

snug fit

no boot slop

anatomical fit

soft, very padded, comfortable ankle pockets

stiffeners and lateral support below the ankle

2) keep the Titanium stick.

[shooter27 116]

granted, but most of the users here (from what i can gather) are worried their gear is going to change....i don't think that's going to be the case...

financial aspects are a different matter....

I understand people are worried about their products, but without these financial consideration those products wouldn't exist in the first place. There is more going on here than simply hoping they keep a specific line of skates or sticks. If the companies aren't healthy financially they won't exist and then you'll be left with even less product in the market.

[adam14 182]

how are these sales going to affect players in the nhl? guys like Nash who use the TPS sticks? they gonna be RM19's by the end of the season?

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

Once again, it is unlikely that TPS will be bought by SW.

[chippa13 1844]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

From my experience, Mission is almost nonexistent on ice in New England. In the last 10 years, pretty much the only Mission sticks I've seen have been in my hands or the hands of the guys I have sold my used sticks to. I can count on one hand the number of Mission skates I've seen, as well. The protective I never see. The only Mission branded product that seems to do well around these parts is the helmet.

I doubt much of the Mission name will survive for ice.

[Chadd 916]

why wouldn't Bauer just keep the Mission line separate?

they could certainly do that, just buy the company, and not change a damn thing...

That is EXACTLY what i keep saying.

The profit made from the Mission products would go to Bauer anyway, so why change anything?

Keep the AGX and NME skates and keep the Titanium sticks.

1. You're assuming there is a profit

2. It's a lot more overhead to keep both lines running

3. There's way too much overproduction and this may help dealers have less dead inventory left over at the end of every year