Uvex, the predominant German Safety products manufacturer has signed with GEM Tack, a long established distributor of Premium German brands. Uvex is a family run business and has been at the forefront of sporting engineering since its conception in 1926. The company maintains an in-house museum charting the story of its development and growth, as well as its own in-house testing laboratory, situated in the centre of Bavaria in the city of Fuerth.
Director of the business unit Equestrian of uvex; Marcus Krehan is quoted as saying “Uvex has long recognised that the USA has a large, varied and influential equestrian market. We have taken time quietly preparing for our successful launch into the USA, and are now ready to press the ‘Go’ button. As a widely recognised USA distributor of premier brands, GEM Tack Inc was the natural choice. We are anticipating enjoying an exciting and successful union with the USA market, which will surely appreciate the technology and engineering that uvex brings to this sector”.
GEM Tack Inc will be distributing the SEI certified and BSI Kitemarked uvex line of equestrian helmets and safety eyewear throughout the USA via their existing network of premium retailers. Uvex has been supplying products to the EU market for the last four years and their helmets are quickly becoming the new ‘must have’ for the discerning, sporting, fashion conscious athlete.
The mind sets of riders are changing, along with the materials used by technologically advanced manufacturers, helping to enhance athletic performances. Demand across the disciplines for sharp looking, high performance, premium products has led uvex to the USA market where English traditionalism is slowly being usurped by the demand for sleek performance products.
The helmets undergo lengthy in-house testing and are Kitemarked by BSI to EN1384:1996/BSEN1384:1997 and ASTM F1163:04. Therefore satisfying the criteria required by all governing organisations and associations.
The importance of correctly fitting helmets has been a long standing and contentious topic, and uvex have addressed the problems facing retailers and their staff by developing a fitting system that enables the depth of the helmets to be adjusted. The IAS 3D System. This and their product sizing means that retailers have more time to help customers make the best choice.
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Lori Carter of Gem Tack Inc says “I’m so happy we have UVEX – this is truly the frosting on the GEM cake. We have sold Sprenger, first through Foxwood, then with the formation of GEM for over 28 years now, and just a few years less for Fleck whips and Cavallo riding apparel. Passier – ‘only’ 17 years, Effol about 14! To have such a fine helmet to complete the line is very exciting”.
GEM Tack are delighted to be working together with such a predominant and pioneering safety company as uvex. They bring new technology and design at the highest level to the Equestrian market, applying their vast extreme sporting knowledge to the protection of riders at all levels. uvex combine technology, safety and style with a sleek sporting athletic image. As leading riders have been saying “We are ready for change”. And uvex has provided it.
Uvex operates out of three truly state of the art factories, where sixteen injection moulding machines can be operating up to any one time, and the staff work in shifts, 24 hours a day to satisfy the global demand for their products. BSI visited the facilities last year and gave their full and complete approval to the Company, its products and procedures.
Their growing range of equestrian products caters for most disciplines, and the helmets have been developed using technology based upon research and experience gained in other extreme, high risk sporting sectors such as cycling, motor racing, skiing, sledding and snowboarding. The additional knowledge gained in these sporting spheres is applied to the development of the equine products. Feedback and product input has been provided by the many sporting heroes from Germany’s stable of Gold Medallists and Champions from the many sporting disciplines cared for by uvex.
Former Gold medallist Isabell Werth introduced the distinctive and much talked about uvex Gold Paisley Suxxeed in support of the tragically injured dressage rider Courtney King-Dye (USA), who has since done so much work with the Riders4Helmets organisation. Isabell recently won a much coveted safety award from the Riders4Helmets organisation for wearing the UVEX helmet in competition, leading the way by example.
For further information about the range of helmets and the safety eyewear please contact:
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Lori Carter, USA Manager, GEM, Inc.
USA Toll Free: 866 Gem Tack
www.gemtack.com
local: 435.251.9410
fax: 435.251.9694
(Please direct all PR enquiries to Maria Wynne at EqWynne PR. eqwynne@googlemail.com or +44 (0) 7717298182)