Reebok 2007 Annual Report Download - page 78

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ANNUAL REPORT 2007 --- adidas Group
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360° R & D APPROACH AT ADIDAS R & D activities at brand
adidas focus on the development of innovative footwear,
ap par el and hardware technologies. To solidify adidas’ position
as a leader in technology and innovation, the adidas Innovation
Team (ait) is responsible for the ongoing development of new
technologies and concepts in all key product categories. The
Team is divided into groups that focus on individual product
categories such as basketball, football or cross-category pro-
ject areas such as Intelligent Products or Energy Management
Systems (cushioning technologies).
R & D projects follow a holistic 360° approach that involves
collaboration with various professional and amateur athletes
in different sports categories each year such as Zinédine
Zidane, Michael Ballack, Elena Isinbayeva, Allyson Felix and
Jeremy Wariner. In addition, adidas works with clubs such
as A. C. Milan and Bayern Munich to test and optimize products
according to their needs and ideas. This approach of creating
market-ready products clearly is a competitive advantage in
the sporting goods industry.
In 2007, adidas collaborated with well-established global
research partners such as the Sports Technology Research
Group of the Universities of Loughborough and Sheffi eld,
England, and the University of Calgary, Canada. Projects
include, for example, long-term studies related to the charac-
teristics of footballs, motion analysis in running and basket -
ball and intelligent product solutions. In addition, adidas
consults medical expert teams including doctors and physical
therapists to analyze and measure the health-related impact
of new innovations before commercialization. However, the
amount of purchases for external R & D expertise was not
a signifi cant factor within the total adidas R & D expen ses.
REEBOK R & D FOCUSED ON FIT IN 2007 Within the Reebok
segment, each division runs separate R & D teams due to their
heterogeneous product offerings.
- At brand Reebok, the Reebok Advanced Concepts (RAC) and
Reebok Equipment teams create footwear, apparel and equip-
ment with the primary focus on developing product that pro-
vides “a perfect fi t” for the consu mer based on function,
aesthetics and value. In 2007, Reebok implemented 893 “fi t”
initiatives into product for the spring / summer 2008 collection.
- The R & D team at Reebok-CCM Hockey is dedicated to
continuously creating state-of-the-art hockey equipment for
both professional and recreational players.
- Rockport’s R & D function is a vertically integrated orga-
nization that covers all aspects of strategy, research, design,
engineering and testing, while incorporating the Group’s
advanced proprietary athletic footwear technologies into
casual and dress shoes.
In all Reebok divisions, R & D includes a development /
engineering team as well as a design and commercialization
team, a human performance laboratory and a prototype sampling
group with the product marketing teams in each strategic
business unit. Major projects involve extensive fi t, wear and
materials testing to qualify and assess the durability and func-
tionality of Reebok products. R & D expertise from well-known
external parties such as the Central Michigan University or the
Massachusetts Institute of Techno logy (MIT) is also used for
specifi c projects. However, the amount of purchases for exter-
nal R & D expertise was not a signifi cant factor within Reebok’s
R & D expenses in 2007.
MAJOR R & D LOCATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Main Activities Location
adidas Global Development Herzogenaurach,
Center (ait) Germany
Global Development Portland / Oregon,
Center (ait) USA
Global Testing Scheinfeld,
Center (ait) Germany
Asian Design and Shanghai,
Development Center China
Asian Product Tokyo,
Creation Center Japan
Reebok Global Development Canton / Massachusetts,
and Testing Center USA
Reebok-CCM Development Montreal / Quebec,
Hockey and Testing Center Canada
Development Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu /
and Testing Center Quebec, Canada
Rockport Global Development Canton / Massachusetts,
and Testing Center USA
TaylorMade- Global Development Carlsbad/California,
adidas Golf and Testing Center USA