Reebok 2013 Annual Report Download - page 104

adidas Group
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2013 Annual Report
Group Management Report – Our Group
100
2013
Research and Development
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Major R&D activities and locations
Main activities Major locations
adidas
The adidas innovation team is divided into groups that focus on performance
footwear, apparel and hardware innovation, within which there are individual product
focus categories. These reflect adidas’ business needs with an emphasis on the
five key Sport Performance attributes – i) faster ii) smarter iii) stronger iv) cooler
and v) more natural. The teams are closely integrated with associated functions
and resources to increase efficiencies and flexibility in all aspects of innovation and
technology development.
Global Development
Centre (ait.)
Global Development
Centre (ait.)
Herzogenaurach,
Germany
Portland/
Oregon, USA
Dedicated innovation development centres in Asia, working closely with these teams,
concentrate on the realisation of concepts through functional product development
as part of the creation process. These centres are important in terms of develop-
ment efficiencies, as product and technology development takes place in real
production environments.
Product Creation
Centre
Product Creation
Centre
Shanghai, China
Tokyo, Japan
Reebok
R&D teams at Reebok create footwear, apparel and hardware with the primary
emphasis being on fitness. Teams are structured along the brand’s category
priorities. In addition, there are certain cross-category groups such as the Reebok
Advanced Concepts (RAC) team, which ensures specific concepts can be taken right
through from initial idea to production.
Global Development
and Testing Centre
Canton/
Massachusetts,
USA
Collaboration partners at Advanced Development Centres in China and Vietnam
focus on new technology developments, cutting-edge materials and treatments
as well as manufacturing solutions.
Advanced Develop-
ment Centre
Development and
Testing Centre
Fuzhou, China
Ho Chi Minh,
Vietnam
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s R&D team is focused on continuously designing and
developing industry-leading products. The team is structured according to the
different product categories in golf.
Global Development
and Testing Centre
Carlsbad/
California,
USA
Rockport Rockport’s R&D function is a vertically integrated organisation that covers all
aspects of strategy, innovation, research, design, engineering and testing.
Global Development
and Testing Centre
Canton/
Massachusetts,
USA
Reebok-CCM Hockey
The R&D team at Reebok-CCM Hockey is dedicated to continuously creating state-
of-the-art ice hockey equipment designed to improve the experience for both profes-
sional and recreational players. R&D teams are category-specific, combining the
design, engineering and product management functions. The goal of this structure
is to create category expertise and improve speed to market.
Development and
Testing Centre
Montreal/
Quebec, Canada
adidas also carried out extensive testing of the official match ball for
the 2014 World Cup, Brazuca, to evaluate the effect of ball strikes under
various conditions and validate extensive scenario modelling. The tests
concluded that Brazuca meets and exceeds all required metrics for a
FIFA official match ball. Brazuca was tested over a two-and-a-half-year
period involving more than 600 of the world’s top players, including
Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Steven Gerrard and Iker Casillas. The ball
was also tested with 30 teams in ten countries across three continents,
making it the most tested adidas ball ever and ensuring that it is suited
to all conditions.
In 2013, Reebok continued its long-term biomechanics research
relationships with Arizona State University and the University of Las
Vegas. R&D of Reebok hard goods equipment in partnership with
Loughborough University also continued in 2013. In addition, Reebok
established a research initiative on wearable electronics with the
University of Ottawa.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf continued its long-term cooperation with
researchers at the University of Calgary in 2013, with extensive joint
swing dynamic studies, identifying the influence of club specifications on
player performance and perception.
Active trademark and patent protection policy
To capitalise on the Group’s R&D achievements, we seek patent
protection for our innovations. We also own a substantial portfolio of
registered trademarks for the Group’s brands and related proprietary
names. As part of our business policy, we enforce the Group’s trademarks
and patents by monitoring the marketplace for infringements and taking
action to prevent them. This includes a vigorous anti-counterfeiting
programme. We also have comprehensive processes, and undertake
significant research, to avoid infringement of third-party intellectual
property rights. As we use a wide range of different technologies in
our products, we are not dependent upon any single technology, or any
patent rights related to any single technology
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REPORT, P. 158.