Allard Bijlsma, CEO in the period 2012-2019: “Dunlop has been manufacturing boots for over 100 years, first from real rubber and then a self-developed material called Purofort.”
Spreading its footprint all over the world.
“Our boots are being worn in many working environments that necessitate the wearing of rubber boots, from farms to factories to oil platforms. In 2004 Gilde acquired Dunlop Protective Footwear from listed company Vredestein. And while Dunlop was doing well in Europe, Gilde recognized that with a little TLC it had the potential to become a global player. In 2012 I was working on a similar internationalization initiative at Philips when Gilde invited me to drop by for what turned out to be a very convincing chat.”
Commercial clout.
“What awaited me was a healthy company with a unique product and abundant potential. The international Dunlop brand name carries considerable commercial clout, allowing us to keep innovating and offering our customers solutions for specific industries so we can be more market-oriented.
Purofort is a unique material and the jewel in our crown. Being so lightweight makes it much more comfortable to wear and it’s more durable too. That Dunlop red ring and red lining make Purofort boots immediately recognizable by fans everywhere.”
“The great thing about Gilde is that they are as ambitious as we are, which often isn’t the case in the corporate world.”
Premium position in the market.
“Thanks to a rejuvenated team of specialists and smart marketing and pricing, we have carved out a premium position in the market for protective footwear. We’ve also invested heavily in innovation, developing solutions in-house for very specific challenges. These innovations include extra grip to prevent slipping on oily surfaces and warmer soles for working outdoors. But while our new sales team exploited the opportunities, our factories struggled to keep up. So we increased the efficiency of our operations, making them completely lean so we could immediately respond to changing demand.”
Today Europe, tomorrow the world.
“The great thing about Gilde as a shareholder is that they are as ambitious as we are, which often isn’t the case in the corporate world. We wanted to expand globally together. Our first step was to move into the US, where we accelerated our growth by acquiring a market leader in boot production which, alongside PVC boots, now also makes Purofort boots. As a company from a small Dutch town, I relish the prospect of conquering the US step-by-step, followed by the rest of the world. Gilde has sold Dunlop after 14 years, but has clearly shown its engagement by reinvesting in the business and remaining a shareholder. It’s very gratifying to work for a fast-growing company in which people are proud of what they do and bursting with energy. Now that’s what I call entrepreneurship.”
See what growth and collaboration can do for a business
6
million pairs sold annually
3
production facilities on 3 continents
50
countries worldwide
Invested
2004
Industry
Manufacturing
Location
Raalte, the Netherlands Leiria, Portugal Havre De Grace (Maryland), USA
Team
Gerhard Nordemann
Managing Partner
Max Kruitwagen
Investment Manager
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