Lynnwood/White Salmon, WA – July 24, 2018 – Connelly Skis announced today that they have signed a purchase agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of North Sports, Inc., a leading producer of inflatable waterparks, inflatable kayaks, standup paddleboards, and related watersports products under the Aquaglide brand name. The company was originally formed in 1984 as a windsurfing accessory business, and has been involved with kiteboarding, snowboarding, and watersports products throughout its history. The Aquaglide brand was formed in 2004.
John Archer, President of Connelly Skis, commented, “We are very excited to welcome the Aquaglide team to the Connelly family. We believe these products will fit well within our existing dealer and consumer base and will also open new avenues of growth, especially in the inflatable waterparks and kayak categories. We are expecting great things!”
“I am very excited for Aquaglide and my team to have the opportunity to get to the next level. Said David Johnson, President/CEO of North Sports, Inc. “We are very proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to working closely with the Connelly team on the next generation of Aquaglide products.”
Aquaglide will be run as a separate division of Connelly. David Johnson will remain as Director of Product Development, while Jeff Cunningham will add the title of General Manager in addition to his duties as VP Global Sales.
Closing of the transaction is anticipated by the end of July.
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About Connelly Skis, Inc.
Based in Lynnwood, Washington and founded by Pat Connelly, Connelly Skis, Inc. was established in 1965 and originated with a simple line of slalom ski models. What started as a garage operation quickly evolved into a worldwide brand and business. To this day, Connelly boasts hand built-craftsmanship in the U.S. with 50 years of research and development behind each design and staff that have been dedicated to water sports for more than 40 years. As a result, the company boasts numerous regional, national and world records on their skis and is considered one of the leading water sports brands worldwide. For more information, please visit https://connellyskis.com/