About Halti Ltd.

Halti - The Finnish top also in sports clothing

The name of the highest peak in Finland, Halti, is strongly connected in Finnish minds to sports and outdoor clothing and hiking equipment. The Halti trademark, which has maintained its attraction since 1976, being the most respected sports clothing brand in Finland*.

The man behind the success of the Finnish Halti brand is Juhani Hyökyvaara. He founded his own company, Jukaflex, in 1972. In his own company, Hyökyvaara utilised his several years' experience as a salesperson and as the head of the hiking department at Skoha Oy in Helsinki.

- The clients wanted a full range of sport-specific clothing and equipment. Jukaflex started designing and developing innovative hiking and camping equipment to meet the clients' needs. They were launched with the legendary Halti trademark in 1976. The Halti products mainly represented outdoor sports exercised in spring, summer and autumn, the founder of the company, Juhani Hyökyvaara, describes the history of the trademark. His idea was to keep the brands and the know-how in his own hands, but to decentralise the production. In this way, product development and the price-quality relationship have met the consumers' wishes for several decades.

From hiking to an outdoor lifestyle
More and more functioning equipment was offered to consumers, mainly for camping, hiking and hunting. In the mid-1980s, when camping lost some of its attraction, the supply of clothing and accessories for other kinds of outdoor sports was increased. Today, the supply of Halti products comprehensively covers the whole spectrum of sports; Alpine skiing, golf, cross-country skiing, biking, snowboarding, climbing and hiking. Also in other seasons, those exercising different kinds of sports can rely on Halti's knowledge of sports clothing and equipment.

Co-operation with top sports
Halti products are intended for the serious exercisers of different sports. Halti invests heavily on product development, so as to make the outfits and equipment meet with the sportsmen's wishes and needs.

- Sport-specific testing related to product development has naturally expanded to also cover other types of partnership; Halti acts as an official sponsor for top names in different sports with regard to clothing. Important co-operation partners include, among others, Alpine Ski Team Finland, Finnish Skijumping and Nordic Combined teams and the Swedish adventure racing team Team Halti.

Halti grows with 3i
Summer 2004 brought changes to Halti company, while minority ownerhip stake was sold to an English equity investor 3i. Family Hyökyvaara is no longer involved to business and new owner in addition to 3i with 51% majority ownership stake is company management; managing director Risto Salo, vice president Martti Uusitalo and chief designer Martti Kellokumpu.

3i is the leading venture capital and private equity company in Europe. Halti is it.s first investment in the clothing retail sector in Finland. Together with 3i Halti is aiming to strengthen and expand it.s brand in European markets.

Further information:
Managing Director Matti Mustaniemi, tel. +358 9 8520 81
Assistant Managing Director Martti Uusitalo, tel. +358 9 8520 8210

*Source: Taloustutkimus, the valuation of Sport Clothing Brands in Finland, 2008.