Umbro’s football focus improves sales

PRE-tax losses at football brand Umbro were reduced by 11% to £36.8m in the year to May 30, 2011 as sales grew by 9% to £143m.

The company, which was bought by Nike five years ago in a £285m deal, also saw its cash piled reduce to £10m, from £13.7m a year ago.

Since its takeover, Nike has set about refocussing Umbro as its “football culture brand”, borrowing on the Cheadle-based company’s rich history in the game.

Notes to the newly-filed accounts of Umbro International, which employed 324 people last year, state that the brand now solely focusses on football.

It adds that the company’s goal is “to develop its range of products on a global basis at the forefront of design, innovation and quality, to generate brand awareness by sponsorship of key teams, clubs and players, and to focus on relationships with key retailer customers”.

The company now sells its products in 90 countries. Among the teams sponsored by the Umbro brand are Manchester City FC, Rangers FC, New York Cosmos and the England, Wales and Northern Ireland national sides.