Thule

To say that Thule's beginnings in the U.S. were humble would be an understatement. Founding member Ake Skeppner sold products at windsurf competitions on the New England shoreline, exhibited the product line at a number of different trade shows, and even canvassed local retailers in the greater New York area, all from his "office"--a now-famous station wagon. Initial success was found in the small but growing sport of windsurfing where a strong, reliable roof rack was an indispensable piece of equipment. This was quickly followed by success in the ski business where Thule's Swedish heritage certainly helped the product gain rapid acceptance. By the mid-1980s, the company sold products directly to ski and windsurfing shops but sold through distributors to address the large and growing bike business. A risky decision was made to terminate these distributor relationships and sell direct to retailers through a network of independent sales representatives. Much of the company's market success today can be traced to that decision. Shortly after, Ake hired an engineer and set up a small assembly plant in Elmsford, New York in order to design and manufacture bike carriers that would offer the features demanded by the U.S. consumer and compete effectively with other racks on the market. The company has since grown rapidly through product innovation, a commitment to quality, and the continuance of a strong entrepreneurial spirit as well as continuing to evolve their products to meet the needs of users.