Chinese sportswear producer is investing heavily in an attempt to raise its visibility and profile in the American market, as Zheng Yangpeng reports from Los Angeles.

At the crossroads of Melrose and Harper avenues in Los Angeles, it's hard not to notice the distinctive bright red logo shining brightly.

The sign is above the new flagship store of Peak Sport Products Co Ltd, which represents the latest effort by the Chinese sportswear brand to raise its visibility and profile in the United States.

Occupying 250 square meters, the outlet sells the full range of the company's sports products including running and training wear, and of course basketball shoes, its core product.

A Peak Sports outlet in Culver City, California. The sportswear maker is among an increasing number of Chinese brands that are expanding in the United States. [Photo / China Daily]

 

Su Jia, CEO of Peak Sports USA, said the new LA store is a key part in the company's overall retail strategy in the US.

Other strands to that strategy include taking space within large US retail outlets, e-retail and franchises.

Last year, Peak opened an outlet in California's Westfield Culver City mall, and Su said the company is now negotiating with Footlocker, the US national sportswear retailer, to become one of its main suppliers.

Founded in 1989 in Quanzhou, Fujian province, Peak Sports has grown into one of China's leading footwear manufacturers.

However, its US business is still a relatively new development, started in 2010, about five years after it first decided to launch its "going global" strategy.

The company has established strategic partnerships with a number of high profile NBA teams such as the Houston Rockets and the Miami Heat over the years.

That started in 2006, when Peak signed its first personal deal with NBA star Shane Battier after he left the Memphis Grizzlies for the Houston Rockets, to become the first top player from the NBA to sign with a Chinese company.

Since then, Peak has signed with 19 leading NBA players, including Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, making it the biggest Chinese corporate sponsor of the NBA, after Nike and adidas, according to officials, and it plans to expand its roster in the next year.

Previous reports on Peak

Peak Sport closes 1,067 outlets

Peak announces partnership with NBA's Toronto Raptors

Peak builds sports brand in the US

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Adidas to close only wholly-owned factory

Jordan trademark infringement suit accepted