 Under Armour: Company Overview
Kevin Plank, founder and President of Under Armour®, developed the concept for the products in 1995 during his senior year at the University of Maryland where he was a football team captain and earned a B.S. in Business Management. Kevin was constantly irritated when wearing a wet, heavy cotton shirt beneath his equipment, so he searched for an alternative. Kevin invested more than a year researching fabrics, producing samples, and performance testing his shirt designs with his former teammates many of who were playing in the NFL™. The result was a lightweight synthetic undershirt that does not retain water or the weight of the water, dries in minutes and wears snug like a "second skin."
In mid-1996, Kevin put his shirt design into production. Kevin marketed this shirt under the trademarked Under Armour® name and this design was the basis for what is now Under Armour's® popular HeatGear™ product line. Growing a company that produces a never seen before product category is a difficult way to go. Kevin and his partners were hard-at-it product testing on the field, designing at the sewing machines and selling to the highest level of competition of the NFL™ teams and D-1A college football. Kevin's grandmother's basement served as Under Armour's® first office/warehouse/distribution center and bedroom! Plank and his partners built a business based on word of mouth, quality, unbelievable customer service and their extensive personal contacts on the field throughout the nation.
The Company has since developed six distinct product lines for every playing condition and every season, all of which incorporate the Company's core philosophy that "less is more." Under Armour's® new directions in team "equipment" under scores how archaic the gray cotton t-shirt has become. The Company's constant innovation in fit, high tech fabrications and cutting edge marketing continues to propel Under Armour®.
In recognition of Kevin Plank's business management skills, he was named the Small Business Administration's 2001 Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. Among other accolades, in recognition of excellent products and distribution success, Sporting Goods Business named Under Armour® the Apparel Supplier of the Year for 2001, and The Sports Authority, the largest full line sporting goods retailer in the country, recognized Under Armour as the best soft line launch that year.
Under Armour: Mission Statement
Under Armour was developed for athletes by athletes . We understand their needs, and the demands of competition. What began nearly a decade ago with our superior undershirt for equipment sports has evolved into six diverse gear lines to cover all seasons, climates and conditions. By employing only the finest microfiber fabrics, Under Armour has engineered the ultimate Moisture Transport System in garments that slide over your body like a second-skin to keep you cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game or workout. As the originator of the industry, Under Armour remains dedicated to new technology and is determined to enhance the performance of every athlete on every level. Lighter. Faster. Stronger. Better. |
