New Balance unveils latest projects
Nicola Mira
US sports equipment group New BalanceArena
The Track is a LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) silver-certified building, and has been designed and constructed with sustainability at the forefront. It extends over an area of 22,236 m2 in a former industrial building, renovated by New Balance and fitted with solar panels that cover the entire roof. The Track is home to a sports centre, including a dual-terrain indoor track that can also be converted into a basketball, volleyball or football pitch, a research lab, a concert hall and a bar.
The new building is located alongside New Balance’s headquarters, enabling R&D staff to work on product innovation in close proximity to the group’s offices. Beyond being a key facility for New Balance, The Track is a venue serving the local community and sports enthusiasts.
Jim Davis, the owner of New Balance, has ambitious, forward-looking plans. He created The Track as a venue where athletes and industry professionals can meet and collaborate. The idea was also to provide training facilities and a hub for staging seasonal events, like the basketball tournament organised by the Boston Celtics for their summer camp. At The Track, athletes will be able to train and compete all year round.
“Jim had the bold vision to completely transform the area around our global headquarters in Boston into a vibrant world-class sports hub for athletes and fans. The Track at New Balance offers the optimal training and performance venue for athletes of all abilities while driving New Balance innovation and technology insights through our new state-of-the-art New Balance Sports Research Lab,” said Joe Preston, president and CEO of New Balance.
New Balance is also active on other fronts, and has set itself the mission of being a brand committed to sustainability leadership, by presenting its first collection made in the USA, promoting local American know-how. The capsule collection was released in the USA in April, and will be available on June 23 in Europe, on the New Balance e-shop and at a number of stores in various countries, priced between €60 and €189.
The collection has been designed with sustainability in mind by the creative director of New Balance, Teddy Santis, founder of New York lifestyle and fashion label Aimé Leon Dore.
The collection’s goal is to highlight the history, heritage and expertise of New Balance, with high-end garments produced in US-based factories. The collection features New Balance’s best-selling items and essentials, in a palette of the brand’s signature colours. It includes sweatshirts, joggers, shorts, long-sleeved and short-sleeved t-shirts.
New Balance operates five production facilities in New England and one in Flimby, UK. It employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. In fiscal 2021, the group generated a revenue of $4.4 billion.
