Arklyz Group AG takes over Lloyd Shoes GmbH.
Ara AG has been looking for investors for the shoe supplier since June last year, and now the investment company based in Stans Lloyd, Switzerland, including all operating companies, has secured it, the brand based in Sulingen announced on Tuesday. The closing is planned for the first half of 2024. All parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details.
“We decided to sell Lloyd to Arklyz because Arklyz, with its broad expertise in the areas of sports and lifestyle, is the perfect partner for Lloyd’s next chapter of growth,” said Andreas Wortmann, CEO of Ara AG.
Arklyz Group secures Lloyd
The new owner Arklyz Group AG was founded in 2018 by CEO Param Singh. The Swiss investment company is active in the areas of sports, lifestyle and workwear. The portfolio includes, among others, the fashion retailers The Athlete’s Foot, Asphaltgold and the sock retailer Intersocks as well as various global licenses and sales licenses for brands such as Salomon, Head, Crocs, Nordica, Adidas and Hey Dude.
“Today’s announcement is a strategic milestone for us,” said Singh. “This is a unique opportunity to take over one of the most respected and well-known companies in the German shoe industry. Lloyd is already the undisputed market leader in the premium men’s segment in its strategic European core markets, and we look forward to further developing the brand internationally. We also see great growth potential for Lloyd by expanding its omnichannel presence.”
Lloyd Shoes GmbH continued to grow in the 2023 financial year. In the first eight months, sales exceeded the previous year’s level by 19.3 percent, the company told FashionUnited in September.
“We have already recorded good growth in recent years, but together with Arklyz we will be able to push our omnichannel strategy even further and expand internationally on its basis,” said Andreas Schaller, spokesman for the management of Lloyd Shoes GmbH. “We are ready for the future and are already looking forward to working with Arklyz and Param Singh.”