Yakima Acquires Rack and Roll

from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News



BEAVERTON, OR —Yakima Products has acquired RackandRoll, a manufacturer of high performance multi-sport trailers based in Frederick, Maryland.

Appealing to multi-sport outdoor enthusiasts, paddlers, cyclists and family campers, Yakima RackandRoll trailers and accessories will enable consumers to apply Yakima’s broad line of top of car gear management solutions for transporting kayaks, bikes, camping equipment and other cargo to high performance multi-sport trailers.

The trailers, branded Yakima RackandRoll, will be sold through RackandRoll’s existing distribution and current Yakima dealers effective immediately.

“We continually strive to bring the smartest cargo management solutions to market to meet the needs of paddlers, cyclists, campers and outdoor enthusiasts seeking the easiest ways to transport their gear,” said Jerry Heinlen, chief executive officer of Yakima. “RackandRoll trailers are an excellent fit with the Yakima brand, our consumers, our customers and our business model. Adding RackandRoll to our Yakima family enables us to immediately provide more solutions to every consumer segment we serve, especially active females and baby boomers. Significant synergies in manufacturing and distribution between RackandRoll trailers and current Yakima product offerings will allow us to integrate this new business quickly. Most important, the new Yakima RackandRoll line of trailers clearly supports Yakima’s position as the premium brand in the cargo management equipment category and gives our customers and business partners new ways to grow their business in 2009 and beyond.”

John Koch, former chief executive officer of RackandRoll, will stay involved and remain available to facilitate a seamless transfer of goods and services. RackandRoll’s current customer service team will continue to support the business for the next 30 days, at which point, all customer service and other business processes will be managed by Yakima.

Yakima RackandRoll multi-sport trailers feature a sleek and stylish body made of anodized aluminum, which creates an extremely durable yet lightweight trailer solution. Each trailer will be sold with a set of Yakima crossbars that allow consumers to easily transfer gear mounts for bikes or boats, or cargo boxes, from the top of the car to the trailer with ease. Available in two sizes, Yakima RackandRoll 66 and Yakima RackandRoll 78, its independent suspension system is approved for interstate travel by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Existing product inventory at retail and in transit from the manufacturer will maintain the current RackandRoll branding and, moving forward, all newly manufactured products will carry the Yakima mark.

“The inspiration for RackandRoll’s trailer solutions came from research that showed consumer demand for a trailer designed for ease of use in loading gear at hip level,” Koch said. “Our trailers are perfectly suited for active outdoor participants, especially those who want to remain active all through their lives but need an alternative to rooftop solutions. Yakima is the premiere rack brand in the United States and we are confident that they will take our trailers to the next level.”