Under Armour to Open Office in Nike’s Hometown

Under Armour is moving into Nike’s backyard. On Thursday, the Baltimore-based Under Armour said it would open an innovation hub for footwear design and development in Portland, Ore. Nike is based in Beaverton, Ore., about eight miles from downtown Portland. Under Armour’s new office will allow the brand to bring footwear design and development under one roof and marks what the company is calling its “‘most significant push in the footwear business to date.” The 70,000-square-foot facility, which Under Armour has named UX PDX, will include a biomechanics lab and a performance training center for athlete testing. It will employ around 100 people and is located in Southwest Portland, adjacent to the recently refurbished Duniway Park, on the site of a former YMCA facility. “Footwear is a key driver of our long-term growth and success,” said Peter Ruppe Sr., vice president for footwear at Under Armour. “We’ve established a strong foundation, and now UA PDX represents a considerable leap forward toward creating leading performance footwear designed to make athletes better.” Under Armour has been slowly making its mark in Portland, refurbishing and updating the sports fields, running tracks and trails at Lents and Duniway Parks downtown.  Opening in Nike’s longtime home state and potentially poaching some of

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More...

from WWDWWD http://ift.tt/2faiBey
via IFTTT