Anaheim-based Alstyle Apparel has nabbed a golf clothes contract with Reebok International Ltd.
Alstyle, owned by Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis Inc., was tapped by Independence, Mo.-based Dunbrooke Apparel Corp. to distribute golf shirts, jackets and other clothes for Reebok, said Alstyle president Todd Scarborough.
Alstyle also will be the exclusive supplier of blank corporate and promotional Reebok clothing for Dunbrooke, Scarborough said.
The golf garb, which includes golf shirts, polo shirts and mock turtlenecks, will be sold at golf shops starting in the fall, he said.
Alstyle, which has about 1,000 workers in OC, plans to use its existing operations locally to handle the new business.
The company might add some sales people on the East Coast, Scarborough said.
Scarborough has been leading the new guard at Alstyle since coming on board last year.
He came from Alstyle’s Chicago office, where he was vice president of sales and marketing.
Scarborough has made a series of moves to help the company grow under parent Ennis, which bought it in 2004 for $242 million.
Alstyle makes blank T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts, which other clothing companies use to make their own lines by slapping on logos, graphics and even jewelry and lace.
Customers include Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc., Champ’s, Footlocker and Nike Inc. Alstyle also sells clothes under its own labels and does work for professional baseball, football and golf leagues.
Its knitting and dying operations, one of the largest under one roof in the U.S., pump out half a million T-shirts a day.
Scarborough said he is looking to bump up Alstyle’s local production by about 3% to 5% during the next year to 625,000 T-shirts a day.
So far, Ennis likes what it sees.
Scarborough has been “an invaluable asset” during its integration with Ennis, said Keith Walters, Ennis’ chief executive, in a statement.
Ennis, which makes business forms and marketing displays, has said it wants apparel to help diversify,and boost,sales.
Recent Promotion
The company recently promoted Scarborough and named him corporate vice president of Ennis’ apparel division.
Scarborough, who lives in Newport Beach, is set to continue running Alstyle from Anaheim.
Ennis’ apparel unit consists only of Alstyle. But the company plans to grow it and Scarborough said he’ll oversee “possible future acquisitions.” He didn’t elaborate.
Meanwhile, Alstyle is looking to grow its own garb, made under the AAA, Murina, Tennessee River, Diamond Star, Gaziani and Classic by Alstyle names.
Alstyle started to again distribute its clothes in Britain.
A few years ago it dropped its British distribution after becoming disgruntled with a former distributor, Scarborough said.
The company recently signed a European distribution agreement and now has five sales offices and one distribution center outside of London, Scarborough said.
Alstyle also has found a distributor for New Zealand, he said.
“Business is strong,” he said.
The company posted sales of $238 million last year. The bulk of its revenue is from U.S. T-shirt sales.
Alstyle still is on the hunt for a general manager for its Hermosillo, Mexico, sewing and cutting operations, Scarborough said.
The former general manager was “relieved of his duties for insubordination,” the company said in a statement.
Scarborough declined to comment further, but said there was no impact on the plant’s operations.
Sotero Diaz, who managed Alstyle’s Ensenada plant for 15 years, took over while the company seeks a replacement.
In addition to its two Mexico plants and Anaheim operation, Alstyle has distribution facilities in Chicago and Atlanta, among others.
Competition in the apparel industry is cutthroat, particularly for a U.S. producer.
Like other local apparel makers, Alstyle has been smacked by the soaring cost of gas and electricity, not to mention insurance costs for healthcare and workers’ compensation.
It also faces pressure from competitors in Latin America, China and other Asian countries, which sell T-shirts at rock bottom prices.
For now, Alstyle plans to stick to OC, Scarborough said in a past interview.
