Umbro (LSE: UMB) is an internationally recognised football brand based in Manchester, United Kingdom. Umbro designs, sources and markets football-related apparel, footwear and equipment and its products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
| UMBRO logo | |
| Company type | Public company (LSE: UMB) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Textile |
| Founded | 1924 in Manchester |
| Headquarters | Cheadle, Manchester |
Key people | Peter McGuigan, CEO Nigel Doughty, Chairman |
| Products | Footwear Accessories |
| Website | www.umbro.com |
Umbro are the current England, FA and FA Cup suppliers of sports apparel.
History
The company was founded in 1920, in Wilmslow, Manchester, as Humphrey Brothers Clothing; in 1924, the company changed its name to Umbro, a contraction of its previous name, Humphrey Brothers. In 1985, in Brazil, Umbro introduced its first football boot, which went into production two years later.
Umbro also manufactured a popular style of shorts, which reached its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were made of nylon, had a drawstring waistband, and often came in bright colors. These shorts, nicknamed "Umbros", are football shorts, intended to be part of a football strip. With the growth of youth soccer leagues in the United States in the 1980s, many youths, teens, and young adults began wearing them as everyday clothing. Like football itself, they were equally popular among both genders. At the height of the fashion, other brands of football shorts, such as Adidas, Diadora, Hummel, Lotto, Mitre, and Xara, also became popular. However, by the mid 1990s, Umbros began to lose their appeal among youth to other styles, such as cargo shorts.
In the 1990s, the company relocated from its central Manchester facility to brand-new, state-of-the-art headquarters in Cheadle, on the outskirts of Manchester.
The company today specialises in football kits, clothing, and other football apparel, like boots and training kits, and is registered on the London Stock Exchange as UMB.
Its major competitors include Adidas, Lotto, Nike, Puma, and fellow North West England maker Reebok.
Products
Umbro currently manufactures all types of sports wear apparel including training gear and football boots. Umbro also produce casual clothes and shoes. The company is also a major player in kit manufacture for some of the world's biggest teams.
Kit manufacturing
UMBRO has produced kits for many notable football teams since establishment; its first kit was produced in 1934, for Manchester City, which won the FA Cup that year.
Over the years Umbro have also produced kits for major teams including Cruz AzulManchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Everton, Celtic, Rangers, Deportivo La Coruña, Olympique Lyonnais, Santos, Atlético Nacional, Ajax, Universitario de Deportes, Celta Vigo and Hajduk Split.
In addition to club teams, Umbro also produced kits for international teams, including Brazil, England, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, and Sweden. During the 1966 World Cup, all but one of the 16 participating teams wore Umbro uniforms.
Players who have endorsed Umbro include Michael Owen, Deco, Luis García, Míchel Salgado, Alan Shearer, John Terry, and Tim Cahill.
Umbro currently are the official sports manufacturer of the English FA Cup and official sponsor of the new Wembley Stadium. Umbro will partner The FA in the further development of the National Football Centre (NFC) at Burton–upon–Trent, becoming the title sponsor of the Centre. Umbro is also the exclusive supplier of footballs to The FA at all levels of the game
Umbro have also manufactured kits for Athletics and rugby league.
At the 2006 FIFA World Cup Sweden and England wore Umbro kits.