Billabong (clothing)

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Billabong International Limited
Type Public (ASXBBG)
Founded Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (1973)
Headquarters Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia
Key people Derek O'Neill, CEO
Industry Retail
Products Apparel, sporting goods
Revenue $1.0 billion AUD (2006)
Net income $145.9 million AUD (2006)
Employees 1750
Website www.billabong.com
For other meanings, see Billabong (disambiguation)

Billabong is a clothing brand and public company (ASXBBG) traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (as Billabong International) since August 11 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant.

The name came from the same word billabong, which is a stagnant body of water attached to a waterway.

As well as the Billabong brand-name, the company sells surfwear and accessories under the Palmers Surf, Honolua Surf,Swell.com, Von Zipper, Kustom (footwear), Nixon, Xcel Wetsuits and Tigerlily brands, and also Element skate clothing and hardware. The brands are available at various surf and skateboard stores locations.

[edit] Acquisitions

A Billabong brand hat
  • Element was acquired in July 2002.[2] Element is a dominant player in the skateboarding apparel and hardgoods market.
  • Kustom and Palmers Surf were acquired in October 2004.[3]
  • Nixon was acquired in January 2006 from founders Andy Laats and Chad DiNenna. Nixon is a dominant player in the boardsports watch market.[4]
  • Xcel was acquired in September 2007. The brand, a premium United States-based wetsuit and technical watersport accessories brand established in 1982. It's focused on producing surfing, diving (recreational and military), ocean paddling, sun protection and wakeboarding markets and was recently awarded the "Wetsuit of the Year" title by the Surf Industry Manufacturers' Association.[5]
  • Merged with Surf Warehouse, Quiet Flight Surf Shop, and DUBii Apparel in 2008. They also bought a WMS System to try and streamline their distribution and outgoing freight costs. They also took over the company rights to DaKine.[9]

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