Trisport CEO Melanie Lauer builds on the fitness brand

Dusseldorf When BVB’s Bundesliga soccer game against Freiburg kicks off on Friday in Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park, some spectators may be surprised. Perimeter advertising for Kettler sports equipment can be seen in Germany’s largest football stadium. Kettler, do they still exist?

Yes. At least in parts of the original company. The company, founded in 1949 by Heinz Kettler, which brought exercise bikes to the basement and the legendary Kettcar to play streets, has already gone bankrupt three times after the death of the founder – most recently in 2019. Parts of the GmbH have been sold or wound up several times.

However, Kettler Sport has been able to assert itself as a brand. Even though the Kettler family business went under, the brand was a real driving force, confirms Melanie Lauer, CEO of Trisport. The Swiss sports equipment retailer secured the brand’s licenses in 2019.