DURHAM, N.C. (BRAIN) — Implus LLC, which owns a variety of outdoor and fitness brands, has bought FuelBelt Inc., the maker of hydration belts and running accessories.
Implus is majority owned by Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based investment firm. FuelBelt is the third brand acquired by Implus since Berkshire's investment in April, following its purchases of Balega Socks and Trigger Point. Its brands now include Sof Sole, Yaktrax, Apara, Airplus, Sneaker Balls, Sof Comfort, Little Hotties, Perfect, TriggerPoint, ICETrekkers, FuelBelt and Balega.
FuelBelt was founded in 1997 by Ironman triathlete Vinu Malik. The brand will join Balega, TriggerPoint and Sof Sole in Implus' Specialty Category division.
"We are excited about the future for FuelBelt. The Implus roster of specialty brands is extremely impressive and we are proud to have FuelBelt join such an expansive company that is continuing to grow its product offerings and be part of a team with cutting-edge development and vast resources," said Malik.
FuelBelt has recently introduced its Helium Collection, which includes lightweight hydration belts with two- to four-bottle options. The Helium line also includes super-stretch waistpacks and handheld bottles.
"FuelBelt continues to add depth to the Specialty Category at Implus while increasing our offerings for our retail partners," said Tanya Pictor, vice president of the Specialty Category at Implus. "We are pleased to welcome such an established brand to the Implus umbrella that allows us to continue to lead the way in this endurance sport market."
