Sympatex strengthens its footwear segment

Powerful business development support: Christoph Alexander Schnell 

Sales of sports shoes will increase constantly until 2028. The outdoor and running industry is on a growth course and booming like never before, pushed by long lockdown and home office hours. According to trend scenarios, the market expects a turnover of up to 1.669 billion euros or more by 2028 (Industry Report: Marketmedia24 – We know markets).

For Sympatex, the market is entering a new phase in 2022 after five years of sustainability efforts. Supported by legislative processes and increasing changes in customer demands, the market volume for sustainable footwear development is rising disproportionately. Beginning with close consultation for eco-design to consistent circularity, the demands on Sympatex are explicitly sustainable, innovative and disruptive for joint solution development.

Christoph Alexander Schnell has joined Sympatex in February 2022 as Business Development Manager for the Footwear segment. Christoph Alexander is the ideal addition to the teams at Sympatex: the experienced shoe developer and manager stands for a cooperative approach, focused functional development and innovations in which the teams learn from each other.

The trained shoe technician has designed formative projects at various industry giants – in addition to the decisive development of the Clima-Cool Generation at adidas, Christoph Alexander was one of the brains behind the Jorden philosophy and its implementation at Puma. For Formula 1, it was the first fireproof shoes. His close collaboration with Jil Sander rounds off his profile. With his developments in the work shoe segment, Christoph Alexander won the German Design Award.

Christoph Alexander has demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at footpower by expanding the company throughout Europe in franchise and training systems. His enthusiasm for the industry, for development and for innovative technology will be another step into the future for Sympatex. Collaboration, agile and flexible entrepreneurship – Sympatex focuses on fast paths and innovative, sustainable business development – with Alexander, this corporate development will now accelerate further together with the teams.

Christoph Alexander will be responsible for Sympatex’s portfolio development together with its customers. As an industry expert for sports, brown shoes and fashion, he will shape the technology and innovation department and take care of the spin-off Utmospheric with the teams. Process and project managers Marlene Singer, Simon Futterlieb and Mario di Pippo will be responsible for the global expansion of projects. At the moment, the specially developed production facility is located in South Germany, Freilassing. This summer, the team is planning the official series launch in a newly built production hall.

 

Dr. Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex, says: “It’s not just the industry that’s changing, new technological times are also dawning in shoe production in 2022. The result of a years-long sourcing and research project will change the future of bootie production in a revolutionary and lasting way: Utmospheric is a completely new, highly industrialised and fully automated manufacturing technology and ushers in a new era of automated shoe production. We are looking forward to Alexander, who will support us in the footwear segment with his expertise from now on.”

Christoph Alexander is looking forward to his new task: “I am both an athlete and a shoemaker through and through – so my enthusiasm for the industry is my personal and professional elixir! I prefer to use my expertise to design and develop products together with my customers. As part of Sympatex, the most important player in the field of sustainable product development, I want to make my greatest possible contribution to our industry to make it sustainable for generations to come.”

 

About Sympatex – The climate-neutral and recyclable membrane

As one of the worldwide leading producers, Sympatex® Technologies has been a synonym for high-tech functional materials in clothing, footwear, accessories and technical fields of application since 1986. Together with selected partners, Sympatex develops, produces and distributes membranes, laminates and functional textiles as well as finished products worldwide. The Sympatex membrane is highly breathable, 100% wind- and waterproof and regulates the climate. It is 100% recyclable, climate-neutral, bluesign® certified, and it received the ‘Oeko-Tex-Standard 100’ certificate. It is also PTFE-free and PFC-free. The technologies and procedures are based on the principles of ecological responsibility and sustainability with a special focus on the optimal carbon footprint. Sympatex is represented worldwide with sales offices and branches.