Owner of Deuter GMBH announces sale of company

AUSBURG, Germany and LONGMONT, Colo. (September 25, 2006) – Michael Franke, owner of Deuter Sport GmbH, makers of innovative, high quality, and price competitive backpacks with 100 years of internationally proven experience, today announces the sale of the business to Schwan-STABILO of Heroldsberg, Germany. Schwan-STABILO is a well established, family-owned company with significant international business in writing instruments and private label cosmetics. Schwan-Stabilo has formed a new division, Outdoor Business, in which Deuter Sport GmbH, including its US subsidiary, will be the initial company. Deuter’s current General Manager, Bernd Kullman has been promoted to Managing Director and will continue to steer the profitable and growing business independently. Other personnel and subsidiary changes are not planned.

According to Patry Loomis, president of Deuter USA, “We are thankful to Michael Franke for his friendship and support over the past six years and we look forward to continuing to work with Bernd Kullman and the rest of the team to make Deuter the number one pack brand worldwide. Schwan-Stabilo is an outstanding family run business with 150 years of tradition and we feel confident that the brand will continue to thrive under new ownership.”

For more information on Deuter Sport GmbH, please visit www.Deuter.com or www.Deuterusa.com. For information on Schwan-Stabilo, please visit www.Schwan-Stabilo.de

For more information please contact us:
DEUTER USA INC
Phone 303-652-3102 /Fax 303-652-3125
Website: www. deuterusa.com