CCM Partners Up with Sale & Pelletier; CCM Launches an Exciting New Line of Recreational and Figure Skates.

Sports Editors/Olympic & Figure Skating Writers

CCM(R), the leading supplier and manufacturer of hockey equipment and apparel, is proud to announce that in its ongoing strategy to tap into different growth segments, it has formed an exclusive, long-term partnership agreement with Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal figure skating champions.

Phase one of CCM(R)'s overall growth strategy was identifying roller hockey as a major opportunity and then seizing this important market. After two years of in-depth research, CCM(R) launched a roller hockey line that is being extremely well received in the market place today.

Now, phase two of this ongoing CCM(R) growth strategy, is tapping into the recreational and figure skating market. The CCM(R) / Sale & Pelletier partnership will focus on introducing figure and recreational skates for women and girls.

"We are proud to be involved with CCM(R) and believe our relationship to be a good fit. We look forward to working with CCM(R), particularly in the promotion of these skates for all people, both at the recreation level and the competitive level", said Jamie Sale and David Pelletier on their new formed partnership with CCM(R).

Research among female recreational skaters identified a significant opportunity to develop a product line that responds to what female skaters desire: Comfort, Warmth and Style. "Based on consumer insights, CCM(R) has effectively responded to the ideal 'wish list' of a recreational skating market. This market articulated a desire to have a quality product that responds to their unmet needs and we will give them that!" said Len Rhodes, VP of Global Marketing for CCM(R). "When asked to identify aspirational athletes that had the highest appeal, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were the run-away favorites. It's a simple marketing fundamental of giving the people what they want. They gave us the recipe to follow and CCM(R) went into action to put all of the key product and promotion ingredients together."

In conjunction with Sale & Pelletier, CCM(R) developed a special logo that will be integrated onto skate products and packaging. The new products will be segmented into two lines: a recreational line, the Comfort Series and a figure line, the Classic Series. Products will be introduced to retail this Fall across North America and Europe.

CCM(R) is a flagship brand of The Hockey Company, which through its subsidiaries, is the world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of hockey skates, sticks, helmets and protective equipment. The Hockey Company is also the exclusive provider of authentic game jerseys to all 30 National Hockey League teams. In addition to CCM(R), the company manufactures and markets products under the KOHO(R), JOFA(R), HEATON(R), TITAN(R) and CANADIEN(R) brand names. The CCM(R) HEATON(R) and KOHO(R) brands of goalie equipment are now predominant in the world market, while the JOFA(R) brand is the protective equipment of choice among most professional ice hockey players.

CCM(R) is a registered trademark of CCM Holdings (1983) Inc. and is used under license by Sport Maska Inc., a subsidiary of The Hockey Company. KOHO(R) and TITAN(R) are registered trademarks of KHF Sports OY, a subsidiary of The Hockey Company. JOFA(R) is a registered trademark of Jofa AB, a subsidiary of The Hockey Company. Canadien(R) is a registered trademark of KHF Sports OY, a subsidiary of The Hockey Company. Heaton(R) is a registered trademark of Sport Maska Inc., a subsidiary of The Hockey Company.(c) 2001 The Hockey Company. All rights reserved.