Puma introduces world's first foamless running shoe; Puma Cell technology doubles performance, cushioning in running shoes.

BROCKTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 1996--In a revolutionary breakthrough in performance footwear, Puma, the fourth largest sporting brand in the world, introduced today the first "foamless" running shoe, designed to dramatically improve performance longevity and reduce risk of injury for runners.

With the U.S. introduction of the Puma Cell technology, Puma demonstrates its leadership in performance technology and its revitalized commitment to the U.S. footwear market.

Developed to address weaknesses inherent in foam, which has been the industry standard in mid-sole construction for decades, Puma's Cell technology is the first mid-sole that is not dependent on foam for performance. Based on honeycomb-shaped Polyurethane Elastomer cells, Puma's new cell system ensures cushioning, stability and durability for more than twice the distance provided by foam-based shoes. Unlike foam, which breaks down by one-third within 300 miles of wear, Puma's Cell technology maintains 90 percent of its original cushioning properties for up to 600 miles.

"We are proud to be the first footwear manufacturer to break the foam barrier," said Herbert J. Elliott, president of Puma North America and the 1960 Olympic 1500 meter gold medalist and world record holder. "The new technology's combination of cushioning and stability allows us to control the rate and amount of pronation, which will dramatically reduce the risk of injuries and improve comfort for runners. Though all performance footwear manufacturers make similar claims about comfort and stability, the outstanding difference in our new cell technology is our ability to precisely control hardness in each shoe to extremely close tolerances and our ability to extend the life, safety and effectiveness of the shoe."

"Our highest priority was to enhance the mid-sole to better control variances in hardness between the right and left shoes, which with foam can vary as much as much as 10 percent. That variance can throw off even the most balanced runner and create an artificial gait that leads to spine curvature and other injuries," said Jack Rohrbach, international business manager for Puma's Running category. "With the new Puma Cell technology, we have altogether eliminated foam as a functional component of our mid-sole construction, which allows us to precisely control hardness to closer tolerances."

More than six years in research and development at the world-renowned Cologne Institute of Biomechanics-German Sport University, the Puma Cell technology is an evolution in Puma's Trinomic system. Unlike earlier mid-sole designs in which a Trinomic piece was embedded within the foam mid-sole, the Puma Cell system features a single integrated cell footbed that requires no foam to provide comfort and no additional structures to provide support and stability.

The Puma cell footbed absorbs shock but does not break down. Compression is determined by the size and placement of the hexagonal cells, which are strategically plotted across the entire footbed to provide specific properties where needed most. For example, the greatest heel shock occurs during heel strike when the body must absorb as much as four times its weight. By increasing the size of the hexagonal cell directly under the heel, the cell bed absorbs far more force for greater heel cushioning. At the same time, decreasing the cell size at the medial and lateral edges around the heel "sweet spot" creates the necessary cradle and stability to protect against injury. Furthermore, Puma's cell technology reconforms more completely than foam to better cushion the next heel impact.

The greatest pressure is at the point of push-off when the foot pronates to provide a rigid lever for propulsion. This is the point when conventional foam-based mid-soles are hardest and when the new Puma cell gives the most. Using pressure sensors and pneumatic testing devices that exert realistic forces to the heel and mid-foot region, Puma determined that the addition of a foam layer would actually reduce the cushioning and comfort.

"Removing the foam is a bold but obvious step, and reinforces Puma's progressiveness when it comes to research and development of performance footwear," said Elliot. "Furthermore, the shoe features a cutting edge design that is fresh and new and highlights the international design group now based in the U.S."

Puma's Concept (retail $75) and Disc Evolution (retail $90) performance running shoes will include the new Puma cell technology and can be found in performance retail stores throughout the United States and Canada beginning in February.

Puma is one of the nation's most widely recognized sports brands and a leading manufacturer of high-quality, performance-based athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1947, Puma is the fourth largest sport brand and a leading soccer brand in the world. Puma North America is based in Brockton, Mass., and has five regional sales offices throughout the United States.

CONTACT: Constance Hubbell

617/878-8882