Certor Sports Announces New Indiana Headquarters, CEO

Sporting Goods Manufacturer Taps Industry Veteran Jim Heidenreich to Lead Operations for Schutt Sports, VICIS, ProGear, Tucci; New Plainfield Facility to Create 300+ Jobs

PLAINFIELD, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Certor Sports, the leading domestic sporting goods manufacturer, announced today that it is moving its global headquarters to Plainfield, Indiana and immediately creating more than 300 local jobs.

The new 230,000 square foot facility will now be the home for some of the most iconic performance and sports brands in the country, including Schutt and VICIS, whose helmets are currently ranked first by both the National Football League and Virginia Tech University’s Helmet Lab in reducing head impact severity for athletes at the NFL, varsity and youth levels. Other brands under the Certor umbrella include ProGear, Tucci, Hollywood Bases, and Adams USA. Certor will also operate a state-of-the-art R&D facility in Seattle, featuring the latest testing equipment set forth by the National Football League, Major League Baseball and other leagues to help design and innovate the next generation of protective equipment and sporting goods.

In addition to its new headquarters and R&D facility, Certor Sports has announced Jim Heidenreich as Chief Executive Officer. Heidenreich spent more than 30 years in executive leadership positions with leading consumer, health and sporting goods brands, including Mongoose Bicycles, Rayovac Batteries, Complete Nutrition and Riddell Sports. He will serve as the first CEO for the company, which was formed in 2020 by Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC.

“For too long the status quo from legacy companies has been accepted in the sporting goods industry, and Certor’s mission to combine innovation, performance and protection will enable athletes to compete at their very best on and off the field,” Heidenreich said. “With our new operations and manufacturing hub in Indiana and a revolutionary cutting-edge innovation lab in Seattle, our brands will be the first names people think of when it comes to performance sports equipment.”

The new manufacturing facility will operate as one of the most essential hubs for sporting goods in the United States, responsible for producing innovative and cutting edge head-to-toe protective and performance equipment for football, baseball, lacrosse and hockey.

In addition to its line of sporting goods brands, Certor Sports controls more than 169 domestic and international patents and pending applications in a wide-ranging intellectual property portfolio.

“This is just the beginning of a new chapter in the world of sports and protective gear,” Heidenreich said. “Certor will champion a culture of creativity and excellence, where ideas from engineering, material sciences, design, and health and wellness are explored to bring the latest cutting edge technology to the market.”

To learn more about Certor and all its brands, visit certorsports.com.

About Certor Sports

Certor Sports, LLC, located in Plainfield, Indiana, is a domestic sporting goods manufacturer and parent company for leading protective and equipment brands, including Adams USA, Hollywood Bases, ProGear, Schutt Sports, Tucci, VICIS and more. To learn more, visit certorsports.com.