New Balance
New Balance Athletics, Inc. (privately held) · United States
New Balance is an American athletic footwear and apparel company founded in Boston in 1906 by William J. Riley as a maker of arch supports. Privately owned by the family of chairman Jim Davis since 1972, it is notable for still manufacturing part of its range in the United States and the United Kingdom.
| Founded | 1906, Boston area |
|---|---|
| Founder | William J. Riley |
| Owner | Privately held, Jim Davis and family (since 1972) |
| Headquarters | Boston, United States |
| Revenue | 6.5 billion dollars (2023) |
| Factories | United States and Flimby, United Kingdom |
| Website | newbalance.com |
What is New Balance?
New Balance designs and sells athletic shoes, apparel and sports equipment for running, lifestyle and team sports. It is a privately held, family-owned company headquartered in Boston and reported revenue of 6.5 billion dollars in 2023. Its subsidiaries include PF Flyers and Warrior Sports.
History
Irish immigrant William J. Riley founded the New Balance Arch Support Company near Boston in 1906. Arthur Hall became a partner in 1934 and later sold the business to his daughter Eleanor and her husband Paul Kidd. In 1960 the company introduced the Trackster, the first running shoe offered in varying widths. Jim Davis bought New Balance in 1972, when sales had stalled, and built it into a global brand. A UK factory opened in 1982 and moved to Flimby in 1991. New Balance bought PF Flyers in 2001 and Warrior Lacrosse in 2004.
Products and positioning
- Running shoes for performance and comfort
- Lifestyle sneakers, including the 990 series
- Made in USA and Made in UK collections
- Apparel and team sport equipment
The brand's grey, comfort-focused classics have been widely adopted in fashion, positioning New Balance between performance running and lifestyle.
Business model and distribution
New Balance sells through company-owned stores, authorised retailers, multi-brand footwear stores and e-commerce. It also runs a resale programme called Reconsidered on its online store. Its Made in USA footwear, which the company says has a domestic value of 70 per cent or more, accounts for a limited share of its US sales, while the Flimby plant supplies the European market.
Why it matters
New Balance is one of the few major sportswear companies that remains privately owned and keeps manufacturing in high-cost countries. Its rise as a fashion favourite shows how heritage design, collaborations and a credible manufacturing story can help a brand compete with much larger listed rivals.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns New Balance?
New Balance is privately held and has been owned by Jim Davis and his family since he bought the company in 1972. It describes itself as an independent, family-owned business.
Are New Balance shoes made in the USA?
Some are. New Balance operates factories in the United States and in Flimby in the United Kingdom for its Made collections, but these account for only part of its sales.
