at their headquarters in
downtown Portland.
(Photos © J. Maus)
Castelli USA, the American arm of the high-end Italian cycling apparel brand, is set to announce next week that they’re now the sole provider of custom Castelli team apparel in the United States.
The new division, dubbed “Servizio Corse” (which means ‘home for team equipment’ in Italian) will design and produce all custom team apparel in Portland.
Castelli is known throughout the bike industry as having one of the highest quality, most technically advanced lines of clothing available. This new agreement will, for the first time ever, allow teams and clubs to order custom-designed apparel made with the same Italian fabrics and chamois materials used by teams in the professional peloton (like Saunier Duval).
Peter Kukula, Sales Manager for Castelli USA estimates the total value of the team apparel business at $85-110 million nationwide.
“We think it’s a lucrative market to be in,” he told me via telephone today. He also said that all the design and production of the new team apparel division will be done in Portland “from start to finish”. To handle the new business, Kukula says they’ve already hired new graphic design staff and are looking to hire additional designers as well as sales staff.
The deal became effective September 1 when Castelli USA took over the licensing agreement from San Diego based Squadra, Inc.. Castelli USA president (and former Nike executive) Greg Cowan is expected to make the official announcement next week at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas.
The first-ever Servizio Corse team kit is already in the works and will be soon be worn by the Portland-based PrestoVelo/bicycleattorney.com cycling team.