# Uhlsport

Uhlsport GmbH is a German sporting goods manufacturer. Originally established in 1948 as "Haase & Uhl OHG" and later renamed "Karl Uhl GmbH", the company became "uhlsport GmbH" in 1994. It is an international company which has its permanent headquarters in Balingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
The company manufactures and distributes its products through the brands Uhlsport and Kempa.

## History

The company was founded in 1948 by Karl Uhl. Early production focussed on manufacturing leather studs for football boots, and in 1953 uhlsport also began to produce football boot soles for sports shoe manufacturers. In the years which followed, more products were added, including shin guards, sports bandages, footballs and goalkeeper gloves, until finally uhlsport GmbH had developed a full range of football equipment. Since 2002, the company has been operating a multi-brand strategy for football and handball.

## Brands and products

The brand "uhlsport" specializes in football, especially goalkeeper equipment. Since 2002, handball equipment has been marketed through the company's own "Kempa" brand.
The German company operates an indirect distribution strategy with subsidiaries in France, Spain, and Sweden and with country managers in UK, Benelux, and Switzerland. Uhlsport has a further 80 distribution partners across the world. In 1998, the Uhl family sold the company to the Daiss family.

## Sponsorship

Uhlsport is the official equipment supplier to 1. FC Köln and 1. FC Magdeburg, As official ball sponsor uhlsport supports the Croatian SuperSport HNL. The goalkeepers Alphonso Areola, Alexander Schwolow, Mike Maignan, Oliver Baumann, Odysseas Vlachodimos, Fabian Bredlow, Diant Ramaj, Christian Mathenia, Lukas Hradecky, Ron-Robert Zieler, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Yassine Bounou, Ofir Marciano, Anthony Lopes and others play with uhlsport gloves.
Kempa ist the official sponsor to HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, TVB 1898 Stuttgart, Bergischer HC, Buxtehuder SV (women) and HSG Bensheim/Auerbach (women). From 2023 Kempa brand has become the new official supplier of the Germany men's national volleyball team

### Basketball
#### Club teams

* Wolves

### National teams
#### Africa

* Kenya

### Club teams
#### Africa

* SOA
* FUS Rabat

#### The Americas

* Deportivo Laferrere (from 2022 season)
* San Carlos

#### Asia

* Al-Nahda

#### Europe

* Bylis
* Egnatia
* Kastrioti
* Laçi
* Austria Lustenau
* Blau-Weiß Linz
* Mouscron
* Naftan Novopolotsk
* Arda Kardzhali
* Chernomorets Balchik
* Krumovgrad
* Maritsa Plovdiv
* Septemvri Sofia
* Pirin Blagoevgrad
* Oriente
* Hvidovre
* Silkeborg
* Chippenham Town
* Havant & Waterlooville
* Weston-super-Mare
* Tallinna JK Legion
* Clermont Foot (from 2022-23 season)
* Waldhof Mannheim (from 2023-24 season)
* Bonner SC
* SSV Reutlingen
* SSV Ulm
* Stuttgarter Kickers
* TSG Balingen
* VfR Garching
* Ballkani (from 2021-22 season)
* Ballymena United
* Dungannon Swifts
* Lisburn Distillery
* Warrenpoint Town
* East Stirlingshire (from 2023-24 season)
* Montrose
* Stenhousemuir (from 2023-24 season)
* Erzurumspor
* Alanyaspor
* Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor

#### Oceania

* Birkenhead United
* Souths United
* Brisbane Strikers

#### Associations and competitions

Uhlsport is the official supplier for the following leagues and associations:
* Série C
* Série D
* NIFL Premiership
* Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara

### Handball
#### Club teams

* HBW Balingen-Weilstetten
* Bergischer HC
* Buxtehuder SV
* TVB Stuttgart
* CSM București (women's)
* Gloria Bistrița (women's)
* Dunărea Brăila (women's)
* Gloria Buzău (women's)
* CSM București
* Alingsås HK
(English: "The uhlsport football brand. Brand positioning in Germany”). 1998

### Volleyball
#### Club teams

* Gaziantep Gençlik Spor