Athletes giving gold medal to Kildeer clothing designer
A line of athletic apparel designed for the serious athlete is gaining strength in the market.
Peter Durment of Kildeer is the power behind a line of clothing designed to absorb sweat from the body with an innovative "wicking" fabric. "Athletes perform better when their body is at the right temperature," Durment said, adding that the shirts absorb moisture.
The suburban entrepreneur has worked to develop the technology to create a bi-layer fabric featuring Transpor yarns that wick moisture from the athlete's skin one-way only - to the outside layer of the fabric, which evenly distributes and quickly evaporates the moisture.
Durment bought the technology and assets a while back from a Canadian performance wear line that was going out of business. About two years ago he launched DryWear Apparel and has been working on adding product lines and finding marketing partners.
Durment, president of DryWear Apparel, defeated two major companies when he gained an exclusive licensing agreement with Hammer Strength, a Life Fitness brand. Life Fitness, based in Rosemont, is a global leader in commercial fitness equipment manufacturing. Hammer Strength, a registered trademark of Brunswick Corp., is a well known line in the weight lifting industry. "Consumers familiar with the Hammer Strength brand are serious athletes that train like professionals," Durment said.
In addition to the elite athlete, Hammer Strength Apparel is designed for anyone wanting moisture management such as firefighters, police officers and the military.
Durment is now working to bring the American-made clothing line to other markets, including obstacle course racing, which is a sport that's growing quickly. Obstacle racing is just what it sounds like - running through a course filled with walls to scale, rope courses, barbed-wire barriers over mud pits and various tasks, such as dragging industrial truck tires, jumping over a fire pit, chopping wood or throwing a spear.
"I did research and this is virgin territory when it comes to apparel," Durment said. In addition to the shirts, he is adding a line of pants, sports bras and compression shorts. Along with the obstacle course racing, he is working with the Ultimate Ninja Athletic Association. He said he has been named the title sponsor of the The Hammer Strength Apparel Ultimate Ninja 2015-16 series.
When it comes to the sales strategy, the shirts, ranging in price from $46 to $56, have a strong online presence at www.hammerstrengthapparel.com. He also sells the line to training facilities, including LeSeur in Barrington. He works with high schools and colleges and has found heavy interest with hockey and football players as well with the boxing industry.
Prior to launching the business, Durment was in low-voltage telecommunications distribution.
He has several people working with him including his wife, Sheryl, who serves as CFO; Gary StCin, a financial partner and Theresa Yankoe, creative director.
Durment said that young, serious athletes like the new Hammer Strength brand. "It's akin to Harley Davidson but in apparel," he said, adding "Like the athletes that wear it, it's rugged, determined and takes no shortcuts."
Flying high for 60 years
AAR based in Wood Dale is celebrating 60 years in the aviation industry. In 1955, AAR's founder Ira A. Eichner incorporated his startup aircraft radio and equipment supply business in Chicago.
What began as a one-man operation is now an industry-leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines, OEMs and governments around the world, with global headquarters located near O'Hare International Airport and more than 5,000 employees in 20 countries.
Much of the company's strength and stability is related to consistent leadership with only two CEOs since the company's inception: Eichner and his successor, David P. Storch.
AAR's parts supply business, which expanded internationally in 1965, now maintains one of the industry's most extensive inventories of airframe and engine parts worldwide.
AAR also pioneered the development of a supply chain business that offers custom solutions ranging from individual components to integrated ratable and consumable inventory and repair management programs. It is one of the largest providers of power-by-the-hour component support with more than 700 aircraft under contract.
New ownership
The ownership of The Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge is transitioning to Capitol Seniors Housing, a senior living investment firm based in Washington, D.C., according to Marc Dennison, current owner of the family-owned and operated senior living community. "We are excited about what this means for Summit residents, their families, our staff and the community," Dennison said.
CSH uses The Arbor Company based in Atlanta, Georgia, to manage properties which will include The Summit. Arbor's President, Judd Harper, pledges the new management company will remain committed to providing high quality and comprehensive services to Summit residents as they do in all their communities across the United States.
The first immediate change is that the new owners will invest additional resources to update and complete the extensive renovation of The Summit which was started several years ago.
The Arbor Company is an Atlanta-based operator of more than 25 independent living, assisted living and memory care communities, serving seniors and their families in 10 states. With 30 years of dedication, The Arbor Company is recognized as one of the most progressive operators in the industry, and intently focused on delivering the best care and service possible.