New Era Cap Co., Inc., the international headwear and apparel brand, announced Thursday it acquired a stake in MARC4, a privately-held fashion brand management company in Brazil. MARC4 designs, distributes and markets apparel, shoes, headwear and other accessories under licensed brands throughout the country, and has been New Era's official distributor in Brazil since 2006.

Through this acquisition, New Era broadens its international product portfolio and strengthens its overall business opportunities in one of the most rapidly expanding Latin American economies. MARC4's main assets are its top licensed relationships (including 20 of the main Brazilian soccer teams), a state-of-the-art product development group, production capabilities, robust distribution channels and effective marketing capabilities, said the firm in a press release.

Christopher H. Koch, CEO of New Era Cap  said the firm is constantly evaluating its business and identifying new opportunities for international growth that make sense for its brand. He noted that Brazil is an emerging market, and MARC4 has the expertise and connections in the country to help it generate strong demand for New Era products.

MARC4 will continue to work with its existing partners and licensed brands in the fashion, action, sports, private label, mass market and retail divisions. With New Era as an active partner, MARC4 will have access to more resources enabling the company to obtain additional licensed brands, expand its already strong distribution channels and grow its retail division, said the firm.

Artur Regen, a partner at MARC4 reiterated that New Era will bring to the table both its financial strength and its best practices in logistics, finance, IT and marketing. This will fuel MARC4's growth and allow it to maintain control and discipline in a high growth environment, he said.

Although details of the acquisition, including share percentage and purchase amount, are not being released, this venture is mutually beneficial for both New Era and MARC4 as it provides strong opportunities for growth on both sides, read the release.

New Era products have been a canvas for consumers to showcase their individuality and personal style for over 90 years. With billions of headwear styles, it's best known for being the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball as well as creating the iconic 59FIFTY fitted cap. New Era continues to be a lifestyle brand of choice not only with their headwear collections, but also accessories and apparel lines for men, women and youth.

24 Dec 2010.