"Sustainability is part of the DNA"

ISPO.com: 25 Years of OrthoLite - what are your biggest achievements as a company and what’s to come in the future?

Glenn Barrett: Thanks for that question; it’s a big deal to celebrate a milestone like 25 years. Our global team is our number-one asset, and building a passionate, exemplary team that works every day to serve our near-500 global brand partners and each other through our ever-evolving business is an incredible accomplishment. We are a family, that is for sure. I’m also very proud of the fact that our team has such a strong understanding of our brand partners’ needs and is so committed to supporting our brand partners as they navigate the ever-changing world of global sourcing and supply. That’s what has built this business, and they just keep raising the bar. I’m in awe!

How important are partnerships with costumers for you and your company?

It is literally the heartbeat that drives of our global team to continue to innovate, whether that’s through new product offerings, new manufacturing capabilities in our factories that are located on the five continents where footwear is produced, or in how we work tirelessly to drive sustainability in all we do. It’s all for our brand partners.

What are the benefits from working together with OrthoLite?

OrthoLite founded the performance and comfort insole category and we’re very proud of our commitment to further sustainable footwear since Day 1. We’ve set the bar on customer care and we take great pride in how we serve our brand partners. We like to think of ourselves as guides to help our brand partners successfully grow as they navigate global manufacturing. We also work hard to continue to push our innovations because we know our brand partners rely on us to do just that. When a shoe has an OrthoLite insole, the consumers’ experience is better. Whether that’s about comfort, performance or sustainability, our products elevate the value equation between brand and consumer promise.

You started the new facility in Spain. What’s the reason and how will customers benefit?

We opened our new facility in Almansa, Spain, in the province of Albacete as part of our commitment to owning and refining a vertically integrated global manufacturing footprint. This is absolutely core to the value OrthoLite brings to our brand partners and what they trust us to provide. With our factory in Spain, we now have a hub for our EU-based brand partners and can deliver localized solutions, more capacity, best-in-class sustainable manufacturing processes and speed to market, all of which mitigate the risk they navigate daily in their businesses. From Spain, we can deliver to any point in Europe within two to four days and offer a fantastic level of craftsmanship in all we produce.

Sustainability is important part of your company DNA. How far have you come and what should change in the future?

Sustainability is part of OrthoLite’s DNA and has been since our founding 25 years ago. Because we work with nearly 500 brands and own our own manufacturing capabilities on five continents, we deliver a very unique value proposition to our customers. Our global team is very proud of the fact that our product and our processes enable our brand partners to reach their own sustainable and climate goals. That’s a huge responsibility and one we take seriously. Part of that is continuing to invest in and pioneer new sustainable solutions. Our brand-new circular material, OrthoLite Cirql, was introduced in March of this year to the business community. OrthoLite Cirql replaces conventional foams with a true soil-to-soil solution and sets a brand-new standard for comfort, performance and sustainability for our brand partners.

What is the importance of trade fairs like ISPO? What has changed in the industry connections with the COVID pandemic?

At OrthoLite, it’s our shared view that changes are opportunities to deliver new solutions for our brand partners. Our global team relies on in-person gatherings to build our reach, relevance and impact with the incredible brands we get to serve. We’re happy that trade shows are back and we are here to support our partners as they continue to create a new way forward in this ever-evolving business landscape.