Mammut Sports Group AG

What is Mammut Sports Group AG?
Mammut Sports Group AG is a privately held Swiss outdoor equipment company headquartered in Seon, Aargau, Switzerland. Founded in 1862 by Kaspar Tanner as a rope-making business, it is one of the oldest outdoor brands in the world. The company operates the Mammut brand exclusively, employing approximately 900 people across 9 countries and distributing in 55 markets.

Who owns Mammut Sports Group AG?
Mammut Sports Group AG is currently owned by Jacobs Capital, a London-based private equity firm. In July 2026, Jacobs Capital signed an agreement to sell the company to CPE, a Chinese alternative asset manager, for over EUR 500 million. The transaction is pending regulatory approval. Prior owners include Conzzeta AG (1982 to 2021) and Telemos Capital (2021 to merger with Jacobs Capital).

Is Mammut Sports Group publicly traded?
No. Mammut Sports Group AG is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange. The company was a division of publicly traded Conzzeta AG until 2021, but has been privately held since the sale to Telemos Capital. The pending sale to CPE will maintain its private status.

How old is Mammut Sports Group?
Mammut Sports Group was founded in 1862 by Kaspar Tanner as a rope-making business in Dintikon, Switzerland. The company is over 160 years old, making it one of the oldest continuously operating outdoor brands in the world. The Mammut brand name was introduced in 1943, and the company was renamed Mammut Sports Group AG in 2003.

Where is Mammut Sports Group headquartered?
Mammut Sports Group AG is headquartered in Seon, Aargau, Switzerland. The company moved to Seon in 1992 under Conzzeta's ownership. The headquarters houses design, product development, and innovation functions. CEO Heiko Schaefer has confirmed that the headquarters will remain in Seon following the pending sale to CPE.

What is the CPE acquisition?
In July 2026, Jacobs Capital signed an agreement to sell Mammut Sports Group to CPE, a Chinese alternative asset manager, for over EUR 500 million ($577 million). CPE plans to accelerate Mammut's growth in Asia and North America. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and was expected to close in the coming months as of August 2026. CEO Heiko Schaefer and the existing management team will continue leading the company.

How many employees does Mammut Sports Group have?
Mammut Sports Group employs approximately 900 people across 9 countries. The workforce is distributed across Switzerland, Germany, the United States, Vietnam, France, and other locations. The company operates 70 brand, franchise, and outlet stores globally and distributes products in 55 countries.

Mammut Sports Group AG traces its origins to 1862, when Kaspar Tanner founded a rope-making business in the Swiss village of Dintikon. Tanner had completed a three-year ropemaking apprenticeship and spent several years in Germany before establishing his own operation. The company initially produced ropes for the agricultural sector.

In 1878, the company moved to nearby Lenzburg, where Tanner built a covered ropewalk for all-weather production. His son Oscar joined the business in the 1890s and took over in 1898. The company grew significantly during World War I, when demand for ropes increased. From 1919, the company operated as Seilwarenfabrik AG Lenzburg. Oscar Tanner left the company in 1924.

The Mammut brand name was introduced in 1943, when Seilwarenfabrik AG Lenzburg began marketing its products under the Mammut label. The name derives from the German word for mammoth, symbolizing power and strength. The mammoth logo was adopted at the same time. After World War II, the company shifted focus from agricultural ropes to ropes for mountaineering.

In the 1950s, the company launched its first nylon glacier rope, a significant safety advancement for alpine climbing. In 1969, the company developed the first Barryvox avalanche transceiver with the Swiss Army, establishing itself in avalanche safety equipment. The company was among the first outdoor brands to use Gore-Tex waterproof-breathable material.

The Swiss Heberlein Group acquired the company in 1968 and renamed it Arova Lenzburg AG. In 1982, Heberlein sold the company to Swiss conglomerate Conzzeta AG, which renamed it Arova Mammut AG in 1984. Conzzeta moved the company's headquarters to Seon, Switzerland, in 1992, where it has been based ever since.

In 2003, the company was renamed Mammut Sports Group AG. In the early 2000s, the company acquired Norwegian sleeping bag manufacturer Ajungilak and Swiss mountain boot specialist Raichle, expanding from ropes and hardware into sleeping bags and footwear. The Eiger Extreme collection, launched in the 1990s, became the flagship technical alpine line.

Under Conzzeta's ownership, Mammut generated CHF 218 million (approximately $237 million) in revenue in 2020. In the first half of 2021, before the sale to Telemos Capital, Mammut generated CHF 107.3 million in net sales, a 32.6 percent increase from the prior year period.

In December 2019, Conzzeta announced a transformation strategy to focus solely on its Bystronic sheet metal machinery business. As part of this strategy, Conzzeta sold Mammut to London-based Telemos Capital in June 2021 for an enterprise value of CHF 230 million (approximately EUR 210 million). The sale included an earn-out structure of up to CHF 45 million and a vendor loan of CHF 60 million.

Telemos Capital later merged with Jacobs Holding to form Jacobs Capital. Under Jacobs Capital's ownership, Mammut achieved double-digit compound annual revenue growth. Revenues outside Europe grew to over 50 percent of total sales, and EBITDA margins more than doubled compared to 2021 levels. The company invested in supply chain capabilities, digital channels, brand building, and talent.

In 2016, Mammut closed its rope production in Seon due to the strong Swiss franc and high production costs. The rope manufacturing facilities were sold to Austrian company Teufelberger, which continues to produce Mammut ropes under license.

In July 2026, Jacobs Capital signed an agreement to sell Mammut Sports Group to CPE, a Chinese alternative asset manager. The transaction value exceeded EUR 500 million ($577 million), according to people familiar with the matter. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and was expected to close in the coming months as of August 2026. CPE plans to leverage its local knowledge to expand Mammut's network of over 100 stores in China and accelerate growth in North America through a partnership with Seattle-based Waypoint Outdoor.

Mammut has published responsibility reports since 2002, making it one of the earlier outdoor companies to commit to sustainability reporting. The company's WE CARE responsibility strategy covers supply chain transparency, material sourcing, and production standards.

Mammut is a signatory to the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action and has committed to cutting CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2030, with a net-zero target by 2050. The company's 2025 Responsibility Report covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2025, with comparable year-on-year data from 2023 and 2024.

The Together for Glaciers initiative raises awareness about glacial retreat through social media, connecting the brand's alpine heritage with climate advocacy. The campaign encourages customers to share images of disappearing glaciers under the hashtag #TogetherForGlaciers.

Mammut's supply chain monitoring includes a supplier onboarding process that assesses compliance with minimum standards. In 2025, the company onboarded 9 suppliers with 25 factories, primarily for brand collaborations and licensees. Production is concentrated in Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, and Indonesia, with additional manufacturing in China. The company expanded production in these countries in 2025 and began producing children's products in China.

• ISPO Awards: Mammut products have received multiple ISPO awards for innovation in outdoor apparel and equipment design.
• Red Dot Design Awards: Selected Mammut products have been recognized for design quality and innovation.
• UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action: Mammut is a signatory, committing to emissions reduction targets by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.

The 2016 closure of rope production in Seon drew criticism in Switzerland, where the loss of domestic manufacturing was seen as a consequence of the strong Swiss franc. The company stated that high production costs made domestic rope manufacturing economically unviable. The facilities were sold to Teufelberger, an Austrian company that continues to produce Mammut ropes under license.

The pending sale to CPE, a Chinese asset manager, has raised questions about whether Mammut's Swiss heritage and quality standards will be maintained under Chinese ownership. CEO Heiko Schaefer has stated that headquarters and core innovation functions will remain in Seon, and the existing management team will continue leading the company. The transaction follows a pattern of Chinese investments in Western outdoor brands, including Anta Sports' ownership position in Amer Sports (Arc'teryx, Salomon).

Mammut has issued periodic product safety recalls, primarily related to climbing hardware and avalanche safety equipment. Given the safety-critical nature of these products, the company maintains rigorous testing and quality control processes. Recalls are managed through cooperation with safety authorities in European and international markets.