uhlsport GmbH
uhlsport GmbH is a privately held German teamsport equipment manufacturer (founded 1948, Balingen) operating the uhlsport, Kempa and Baden brands across football, handball, basketball, wrestling and volleyball, supplying professional clubs, amateur teams and individual athletes through European subsidiaries, international sales, B2B dealer and B2C online channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersBalingen, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What uhlsport GmbH does
uhlsport GmbH is a privately held German sports equipment manufacturer headquartered in Balingen, Baden-Württemberg, founded in 1948. The company operates three core brands — uhlsport (goalkeeper gloves and football teamwear), Kempa (handball, basketball, wrestling and volleyball equipment and apparel), and Baden (basketballs) — and supplies teamsport equipment including gloves, teamwear, footwear, balls and accessories. It serves professional sports teams (e.g., Rhein-Neckar Löwen, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Metz Handball, 1. FC Union Berlin), amateur and recreational clubs, and individual athletes, with notable athlete partnerships including Alphonse Areola, Lukáš Hrádecký, Uwe Gensheimer, Jannik Kohlbacher and Alexander Schwolow.
The company distributes through five wholly-owned European subsidiaries (uhlsportFrance S.A., uhlsport UK, uhlsportScandinavia, uhlsportIbérica S.A., uhlsport BeNeLux), an international team sales function covering the Americas, Middle East, Asia and Australia, a B2B dealer shop, clubshop, and regional sport retailer partnerships (Sport Hartl, PG Teamsport, Klenk Textilarena). It also operates digital customization tooling via CREATOR platforms for textile and flyer design, and offers a sustainable teamwear line under the "For the Planet" initiative using GRS-certified recycled materials (15 PET bottles per jersey). The company reports a workforce of 240 employees across 22 nationalities.
The business model is hardware sales of teamsport equipment across B2B (team sales, dealers, clubs) and B2C (online shops, clubshop) channels. B2B pricing uses transaction-based wholesale with minimum order surcharges (€5 surcharge below €50 EK, free freight above €500 EK). Recent strategic activity has centered on multi-year partnership extensions and federation-level agreements (BBW through 2030, Stuttgarter Kickers +5 years), the marquee Kempa-equipped Metz Handball Champions League 2026 win, and senior-level hiring including CFO and Senior Product Developer in mid-2026. The company is privately held with no disclosed investors or external ownership, and no public revenue figures are available.
uhlsport GmbH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- uhlsport GmbH
- Legal name
- uhlsport GmbH
- Website
- https://uhlsport.group
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- uhlsport GmbH is a privately held German teamsport equipment manufacturer (founded 1948, Balingen) operating the uhlsport, Kempa and Baden brands across football, handball, basketball, wrestling and volleyball, supplying professional clubs, amateur teams and individual athletes through European subsidiaries, international sales, B2B dealer and B2C online channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
uhlsport GmbH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Team Sports Equipment
- NAICS
- Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423910)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE), Team Sports Equipment & Apparel Distribution (CRAOAJAA), Team Sports Protective Gear & Sports Medicine Retail (CRAMAEAJ)
Keywords
Where uhlsport GmbH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Balingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
uhlsport GmbH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Sports Equipment Sales: Sale of teamsport equipment including goalkeeper gloves, teamwear, handball shoes, balls, and accessories through direct sales, retail partners, and online channels
- Teamwear and Apparel: Custom teamwear and apparel sales through CREATOR platforms allowing clubs to customize designs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | B2B dealer pricing with minimum order requirements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
uhlsport GmbH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
uhlsport GmbH manufactures and sells team sports equipment under the uhlsport, Kempa, and Baden brands, including goalkeeper gloves, teamwear, sport-specific shoes, balls, and accessories for football, handball, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. The company supplies professional and amateur clubs as well as individual athletes through regional subsidiaries, B2B dealer channels, brand-owned online shops, and customization tools for team textiles.
Product overview
uhlsport GmbH is a multi-brand sports equipment company operating three core brands: uhlsport (goalkeeper gloves and football teamwear), Kempa (handball, basketball, wrestling, volleyball), and Baden (basketball). The portfolio includes teamwear, footwear, balls, and accessories across multiple team sports. The company offers digital customization tools (CREATOR platforms) for textile design and maintains B2C (Clubshop) and B2B (Dealer Shop) e-commerce platforms. This is a multi-brand product portfolio, not a unified platform architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- uhlsport: Main brand for football and team sports equipment, specializing in goalkeeper gloves and teamwear.
- Kempa
- Baden
Products and services
- uhlsport Goalkeeper Gloves
- uhlsport Teamwear
- Kempa Handball Equipment
- Kempa Basketball Equipment
- Kempa Wrestling Equipment
- Kempa Volleyball Equipment
- Baden Basketballs
- uhlsport B2B Dealer Shop
- uhlsport Clubshop
- Textil CREATOR Customization Tool
Quantifiable outcome
- Metz Handball won Women's Handball Champions League 2026 wearing Kempa equipment
Companies that use uhlsport GmbH
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
uhlsport GmbH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
uhlsport GmbH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Basketballverband Baden-Württemberg (BBW)coreKempa became official equipment partner of Basketballverband Baden-Württemberg (BBW) in a long-term partnership running until end of 2030. Partnership includes equipment for the federation, event support, and attractive offerings for member clubs. PG Teamsport serves as official specialist dealer and contact for BBW and its clubs.
- PG Teamsport (Gailing KG)corePG Teamsport, a company of Gailing KG, handles distribution and customization of Kempa teamwear as official specialist dealer. Gailing KG is one of the leading specialists in textile printing and customization with decades of experience.
- Metz HandballcoreKempa is equipment supplier for Metz Handball, who won Women's Handball Champions League 2026 as the first French women's team ever. This victory represents one of the greatest sporting achievements in Kempa's brand history.
- TSV EhningencoreKempa extended long-term partnership with TSV Ehningen (handball and wrestling). Partnership began in 2019 at German Masters in Ehningen. Includes development of wrestling jersey, recurring team and training equipment, and continuous development of club appearance.
- Stuttgarter Kickerscoreuhlsport and Stuttgarter Kickers extended partnership for another five years. uhlsport remains official outfitter and premium partner. Includes equipment for teams, football academy involvement, and women's football development.
- ESV 1927 Regensburg (Bunkerladies)coreKempa extended partnership with Bayern's only women's handball Bundesliga team (Bunkerladies) for continued equipment supply. Partnership includes sustainable CREATOR jerseys made from recycled materials. Team has been playing in 2. Handball Bundesliga Frauen since five seasons with Kempa.
- Sport HartlcoreSport Hartl is teamsport partner for Bunkerladies, handling distribution and customization. Partnership spans over two decades, with Christian Hartl taking over the sports retail business in 2015. Second-generation family business partnership.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
uhlsport GmbH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- PUMA SE: Major global athletic brand with prominent football, handball, and basketball footwear and teamwear lines. Competes with uhlsport/Kempa across goalkeeper gloves-adjacent footwear and team apparel.
- adidas Team Sports: Global sporting goods incumbent with a large team sports (football, handball, basketball) and teamwear portfolio. Competes across all of uhlsport's categories but at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
- Nike Team Sports: World's largest athletic brand with deep football, basketball, and teamwear sponsorship footprint. Faces uhlsport in goalkeeper gloves and teamwear at the professional and elite amateur tiers.
Direct peers
- Macron S.p.A. Italian team sports brand and kit supplier to football, handball, basketball, and volleyball clubs across Europe. Direct competitor in teamwear, custom kits, and club sponsorship deals.
- Molten Corporation: Japanese ball manufacturer with global presence in basketball, handball, and volleyball. Comparable to the Baden basketball and Kempa ball product lines, especially in federation and competition-grade ball contracts.
- Hummel International: Danish heritage team sports brand specializing in football, handball, and teamwear with strong European league presence. Direct competitor in teamwear, handball shoes, and team kits across the same customer base as uhlsport/Kempa.
- Derbystar (Select Sport subsidiary): European football and handball ball manufacturer marketed similarly to professional and amateur clubs. Direct overlap with Kempa's ball category and team sports club customer base.
- Select Sport: Danish handball and football ball manufacturer with strong European federation presence. Direct competitor to Kempa handballs and team balls across the same club and federation customers.
- JAKO AG: German team sports outfitter offering teamwear, balls, and equipment across football, handball, and basketball. One of the most direct competitors in the DACH team sports market, especially in amateur and club channels.
- ERIMA GmbH: German team sports brand producing teamwear, balls, and equipment for amateur and semi-professional clubs. Comparable product range and channel model, particularly strong in German-speaking markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
uhlsport GmbH social profiles
Digital presenceuhlsport GmbH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
uhlsport GmbH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
uhlsport GmbH subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
uhlsport GmbH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
uhlsport GmbH M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about uhlsport GmbH
What does uhlsport GmbH do?
uhlsport GmbH manufactures and sells team sports equipment under the uhlsport, Kempa, and Baden brands, including goalkeeper gloves, teamwear, sport-specific shoes, balls, and accessories for football, handball, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. The company supplies professional and amateur clubs as well as individual athletes through regional subsidiaries, B2B dealer channels, brand-owned online shops, and customization tools for team textiles.
Is uhlsport GmbH a public or private company?
uhlsport GmbH is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was uhlsport GmbH founded?
uhlsport GmbH was founded in 1948. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is uhlsport GmbH based?
uhlsport GmbH is headquartered in Balingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does uhlsport GmbH make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Sports Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are teamwear and Apparel.
Who are uhlsport GmbH's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are PUMA SE, adidas Team Sports and Nike Team Sports. Direct peers are Macron S.p.A., Molten Corporation, Hummel International, Derbystar (Select Sport subsidiary), Select Sport, JAKO AG and ERIMA GmbH.
Does uhlsport GmbH have an API?
No public API is recorded for uhlsport GmbH.
What industry is uhlsport GmbH in?
uhlsport GmbH's product category is Team Sports Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMABAE, Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail, with a secondary code of CRAAAEAE, Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel. Its NAICS code is 33992 and its SIC code is 3949.