Totes Isotoner Corp., best known for its rainwear, has acquired outdoor activity glove manufacturer Manzella Productions for an undisclosed amount.

Manzella (www.manzella.com), will become Manzella Products, a division within Totes Isotoner, said President and CEO Tony Manzella, who will stay on as the new division’s general manager.

The acquisition, which was completed Sept. 1, 2011 and officially announced Oct. 28, 2011, of the Buffalo, N.Y.-based company was “an opportunity for Manzella (the company) to be able to look forward confidently to the future,” Manzella told SNEWS. “It’s an opportunity for us to ensure that we could grow at the pace we are growing at today.”

Manzella employs about 40 people and Manzella said top executives will stay on with the company but, could not say if there would be reductions or additions to other staff.

“That’s all to be determined,” Manzella told SNEWS. “There will be an integration plan announced sometime in the future.”

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Totes Isotoner owns the Totes and Isotoner brands, which merged in 1997. In addition, it acquired Acorn, a slipper and comfort footwear company, in January 2011. The addition of Manzella Products is a good addition to the corporation, said its President and CEO Doug Gernert. 

“Manzella is an excellent fit for our Outdoor Products category,” Gernert said in a statement. “Their range of products, creative designs and attention to product quality and customer service provides a great complement to our current business. We welcome Manzella to Totes Isotoner and look forward to our mutual growth in the years ahead.”

Totes Isotoner (www.totes-isotoner.com), which is owned by private equity firm MidOcean Partners, has more than 1,200 employees throughout offices in New York, Minneapolis, Maine, Toronto, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Manila.

Manzella has a 25-year history of producing form-fitting gloves for outdoor activities such as running, hunting, archery and skiing.

“I know we’re not a big player in the industry but it’s nice to have an association from (a corporation) like Totes Isotoner,” Manzella said. “We’re learning a lot from them and they’re learning a lot from us. We feel really good about the added resource to help us continue.”

–Ana Trujillo