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Golf is surging at the moment, and that goes well beyond the course. New and returning golfers are buying equipment at a breakneck pace, which has caused many of the sport’s biggest brands to expand in specific areas to keep up with the ever-growing global demand.
With its worldwide golf ball market share increasing, TaylorMade made a strategic acquisition on Wednesday with the purchase of Korean-based Nassau Golf Co. Ltd for an undisclosed amount.
Nassau has been a key cog in TaylorMade’s ball supply chain for 15-plus years, making urethane and ionomer balls, as well as mantles for the TP5 and TP5x facility in South Carolina.
With Nassau in the fold, TaylorMade announced the creation of TM Golf Ball Korea, the company’s “third vertical integration” to go along with TM Golf Ball South Carolina and TM Golf Ball Taiwan. (TM Golf Ball Taiwan was formed in 2019 after TaylorMade acquired Foremost Golf Co. Ltd.)
The addition of Nassau allows TaylorMade to meet the global increase in demand for all of its ball products, including TP5/TP5x, Tour Response and Distance+.
“This acquisition further supports TaylorMade’s strategic plan to create vertical integration in the company’s golf ball supply chain,” said David Abeles, TaylorMade’s CEO. “TM Golf Ball Korea now joins TM Golf Ball Taiwan and TM Golf Ball South Carolina to service the global demand requirements for our rapidly growing golf ball business.”
TaylorMade’s deal for Nassau comes six months after financial sponsor KPS Capital Partners signed a definitive agreement to sell the equipment company to Centroid Investment Partners, a Korea-based private equity firm.
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