Canada Cycle and Motor era, 1905–1982
CCM was founded in 1899 after the collapse of the bicycle market. Established "when the operations of four major Canadian bicycle manufacturers amalgamated: H. A. Lozier, Massey-Harris, Goold, and Welland Vale Manufacturing."[1] CCM produced bicycles for many years in the area of Weston, Toronto, Ontario. They also briefly produced the Russell automobile.
By 1905, with saturation in the bicycle market, CCM began producing hockey skates using scrap steel that was left over at the plant from the manufacture of bicycles and automobiles,[2] and subsequently began manufacturing other hockey gear.[3]
In 1937, CCM acquired the Tackaberry brand made by a Manitoban named George Tackaberry. "Tacks" remained the company's signature skate until late 2006, when the Tacks line was replaced with the "Vector" line, then the "U+" line, and "RBZ" line, now the "Jetspeed" line. The "Tacks" line was later reintroduced in 2014.
Sport Maska era, 1983–present
CCM Inc. went bankrupt in 1982, and in January 1983 the company was sold in two parts. The bicycle division was sold to Pro-Cycle Inc. of St. Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec, while the hockey division was sold to Sport Maska Inc., also of Quebec.[4] Sport Maska been founded by Gérard Cóté in 1936 as G. C. Knitting Inc. In 1976, David Zunenshine (1929–2013) purchased the company and in 1979 renamed it after the Seigneurie de Maska.
The company entered the toy industry in 1988 through the acquisition of Coleco Industries and in 1990 when they acquired another financially troubled company, Buddy L Corp., a 70-year-old manufacturer of steel and plastic toy cars and trucks based in the United States.[5]
SLM/The Hockey Company ownership, 1991–2004
In 1991, Zunenshine created a Delaware holding company to consolidate his portfolio of businesses. The company was called SLM International Inc., an acronym for St. Lawrence Manufacturing.[5]
SLM/The Hockey Company ownership, 1991–2004
In 1991, Zunenshine created a Delaware holding company to consolidate his portfolio of businesses. The company was called SLM International Inc., an acronym for St. Lawrence Manufacturing.[5] SLM purchased Kevin Sports Toys International Inc. (the maker of the Wayne Gretzky NHL hockey game), Norca Industries Inc. (a plastic toy manufacturer of such products as swimming pools, sleds, and sandboxes), and Innova-Dex Sports Inc. of Montreal (a bicycle helmet manufacturer).[5]
SLM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1995, selling off Buddy L and the SLM Fitness equipment business.[5] The company emerged from bankruptcy protection in 1997 and reorganized.[5] The company acquired Montreal-based Sports Holdings, Inc. in 1998, and became the world's top producer of hockey merchandise[5] adding the brands Koho, Titan
Reebok and Adidas ownership, 2004–2017
In June 2004, Reebok purchased The Hockey Company.[6] All brands other than the CCM brand were retired and Reebok introduced its own RBK Hockey gear, later to be rebranded as Reebok Hockey.[7] Reebok in turn was acquired by Adidas in 2005.
In the fall of 2013, Adidas created a new goaltending equipment line under the CCM brand name.[8] Beginning in 2015, Adidas began phasing out the Reebok name from their hockey equipment lines, by creating equivalent or similar product lines under the CCM name.
Birch Hill ownership, 2017–2024
In 2017, Adidas sold its hockey operations, where were held by Sport Maska Inc., to a Canadian private equity firm, Birch Hill Equity Partners, for around $100 million.[9] In 2018 CCM hired a new CEO, Rick Blackshaw. Blackshaw told the media that "We have some nice momentum. We're seeking to make investment in product and product innovation and the brand.[10]
Altor ownership, 2024–present
In October 2024, Altor Equity Partners of Stockholm purchased a majority share in Sport Maska from Birch Hill. In January 2025, Northleaf Capital Partners of Toronto had acquired the minority share in the company.
