Sherwood Hockey

Sherwood Hockey, also styled Sher-Wood, is a Canadian ice hockey equipment brand with roots in Sherbrooke, Quebec. It began in 1949 when Léo Paul Drolet founded Sherbrooke Woodcraft Limited, a business whose name helped provide the basis for the later Sher-Wood brand. The company initially concentrated on wooden hockey sticks, and its name combined an abbreviated form of Sherbrooke with the word woodcraft. Sherwood became associated with the traditional Canadian hockey-stick market before expanding into a broader equipment business. In 1961, Drolet established Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks Corp. Ltd. Eight years later, that company merged with Sherbrooke Woodcraft to create Sherwood-Drolet Corp. Ltd. The same year was a major disruption in the company’s history: a fire destroyed its factory in July 1969. Because insurance covered only part of the damage, Drolet was compelled to seek outside investment to finance reconstruction. Control subsequently passed through American corporate ownership. Rowan Industries acquired a majority interest in 1970, but the deaths of four Rowan executives in an aircraft crash shortly after the transaction contributed to a further ownership change. Figgie International of Cleveland then became the principal owner. The Drolet family returned to control during the 1990s. Léo Drolet’s son Denis became president in 1991 and broadened the company beyond sticks into protective equipment. In 1994, Denis and his brother Michel formed Groupe Drolet, which bought Sherwood-Drolet back from Figgie International for approximately $15 million. The group also owned Inglasco, a manufacturer associated with hockey equipment and accessories. This period restored Canadian ownership while positioning Sherwood as a more diversified hockey-equipment supplier. Sherwood-Drolet entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2008. Its assets were acquired by Carpe Diem Growth Capital and reorganized under Sher-Wood Hockey Inc. The new company acquired Inglasco’s assets later that year and also purchased the assets of the TPS Sports Group, the former hockey division of Hillerich & Bradsby. Production was increasingly internationalized, with much of the manufacturing moved from Sherbrooke to Asia in 2011. Before 2014, ownership passed to Callidus Capital. In 2014, Gracious Living Corporation acquired the assets of Sher-Wood Hockey and Inglasco. It reorganized the business into Sherwood Athletics Group Inc., with separate manufacturing and marketing divisions. The brand’s corporate identity changed fundamentally in 2018, when Canadian Tire Corporation acquired all of Sherwood’s trademarks from Gracious Living through INA International Ltd., a subsidiary within Canadian Tire’s sporting-goods structure. Since then, Sherwood has existed primarily as a brand rather than as the independent operating company that manufactured and marketed it during earlier periods. Under Canadian Tire ownership, Sherwood forms part of a broader group of hockey brands that also includes Hespeler and Victoriaville. The brand remains associated principally with hockey sticks and related equipment, while the historical Sherwood-Drolet corporate structure, manufacturing operations, and ownership arrangements are no longer the same as during the Drolet family era.

Sherwood’s history begins in 1949 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where Léo Paul Drolet founded Sherbrooke Woodcraft Limited. The company manufactured wooden hockey sticks, and the later Sher-Wood name was formed from elements associated with Sherbrooke and woodcraft. In 1961, Drolet created Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks Corp. Ltd. The two businesses merged in 1969 as Sherwood-Drolet Corp. Ltd., establishing the corporate structure that carried the brand through much of the following four decades. The 1969 merger was followed by a serious operational crisis. On July 17, a fire destroyed the Sherwood-Drolet factory during the summer shutdown. Insurance covered only about one-third of the damage, forcing Drolet to obtain outside capital. In 1970, Rowan Industries acquired an 80 percent interest. Shortly afterward, a chartered aircraft carrying Rowan executives crashed while returning from the acquisition, killing four company executives, including Rowan’s president and chairman. Figgie International subsequently acquired Rowan’s interest and became Sherwood-Drolet’s principal owner. The Drolet family remained involved in the business and regained control in the 1990s. Denis Drolet succeeded his father as president in 1991. He initiated an expansion beyond sticks into protective equipment, reflecting the company’s attempt to become a full-line hockey supplier. In November 1994, Denis and Michel Drolet established Groupe Drolet, which purchased Sherwood-Drolet from Figgie International in December for approximately $15 million. The group also owned Inglasco, another hockey-related business. Sherwood-Drolet filed for bankruptcy in May 2008. The following month, Carpe Diem Growth Capital purchased the assets and reorganized them under Sher-Wood Hockey Inc. In September, the reorganized company acquired Inglasco’s assets, and in December it acquired the assets of the TPS Sports Group, previously the hockey division of Hillerich & Bradsby. These transactions enlarged the business’s product and asset base, although the company subsequently moved most production away from Sherbrooke to Asia in 2011. Ownership later transferred to Callidus Capital. Gracious Living Corporation acquired the assets of Sher-Wood Hockey and Inglasco in September 2014. It created Sherwood Athletics Group Inc., separating manufacturing into Sher-Wood Hockey (GL) Inc. and marketing and licensing into Sher-Wood Sports Licencing Inc. This structure lasted until Canadian Tire Corporation purchased all Sherwood trademarks in February 2018 through INA International Ltd. INA was part of Canadian Tire’s sporting-goods organization and was headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. The 2018 transaction marked the end of Sherwood as an independently organized operating company in the historical sense. The name continued as a Canadian Tire brand, alongside hockey brands such as Hespeler and Victoriaville. The surviving brand identity remains rooted in hockey sticks, while its earlier corporate history includes family ownership, American control, bankruptcy, multiple asset transactions, internationalized production, and eventual integration into a larger Canadian retail group.

• 2018

  Canadian Tire acquires the trademarks

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Canadian Tire purchased all Sherwood trademarks through INA International, making Sherwood a brand within its hockey portfolio.

• 2014

  Gracious Living reorganizes the business

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Gracious Living acquired the assets and created Sherwood Athletics Group with separate manufacturing and marketing divisions.

• 2011

  Manufacturing is shifted largely to Asia

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  The company moved the majority of its production from Sherbrooke to Asian locations.

• 2008

  Bankruptcy and reorganization

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Sherwood-Drolet filed for bankruptcy, and its assets were acquired and reorganized by Carpe Diem Growth Capital under Sher-Wood Hockey Inc.

• 1994

  The Drolet family reacquires the company

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Groupe Drolet, formed by Denis and Michel Drolet, bought Sherwood-Drolet from Figgie International and restored Canadian family ownership.

• 1991

  Denis Drolet becomes president

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Denis Drolet succeeded his father and began expanding the business from hockey sticks into protective equipment.

• 1970

  Rowan Industries takes a majority stake

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Rowan Industries acquired an 80 percent interest in Sherwood-Drolet to help finance reconstruction after the factory fire.

• 1969

  Sherwood-Drolet is formed and factory fire occurs

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Sherbrooke Woodcraft and Sher-Wood Hockey merged to form Sherwood-Drolet Corp. Ltd.; a factory fire later that year caused extensive damage and precipitated a change in ownership.

• 1961

  Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks is established

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Léo Drolet formed Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks Corp. Ltd. as a dedicated hockey-stick company.

• 1949

  Sherbrooke Woodcraft is founded

  [1]Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org

  Léo Paul Drolet founded Sherbrooke Woodcraft Limited in Sherbrooke, Quebec, beginning the business that later developed the Sher-Wood brand.

A Canadian hockey-equipment brand historically known for wooden sticks and later expanded into protective equipment and broader hockey products.

• Ice hockey sticks · 1949

  Sherwood hockey sticks

  Hockey sticks are Sherwood’s historic core product and the category from which the brand developed its identity. The original Sher-Wood business was established around wooden stick manufacturing. Over time, the brand expanded its stick business within a broader equipment portfolio, while retaining its association with traditional Canadian hockey-stick production.

• Ice hockey protective equipment · 1991

  Sherwood protective equipment

  Protective equipment became part of the company’s strategy during Denis Drolet’s presidency in the early 1990s. This expansion moved Sherwood beyond sticks and toward a fuller hockey-equipment offering. The category formed part of the business’s diversification before its later bankruptcy, asset sales, and integration into Canadian Tire’s brand portfolio.

• Ice hockey apparel and accessories

  Sherwood hockey apparel and accessories

  Sherwood has also been associated with hockey apparel and related equipment and accessories. The available historical material does not establish a complete product catalogue or specific current model range, but these categories reflect the brand’s broader positioning beyond its original stick business.

• 2018

  Sell the Sherwood trademarks to Canadian TireM&A

  Background

  Sherwood had been reorganized several times after the 2008 bankruptcy and was owned by Gracious Living from 2014.

  Action taken

  Canadian Tire Corporation acquired all Sherwood trademarks from Gracious Living through INA International Ltd.

  Aftermath

  Sherwood continued as a brand within Canadian Tire’s group of hockey brands rather than as the independent company that had historically manufactured and marketed it.

  Source

• 2011

  Move most production to AsiaStrategy

  Background

  After the 2008 reorganization, the company reassessed its manufacturing footprint.

  Action taken

  Most production was moved from Sherbrooke to Asian manufacturing locations.

  Aftermath

  Sherwood’s manufacturing became more internationally distributed, while Sherbrooke ceased to be the main production base described in the company’s earlier history.

  Source

• 2008

  Reorganize through a new Sher-Wood Hockey companyOther

  Background

  Sherwood-Drolet filed for bankruptcy in May 2008 after the end of the Groupe Drolet ownership period.

  Action taken

  Carpe Diem Growth Capital acquired the assets and reorganized them under Sher-Wood Hockey Inc.

  Aftermath

  The reorganized company continued the brand and acquired additional hockey-related assets, including Inglasco and TPS Sports Group assets.

  Source

• 1991

  Expand from sticks into protective equipmentStrategy

  Background

  Sherwood had historically been identified primarily with hockey-stick manufacturing. After becoming president, Denis Drolet pursued a broader equipment strategy.

  Action taken

  The company began producing protective equipment in addition to hockey sticks.

  Aftermath

  The move established Sherwood as a more diversified hockey-equipment supplier, although later ownership and restructuring changes substantially altered the business.

  Source

1. 1Sherwood Hockeyen.wikipedia.org