FinTrade Sherpa, Inc.

FinTrade Sherpa, Inc. manufactures (through independent contract manufacturers) and distributes in-line roller skates, ice skates, ice hockey sticks and equipment, and related accessory products. The company was incorporated under Minnesota law in May 1986. FinTrade Sherpa, Inc. operates in a single industry segment: the manufacture and distribution of sporting and athletic goods. The company's principal products include in-line roller skates and ice hockey sticks, marketed under the ULTRAWHEELS®, SKATE ATTACK®, and HESPELER® brand names. FinTrade Sherpa, Inc. also supplies in-line roller skates under various third-party labels. UltraWheels brand skates are sold to specialty and chain sporting goods dealers, while Skate Attack products are produced for the mass merchant market. The Hespeler brand is marketed primarily to specialty and sporting goods chain store customers. FinTrade Sherpa, Inc.'s in-line roller skates feature a boot made from either soft mesh and leather with internal supports or molded plastic. The frame is either integrated into the boot or riveted to its bottom, and high-density polyurethane wheels are mounted on ball bearings. The company has wholly owned subsidiaries including Hespeler Hockey Company, a Nova Scotia, Canada unlimited liability company, and Hespeler Hockey Holding, Inc., a Minnesota company. During February 2001, the company closed its European office and legally dissolved First Team Sports GmbH, an Austrian company, to reduce costs.