Saucony, which is celebrating its 125^th anniversary this year, is launching the Endorphin Elite on Feb. 21 ahead of marathon season. The brand says the shoe is the lightest, fastest and most energy efficient shoe it has ever made. Athletes collaborated with the Wolverine Worldwide-owned company to help create the pinnacle shoe that is designed to maximize energy return. The $275 suggested retail running shoe, available in men’s and women’s versions, utilizes the brand’s new rebound foam, PWRRUN HG, and a fork-shaped carbon plate. The lightweight upper of the shoe combines knitted and mesh materials for a next-to-skin feel, and a midfoot webbing system delivers a secure fit.

New running footwear brand Vimazi — whose shoes are designed for runners based on how fast they run — added two new agencies to its sales team. Justin Hamborsky, principal rep for REPresents.fun, will cover the Pacific Northwest territory. Stan Brajer, principal rep for NJ Athletic Co., will cover New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. The first four models of Vimazi’s new pace-tuned running shoes are set to begin shipping this week. 

Insole brand Tread Labs announced it has expanded its sales team and doubled the size of its headquarters to accommodate growth created by wholesale demand for its insole collection. The brand’s new HQ is located at 4H Gill St. in Woburn, MA. Tread Labs now has sales representation in the Rocky Mountains, southeast, midwest, northwest, and south central regions and is looking to add capacity in the northeast and on the west coast. For information on the open positions, visit treadlabs.com/pages/join-the-tread-labs-team.

Under Armour, slated to report year-end results on Feb. 8 and welcome Stephanie Linnartz as its new president and CEO on Feb. 27, has named two new board members. They are Carolyn Everson, a former Instacart president and Meta executive, and Patrick Whitesell, Executive Chairman of Endeavor Group Holdings, a global sport, and entertainment company. Meanwhile, board member Harvey Sanders will retire on March 31.  

World Footwear, an initiative of the Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather-Goods Manufacturers’ Association, citing responses from its recent Business Conditions Survey, says footwear consumption in 2023 will likely rise in North America and other continents, but decline in Europe. North American footwear unit consumption is projected to rise by 5 percent in 2023, followed by a 4 percent increase in Africa, 3 percent unit jump in Asia and 1 percent gain in South America. Footwear consumption in Europe is anticipated to fall by 2 percent or 56 million pairs this year.