Nike:

Bauer NIKE Hockey outfits the biggest players who showcase their talents on ice. A wholly-owned subsidiary of NIKE, the firm makes hockey equipment including sticks, skates, helmets, protective gear, and apparel under the NIKE and Bauer brand names. Bauer NIKE Hockey sells its products worldwide in more than 9,000 stores in some 35 countries. It's also one of the most widely purchased brands among the National Hockey League and other leagues.

In late 2006 25-year company veteran Mark Duggan was named to head the Nike subsidiary. Duggan's initiative onward is to drive growth at the hockey unit.

The company manages a Bauer Player Advisory Board -- a group of professional players -- that is polled to offer feedback about the company's products and provide direction and inspiration for future ones.

Ralph Lauren:

Restructuring and returning to core competencies are common threads among the biggest operations in apparel making today. This elite group represents some $15 billion in revenue. Sara Lee Corporation takes the cake as the forerunner in aggressive reorganizations within the industry in recent years. The manufacturer, which in 2004 generated more than $19.5 billion (35% of which is from its Sara Lee Branded Apparel division), is restructuring its business operations worldwide from five to three and trimming its apparel businesses to focus on the firm's food, beverage, and household products units. The company, which plans to complete its reorganization by July 2006, sold its $1.8 billion European business and is spinning off its $4.5 billion US-based apparel unit. Sara Lee is the #1 maker of bras in the nation with brands such as Bali, DIM, Just My Size, Hanes, Hanes Her Way, L'eggs, Playtex, and Wonderbra. VF Corporation, with more than $6 billion in revenue for 2004, is another manufacturer that is busy resorting its company after folding quite a few new units into its operations. Within the past two years the firm has been expanding its portfolio by acquiring Nautica, John Varvatos, and hip Vans footwear. It announced in mid-2005 that it is restructuring. VF is the world's #1 jeans maker - just shy of controlling a quarter of the jeans market (thanks to the reach of its largest customer, Wal-Mart) - and boasts brands such as H.I.S., Lee, Riders, Rustler, and Wrangler. Albeit a smaller manufacturing powerhouse than Sara Lee and VF with about $1.9 billion in revenue for 2004, Tommy Hilfiger Corporation (THC) is reorganizing and fine-tuning its operations, as well. Being in the manufacturing and retail end of the industry, THC feels increasing pressure to beat the clock. THC is streamlining its US wholesale unit, which brings in about 75% of the firm's revenue, to speed product time to market. Additionally, the company is laying the foundation, through its restructuring, for a successful launch in 2006 of its Karl Lagerfeld line. This effort is on the heels of THC's disappointing debut in 2004 of the firm's H Hilfiger upscale apparel line. Even the biggest names in apparel with the deepest pockets are still focused on where they can cut. By banking on their brand muscle, streamlining operations through reorganizations, and addressing inefficiencies, the most agile apparel manufacturers will continue to keep customers and stakeholders in stitches.