In Pictures
American footwear and apparel company Wolverine Worldwide, which includes brands Merrell, Saucony and Sweaty Betty, has unveiled a major renovation to its global headquarters in Rockford, Michigan.
The upgrade to its headquarters is part of the company’s continued efforts to “modernise facilities, centralise core business operations, and attract and retain top-tier talent” by creating new spaces for innovation and collaboration to advance team and culture development.
Chris Hufnagel, president and chief executive officer of Wolverine Worldwide, said in a statement: “Our company is driven by a new vision to Make. Every Day. Better. – for our team, customers, consumers, shareholders, and community.
“We believe that to create amazing, thoughtful, trend-right, innovative products and experiences that improve our consumers’ lives and drive growth, we must provide our team members with great environments to work and win together.”
The centrepiece of the project is a top-to-bottom renovation of 40,000 square feet of space to house the company’s two biggest brands, outdoor clothing and footwear brand Merrell and sneaker brand Saucony, which the company recently relocated to Rockford from Boston.
Wolverine Worldwide modernises its headquarters aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration
Originally constructed in 1963, the space served as a footwear factory for several decades before transitioning to dedicated office space in the 1990s. Now known as ‘The Factory,’ it features exposed structures and concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, 224 individual workstations, dedicated product and marketing rooms for each brand, 31 collaboration and meeting rooms, a café, and state-of-the-art technology for product design, marketing, and global collaboration.
‘The Factory’ is the latest improvement to Wolverine Worldwide’s 300,000-square-foot global headquarters. Additional on-site amenities for staff include subsidised daycare and early education centre for children six weeks old to five years old, a fitness centre, including personal training and group classes taught by certified personal trainers, four miles of on-campus hiking and nature trails, an on-site subsidised cafeteria, and dog daycare.
Hufnagel added: We’re proud to have been founded 142 years ago here in West Michigan, and to still call Rockford our hometown today. ‘The Factory’ further demonstrates our commitment to both growing our business and deepening our roots in this community.”
The company added that the renovation project is supported by a 1 million US dollar Michigan Business Development Programme grant in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Center (MEDC) and The Right Place, Inc.
Matt McCauley, senior vice president of regional development at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said: “Today’s investment announcement by Wolverine Worldwide further advances the state’s outdoor recreation industry heritage. This announcement further proves Team Michigan’s successful execution of the ‘Make it in Michigan’ economic development strategy, focusing on People, Places and Projects.
“The company could have chosen to expand anywhere in the country, or world for that matter, and we remain thankful for their commitment to Michigan and the talented workforce in West Michigan.”
The renovation unveiling follows Wolverine Worldwide’s positive financial results for the first quarter of 2025, showcasing a turnaround driven by strong performance from Merrell and Saucony, both of which posted double-digit growth.
For Q1 2025, the company posted a 4.4 percent year-over-year increase in total revenue, reaching 412.3 million dollars, with ongoing business revenue up 5.5 percent to 412.3 million dollars. This growth was primarily fuelled by Merrell and Saucony, which saw revenue increases of 13.2 percent and 29.6 percent, respectively.
Looking ahead, Wolverine Worldwide anticipates second-quarter revenue between 440 million dollars and 450 million dollars, representing a 3.7 percent to 6 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.