Rocky Brands Signs $3.5 Million Contract to Produce New Safety Boot for US Navy

Samantha McDonald
·2 min read

Rocky Brands Inc. has begun manufacturing shoes for members of the United States Navy.

The Nelsonville, Ohio-based company — parent to the Rocky, Georgia Boot, Durango and Lehigh brands — announced today that it has been awarded a contract worth roughly $3.5 million to produce a new safety boot for the Armed Forces’ maritime service branch.

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It added that deliveries of the new eight-inch naval safety boot — manufactured at its company-owned factory in Puerto Rico — will begin in the third quarter of this year.

“Rocky has been a provider of military footwear for generations, and our relationship with the U.S. military is an integral part of our brand and our heritage,” CEO Jason Brooks said in a statement. “It is an honor every time we are selected to produce reliable, performance-specific footwear for our servicemen and women.”

Rocky’s agreement with the Navy lasts for one year, with the option to extend for an additional two years. It marks the shoemaker’s third active contract with the uniformed service, and it also currently has an active contract to produce footwear for the U.S. Army.

News of the partnership comes two days after Rocky announced the acquisition of Honeywell International Inc.’s performance and lifestyle footwear business for $230 million in cash and debt. The purchase includes The Original Muck Boot Company, as well as the Xtratuf, Servus, Neos and Ranger boot labels. (The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of this year.)

“We’re acquiring a well-run business with a corporate culture and a customer base similar to ours, which provides meaningful growth opportunities within our existing categories as well as an entrée into new market segments,” Brooks added in a statement on Monday about the Honeywell addition to its portfolio.

Rocky is one of a handful of companies to emerge from a pandemic-riddled 2020 in a stronger position than some of its peers. After seeing revenues drop amid the COVID-19-related shutdowns at the beginning of the year, the company reported that net sales rebounded in the third quarter, rising 15.8% to $77.8 million, compared with $67.2 million in the same period in 2019. The increase was driven by gains in both its wholesale and retail divisions, offset slightly by a small dip in its military segment.

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