Editing KEE Action Sports (section)

== History ==

=== Formation in 2006 ===

KEE Action Sports was established following the acquisition and consolidation of two major American paintball equipment distributors.

National Paintball Supply, operated by [[Eugenio Postorivo]], had developed into a major wholesale supplier during the 1990s and early 2000s. Its product portfolio included Empire Paintball and other equipment brands.

Pursuit Marketing Inc., established by [[David Freeman]] and [[Jeffrey Perlmutter]] in 1982, was another established manufacturer and distributor. Its brands included RPS Paintball, Evil and Pure Energy.

On 29 September 2006, an asset purchase agreement was signed for the acquisition of National Paintball Supply.

The transaction closed on or about 17 November 2006, when substantially all of NPS's operating assets were transferred to AJ Intermediate Holdings.

The acquiring organisation established KEE Action Sports Holdings to combine the NPS assets with those of PMI.[1]

The transaction was backed by investment interests associated with Angelo, Gordon & Co.

=== Distribution operations ===

Following the consolidation, KEE Action Sports operated an extensive distribution network supplying commercial paintball fields and retailers.

The company's headquarters were located in Sewell, New Jersey.

Its published company profile identified seven distribution facilities across the United States, alongside operations in Canada and the United Kingdom.[2]

The combined product portfolio included:

* [[Empire Paintball]]
* RPS Paintball
* Invert
* HALO
* Evil
* Pure Energy
* Vents
* Extreme Rage
* Diablo
* Piranha
* PCS

KEE also distributed equipment from independent manufacturers, including [[DYE Precision]], [[Planet Eclipse]] and other paintball suppliers.[2]

=== Acquisition of JT Sports ===

On 8 February 2010, KEE Action Sports announced its acquisition of the assets of JT Sports from Jarden Corporation.

The transaction incorporated three established paintball brands:

* [[JT USA]]
* [[Brass Eagle]]
* ViewLoader

KEE announced that it would immediately assume responsibility for manufacturing and distributing the acquired product ranges.

At the time, George Eurick was president and chief executive officer of KEE Action Sports.[3]

The acquisition significantly expanded the company's portfolio of protective goggles, recreational markers, loaders and other equipment.

=== Smart Parts intellectual property ===

On 30 March 2011, KEE Action Sports announced that it had acquired the intellectual property portfolio of [[Smart Parts]], following the company's bankruptcy.

The acquisition included patents associated with electronic paintball markers and existing technology licensing arrangements.

KEE stated that it intended to continue working with existing licensees and other manufacturers interested in licensing the acquired technology.

The company's president and chief executive officer at the time was John Robinson.[5]

Patent assignment records subsequently documented the transfer of Smart Parts intellectual property to KEE Action Sports.

The acquisition involved intellectual property rather than the continuation of Smart Parts' original manufacturing business.[6]

=== Acquisition of Spyder ===

During 2013, KEE Action Sports acquired assets and intellectual property associated with [[Kingman International]], the manufacturer of Spyder paintball markers.

United States patent records document assignments from Kingman International to KEE Action Sports effective 15 October 2013.

The assignments were formally recorded in March 2014.[7]

The transaction brought the Spyder brand into KEE's portfolio of recreational paintball equipment.

=== Acquisition by GI Sportz ===

On 24 July 2015, [[GI Sportz]] announced that it had acquired KEE Action Sports.

The transaction transferred KEE's established brands and equipment operations into the Canadian paintball manufacturer's wider portfolio.

GI Sportz chairman and chief executive officer [[Richmond Italia]] described the acquisition as part of the company's strategy to consolidate manufacturing, distribution and industry resources.[4]

The acquisition also brought together KEE's established American distribution network with GI Sportz's paintball manufacturing operations.

The KEE businesses were subsequently integrated into the GI Sportz corporate structure.

Following GI Sportz's financial restructuring in 2020, the combined group's operations were transferred to the newly established [[Kore Outdoor]].

Kore continued operating several brands previously associated with KEE, including Empire, JT and Spyder.[8]