Puma is teaming up with Chinese technology firm Shincell in a partnership to build the next version of its Nitro midsole foam.
The collaboration was unveiled on Wednesday, with both companies agreeing to operate a joint laboratory in Suzhou, China to test new materials, where Shincell is based.
“With Nitro we have the best running technology in the industry and the agreement with Shincell allows us to maintain that edge and make the best even better in future product generations,” Puma vice president of innovation Romain Girard said.
Puma said it believes the first products built from the alliance will show up in its product line in future seasons.
The existing Nitro foam was was introduced as Puma looked to revamp its running shoe lineup and debuted on the first iteration of the Deviate in March 2021 and later with Velocity, Liberate and Eternity models. The foam was constructed for maximum energy return and responsiveness in a light package.
Other models have since used the foam and an upgraded version, the supercritical NitroFoam Elite, underpins Puma’s popular Fast-R3 distance racing shoe. Puma also uses the foam in its training, football, golf, basketball and other footwear.
Shincell was founded in 2019 by Dr. Xiulei Jiang, who is a veteran of physical-gas foaming research and technology and utilizes a sustainable process to create environmentally friendly materials that are also lightweight.
In a method that the company says is purely physical, nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases are combined with foam to produce micro and nano bubbles that form its products.
“This collaboration is a great example showing the value of the technology-focused innovation in the global high-performance sportswear segments,” Jiang said. “We are looking forward to more business success down the road.”
The partnership with Shincell is one of the first signs that Anta has already started to inject its influence at Puma following reports in January that it will acquire 29 percent of the German company.
After months of speculation about Puma’s future amid a turnaround effort to curb slumping sales, a number of suitors were said either be in the running for buying a piece of the brand or launching a takeover bid. Anta was among those mentioned an reportedly offered to buy a controlling share of Puma in December.
Meanwhile, Anta has used Shincell’s foam technology in its performance running shoes since 2021 on the C10 Pro, C202 5 GT and C202 5 GT Pro models and continues to work with the company on its current footwear lineup.
Anta has established itself a sportswear powerhouse in its home market in China but has signature basketball shoes with NBA stars Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson — and is rumored to be actively pursuing Stephen Curry. Last month the brand opened a flagship retail store in Beverly Hills in a push to establish itself in the competitive North America sportswear market.
