The Program is moving to Vermont

Burton announced today it had begun transitioning The Program from its Irvine, CA offices to Burton’s Vermont headquarters. The move is being touted as an opportunity for The Program’s brands, Forum, Special Blend, and Foursquare, to capitalize on their parent company’s resources, reduce overhead, and focus on core competencies during the current recession.

In the press release, Burton states that the brands’ athlete teams will remain intact and that retailers will benefit from the move through efficiency based price reductions and shortened delivery times.

Stay tuned to Transworld Business for further details.

Here’s the press release:

Irvine, Calif. (December 5, 2008)—The Program, which includes snowboard brands Forum, Special Blend and Foursquare, today announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters to Burlington, Vermont where parent company Burton Snowboards is based. The transition will be complete by early February and will allow The Program to invest more in developing great products and marketing while reducing overhead costs, which is critical during challenging economic periods.

“In tough times like these, we need to be very strategic and efficient so we can continue to invest in our core strengths like product development and marketing, and this move allows us to do just that,” says The Program General Manager Sam Paschel. “In Burlington, The Program will benefit from over 30 years of Burton’s product development, sales and operations expertise while enjoying easy access to Burton’s shared services. And it will be great to have the company close to the mountains where we can easily test product on snow.”

Retailers and riders will also benefit from the move as The Program will operate more efficiently when it is next door to Burton Headquarters. Ultimately, the move will result in better product at a better price and improved product delivery times.

There are no plans to change the distinct personality of the Program brands, and marketing functions will remain separate from Burton. The current Forum, Special Blend and Foursquare pro snowboarders will stay the same, and Program Team Management staff will remain in Southern California.