Volcom

History

1991–1995: Origins

Volcom was founded in 1991 by Richard "Wooly" Woolcott and Tucker "T-Dawg" Hall, who based the ethos of the company on their own experiences with boardsports. In March 1991, the two friends went on a snowboarding trip to Tahoe, U.S., and afterward, they decided to start a clothing company.

Chet Thomas was the first professional skateboarder to be sponsored by the brand. In 1995, Volcom was the first action sports company to create a record label, Volcom Entertainment.

1995–2011: IPO, Kering and ABG acquisitions

In April 2005, the company adopted its current name, "Volcom, Inc." Volcom became a publicly traded entity on June 29, 2005, when Wachovia Securities, D.A. Davidson and Piper Jaffray underwrote an initial public offering on NASDAQ. They priced 4.69 million shares at US$19 a share, raising a total of US$89 million.

In early 2008, Volcom made its first acquisition, taking ownership of Electric Visual Evolution LLC for US$25.3 million. In early 2016, Eric Crane acquired the brand from Volcom for an undisclosed amount.

On May 2, 2011, PPR (turned Kering in 2013) launched a friendly takeover offer to buy Volcom Inc. for US$24.50 a share, valuing the company at US$608 million. Volcom's board unanimously backed the PPR offer, and shareholders were advised to tender their shares to the French company.

Since the takeover, Kering has sought to expand and diversify the Volcom brand. The support from Kering allowed Volcom to launch its first ever closed-toe footwear line in July 2013.

On April 3, 2019, Authentic Brands Group had announced it acquired Volcom from Kering.

2013 Volcom Pipe Pro Event

The 2013 Volcom Pipe Pro surf competition that took place between January 27 and February 7, 2013, has been designated as a Deep Blue Surfing Event as it completed the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) Green Guidelines Recommendations. The event strove to reduce the environmental impacts of a professional surfing contest and to provide social benefits for the local community.

Volcom's first retail store was opened on November 23, 2002, in Los Angeles. Since then, seven more Volcom stores have opened in the United States, and six more in Canada.

Outside America, Volcom has numerous international retail stores including locations in Barcelona, Spain; Hossegor, Bordeaux, and Paris, France; two locations in Bali, Indonesia; Tokyo, Japan; Durban and Pretoria, South Africa; Bangkok, Thailand; London and Falmouth, England; Melbourne, Australia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; Lima, Perú; São Paulo, Brazil; Isla de Margarita, Venezuela; Lisbon, Portugal; Stuttgart, Germany; Davos, Switzerland, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Fort McMurray, Canada, Costa Rica; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Guam.

On February 2, 2025, Liberated Brands, owner of Volcom retail stores in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing assets and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million. The company announced the closure of all remaining Volcom locations in the US, with liquidation sales beginning a week before the bankruptcy.