History in the Making
It all began in 1975, when Dov Lautman and Eliezer Peleg sat in a small coffee shop in northern Israel and crafted their vision of a “high tech company for men’s underwear” – a dream they would successfully turn into a reality.
The first sewing and fabric factory, one of many to come, was set by the mountains of Galilee, near the growing city of Karmiel, where a mixed community of old and new immigrants from the surrounding area took part in creating what would later become one of the most successful textile manufacturing companies in the world.
1975
1975
-1976
Dov Lautman and Eliezer Peleg founded Delta (later to become Delta Galil Inc.) with two sewing factories, in Karmiel and Nazareth.
1976
-1980
New high-end equipment is purchased and hundreds of factory workers are employed in Israel.
1978
Delta enters popular UK retailer chain Marks & Spencer. Only three years old, the company already reaches $14.5M in sales.
1980
Delta creates its local brand Delta Israel, which will become one of the top ten fashion brands in Israel and opens a chain of local stores selling global surpluses.
1981
A new sock factory opens in Karmiel as Delta continues to strengthen its presence overseas by opening a UK affiliate company for export purposes and expands to France through a licensing deal with Pierre Cardin.
1982
Delta goes public and is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (DELT).
1984
-1985
Delta enters the American market and broadens its activities across the nation within two years time.
1987
Delta develops a Cotton Lycra fabric and adds it to the women’s intimates collections, which become an overnight success.
1988
Sara Lee Corporation, a popular American consumer goods company, buys 25% of Delta’s shares and becomes an official partner.
1993
Delta expands into new territories and shifts manufacturing to low-cost labor countries, while completing its very first company acquisition of Babygro Scotland.
1995
Following the peace accords with Egypt and Jordan, Delta becomes the first Israeli company to open sewing factories in these two neighboring countries.
1995
The company celebrates its 20th birthday with a grand event in the Karmiel stadium hosting Israel’s elite, including the evening’s honorary guest, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister at the time.
1996
As manufacturing in Jordan takes off through a collaboration with CIG, production is also expanded to factories in Turkey and Eastern Europe; meanwhile, back in Israel, Delta acquires elastic-tape factory Sabrigum.
1998
Delta starts production of seamless apparel and expands its bra category; this triples the company’s manufacturing output over the next two years.
1999
As the 90’s come to an end, Delta reaches a sales volume of $355M and recognizes the need to reorganize the business after years of growth. Delta restructures its activity into one business unit and gets ready for its IPO on NASDAQ.
2000
-2001
It’s a new millennium and Delta is focused on expansion, three acquisitions are made in North America. Canadian sock manufacturer Dominion in 2000 and two American companies in 2001 – mass-market underwear manufacturer Wundies and ladies intimate apparel manufacturer Inner-Secrets, which are then merged to form Delta Galil USA.
2003
-2004
The global expansion continues; Delta acquires Auburn Hosiery Mills in 2003, including the company’s Wilson Hosiery license in the US & Europe, followed by the Taga and Yodfat sock licenses in Israel, and the Burlen Corporation in 2004, strengthening Delta’s presence in the US women’s underwear market. Outsourcing to the Middle and Far East continues, with a new factory in China and expanded production in Egypt.
2005
GMM Capital, owned by Isaac Dabah, buys Sara Lee’s shares and becomes the second largest shareholder, with 28.5% shares of the company.
Following its innovative mindset, Delta introduces its flagship patent, Real Cool Cotton™, a groundbreaking fabric that changes the functionality of cotton and brings Delta into the performance fabric category.
2007
After receiving the “Israel Prize”, the most prestigious Israeli lifetime achievement award, and being diagnosed with ALS, founder Dov Lautman sells his controlling shares to GMM Capital.
2007
Earlier that year, a new sock manufacturing mill that will be converted into a green factory, opens in Bulgaria and sales volumes reach an impressive $559M.
2008
A year of growth and big changes: Isaac Dabah steps up as Delta’s new CEO; the Greener Delta plan is introduced as the first GRI report is released; Delta moves its international trading from NASDAQ to OTCQX; the company undergoes a massive re-organization as part of its new growth strategy that will include further acquisitions, strengthening production sites and entering new categories.
2009
Delta starts its strategic acquisition spree: production & marketing rights for the Tommy Hilfiger brand are obtained and Israeli sock company Gibor is bought.
2010
Delta acquires Australian brand Nearly Nude, known for its supporting shaping underwear.
2011
Delta acquires popular American sleepwear company KN Karen Neuburger.
2012
Delta acquires German underwear brand Schiesser AG, taking a big step towards European market growth.
2012
Locally, Delta Israel reaches a total of 150 retail stores across the country and signs singer Ninet Tayeb, Israel’s first “American Idol” winner, as its new representative.
2013
Delta signs several new licensing deals: with Columbia Sportswear to produce a collection of men's & women’s socks; with Perry Ellis International for the right to produce menswear, underwear and sleepwear carrying the Original Penguin brand name, to be sold in North America; and with Lacoste, to design, develop, produce and distribute men’s underwear, sleepwear and loungewear carrying the brand’s name.
2014
In Europe, Delta-owned Schiesser signs a licensing agreement with leading European fashion brand Marc O’Polo to develop, produce and distribute underwear, loungewear and beachwear for men and women, for the European market.
2014
In the Middle and Far East, Delta acquires a dyeing mill in Cairo, buys 50% of a joint-venture sock factory in Turkey, and opens two joint-leadership factories in China, to produce socks and seamless items.
2014
Delta Israel acquires teen underwear brand FIX and enters the sportswear market with Avia.
2015
Delta USA combines its three New York locations into one 48,000 sq. ft. headquarters on Park Avenue. The company continues its strategic expansion as it acquires American sleepwear and loungewear brand P.J. Salvage and signs a licensing deal with popular underwear and leisurewear brand Juicy Couture.
2015
Delta Israel signs an exclusive licensing agreement with PUMA, taking over the brand’s marketing, distribution and retail activities in Israel, including two concept stores and a new online shop.
2016
Delta completes the biggest acquisition deal in company history, buying three top name American brands and opening the DG Premium Brands division: popular premium jeans label Seven for All Mankind, leisurewear brand Splendid, and fashion brand Ella Moss.
2016
Globally, new factories open in Vietnam and Egypt, and Delta Galil headquarters move into its new building in Caesarea.
2017
Delta signs a licensing deal with CK Calvin Klein to develop, produce and distribute underwear, sleepwear and socks for children, including exclusive wholesale rights to market the brand throughout department and specialty stores in North America; and renews its offices in the UK and Switzerland.
2018
Delta signs a licensing deal with men’s underwear brand Ted Baker and acquires the French Eminence Group, adding the Eminence, Athena and Liabel brands to the company’s growing roster and strengthening its presence in the French market.
2019
Delta Galil acquires leading intimate apparel leader the Bogart Group. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Bogart is a vertically integrated global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of fashion bras, and one of the top leading names in intimate apparel, sports and swimwear.
