The Thule brand was established in Sweden in 1942. Thule is a premium brand used globally for a wide assortment of products with a focus on solving the problem of how to bring equipment with you when using a car (roof racks, bike and water sport carriers, roof boxes). There are also other product areas such as accessories for recreational vehicles, trailers for active life (horses, boats, etc), snow chains and luggage.
In 1942, Thule was founded by the Thulin family, when Erik Thulin, a true lover of the outdoors, put the Thule name on a Pike Trap that he designed and began selling to the fisherman of Scandinavia. It wasn't long before he added other practical things to his company's portfolio. Business boomed, gaining profitably year after year.
By the 1960s, the company began to concentrate its business on car-related products, and before long the first roof rack was born. New product categories were added in the '70s and new markets were opened worldwide (e.g. US, Japan).
The Thulin family sold Thule to the publicly listed company Eldon in 1979. It continued to grow both organically and through acquisitions (trailers and rooftop box manufacturing), and Thule has been in growth mode ever since. New markets have been opened, product categories have been launched and several companies have joined.
In 2004, the Thule Group acquired Italian snow chain manufacturer Konig. An ensuing close collaboration resulted in a series of Thule branded snow chains for passenger cars. A year later, in 2005, RV Accessories company Omnistor was added to the Thule Group portfolio and integrated with Thule.
By acquiring towing systems company Brink in 2006, Thule Group added yet another product range to its portfolio. This integration has resulted in a series of towbars and bike carrier solutions.
Since 2007, Case Logic has been part of Thule Group. As a consequence of the collaboration between Thule and business area Carry Solutions, a range of Thule branded luggage, bags and cases was launched in 2010.
1942 – Erik Thulin starts making products for Swedish fishermen. Thule is born
1955 – First Thule product for automobiles: grilles protecting headlamps from small stones
1962 – First ski rack
1964 – Roof rack with basket
1968 – Roof rack Classic 68
1977 – Ski box TB-11, Thule's first roof box
1983 – Carriers for surf boards
1984 – Thule Combibox 250
1992 – Thule's first towbar mounted bike carrier
1997 – Thule becomes the world's largest producer of roof boxes
2002 – Thule Hull-a-Port kayak carrier, top-seller in the US.
2004 – Launch of bestseller Thule 591 ProRide, roof mounted bike carrier
2010 – Thule Crossover luggage and laptop bags
2012 – Thule EasyFit, the world's fastest snow chains
2012 – Thule Pack 'n Pedal bike bags and racks
2013 – Thule Perspektiv camera bags
If you visit the Thule Test Center™, you might get the idea that the brand doesn't like their products. You'd see the look of satisfaction on the engineer who straps twice the recommended maximum weight onto a towbar-mounted bike carrier and pushes the button to simulate it going twice around the world. Or the cheerful smile of the technician who enjoys testing roof racks with extreme heat, cold, UV-radiation, damp and, just for good measure, some pretty nasty chemicals. Or the engineer who likes nothing better than loading a roof box fitted to a sled and then crashing it – that's over 100 crash tests in a year!
SAFETY FIRST
They do all this because they're focused on Thule's number one priority – your safety and the safety of people around you. The product's wear resistance and quality is also important but they take safety to another level with exhaustive and demanding lab tests. So much so that they have developed the Thule Test Program™, including over 25 "Thule standards" that far exceed the current ISO standard.
EXTREME TESTING
At the Thule Test Center™, products go through extreme testing before they can bear the Thule logo. That means testing everything from desert heat, arctic cold, water resistance, drop tests and wind tunnels to tensile, shock and crash tests.
THE WORLD IS THULE LAB
Of course, they take the prototypes and test them in the real world, and try out the functions that will make your equipment safer, easier and more fun to use. When they are finally happy, they know you will be too.
Thule tests the products to the limit and beyond so you don't even have to think about it. After all, you've got an active life to lead. And oh yes, that smile on the face of the engineer? It's pride.
The Thule Group is a world leader in products and brands that make it easy for people to transport their equipment securely, safely and in style. Active people all over the planet, amateurs and professionals alike, use their carefully designed, high-quality solutions to transport equipment to their adventure of choice. Thule's good-looking, highly specialized products make sure the equipment you need to achieve the adrenaline rush you long for or the tranquility you desire arrives securely at its destination. Safely, easily and in style.
The Thule Adventure Team includes multisport athletes Martin Flinta, Eva Nystrom, Jacky Boisset, Myriam "Mimi" Guillot, Andreas Svanebo and Per Vestling. The team, brought together by Thule in 2010, aims to challenge the very best in some of the world's toughest, most extreme adventure races and multisport competitions. The Thule Adventure Team will spare no effort in their goal to become the world's No.1 team. Everyone of them trains meticulously 30-40 hours a week, thereby building world-class stamina and refining techniques in the different disciplines and challenges they face.
The world of multisport and Thule as a company share certain common denominators. This makes the collaboration between the company and this challenging sporting event unique of its kind. A self-evident common denominator is the simple need for smart, carefree transportation of cargo, expensive bikes, winter sport equipment and long kayaks. What's more, in the mutual quest for excellence, they both bring to the table qualities such as endurance, durability and, quite simply, quality. Add to this the more specific characteristics of love for the great outdoor experience, extreme sports of endurance and the ever-present will to be No.1 - and the match between Thule and the world of multisport is a given.
THULE will warranty all THULE brand car rack systems and its accessories manufactured by THULE during the time that an original retail purchaser owns the product. This warranty terminates if a purchaser transfers the product to any other person.
Subject to the limitations and exclusions described in this warranty, THULE will remedy defects in materials or workmanship by repairing or replacing, at its option, a defective product without charge for parts or labor. In addition, THULE may elect, at its option, not to repair or replace a defective product but rather issue to a purchaser a refund equal to the purchase price paid for the product or a credit to be used toward the purchase of a new THULE load carrier system.
No warranty is given for defects caused by normal wear and tear, cosmetic rust, scratches, accidents, unlawful vehicle operation, or modification of, or any types of repair of, a load carrier system other than those authorized by THULE.
No warranty is given for defects resulting from conditions beyond THULE's control including, but not limited to, misuse, overloading, or failure to assemble, mount or use the product in accordance with THULE's written instructions or guidelines included with the product or made available to the purchaser.
No warranty is given for THULE products purchased outside of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR THE ISSUANCE OF A REFUND OR CREDIT (AS DETERMINED BY THULE) IS A PURCHASER'S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY. DAMAGE TO A PURCHASER'S VEHICLE, CARGO AND/OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR PROPERTY IS EXCLUDED.
THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY MADE IN LIEU OF ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THULE'S SOLE LIABILITY TO ANY PURCHASER IS LIMITED TO THE REMEDY SET FORTH ABOVE. IN NO EVENT WILL THULE BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SALES, OR FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE.
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE.
THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.