By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – The world’s leading maker of uniform boots is buying Falcon Shoe, one of the last footwear makers in the Twin Cities.

Hi-Tec Magnum and city officials will make the deal official during a news conference this morning at Falcon’s Continental Mill facilities.

Falcon, founded in 1963, has been on the selling block since last summer. The company’s work force has dwindled from nearly 100 when it was put up for sale to only a couple of dozen employees.

At its peak production, Falcon employed nearly 500 shoemakers and bootmakers, and occupied 120,000 square feet of mill space. It was part of an industry that in the 1950s provided jobs for about 7,000 people locally. In the 1920s, Auburn was considered the shoemaking capital of the world.

Modesto, Calif.-based Hi-Tec Magnum is a subsidiary of Hi-Tec Sports USA, which in turn is owned by Hi-Tec Sports of Britain. With other international subsidiaries, privately owned Hi-Tec distributes clothing, footwear and other goods to more than 70 countries.

On Tuesday, a Hi-Tec company official, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed the company’s intent to take over Falcon.

“This is very good news for the citizens of Lewiston,” said Greg Mitchell, assistant city administrator in charge of development.

Pending today’s news conference, Mitchell wouldn’t name the purchaser but said, “The buyer is in a position to bring in capital to pay for equipment, and is committed to stay in Lewiston.”

Roland Landry, Falcon’s manager, echoed Mitchell’s comment, calling the sale to Hi-Tec “good news” but declining to name the buyer pending today’s news conference.

Iron Age Corp. put Falcon up for sale in August 2004. The New England Business Exchange was named as broker.

Iron Age is a supplier of industrial footwear, a market valued at $800 million. Falcon made about 19 percent of Iron Age’s shoes and boots in fiscal 2003.

Besides Iron Age, Falcon made specialty footwear for companies like Knapp Shoe that wanted a “Made in the USA” label on their products.

Falcon also makes high-quality, high-tech burn-proof boots for firefighters.

When the company was put on the market, it created a buzz within the nation’s footwear industry.

“Falcon has always had a reputation as a good technological facility and a good bootmaker,” Fawn Everson, president of the footwear division of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, said then.

Hi-Tec Magnum’s Stealth boot is marketed as the world’s top-selling footwear for uniformed professionals.

“The Stealth’s quality, construction, lightweight athletic fit and versatility have deemed it an essential piece of equipment for law enforcement, fire-rescue and emergency medical agencies around the world,” reported PoliceOne.com.

The company makes a wide range of other footwear as well, including boots designed for backpackers and hunters.

Hi-Tec in November named a new director of product design and development for its footwear. The company also is known for computer-based innovations aimed at streamlining footwear production.

Business writer Carol Coultas contributed to this report.

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