LaCrosse Footwear reports a 32 percent increase in sales to $34.2 million for the first quarter ended March 27. Net income was $1.7 million against a loss of $692,000 last year. Sales of outdoor products grew by 15 percent to $7.9 million, thanks to a stronger retail environment and cold weather. Work boot sales, driven by U.S. government demand, rose by 38 percent to $26.3 million. Gross margins expanded by 2.3 percentage points to 40.2 percent on improved manufacturing efficiencies at its U.S. factory. LaCrosse expects to significantly increase its capacity to meet demand after it moves into its new Danner factory in Portland, Oregon, in the third quarter of this year.
