Asics to Move Some Jobs From County : Apparel: Blaming declining sales, running shoe maker also lays off about 12 employees.

Faced with a slowdown in its athletic shoe business, Asics Tiger Corp. said it will move some of its warehouse operations from Fullerton to Memphis, Tenn.

The company also confirmed that it has laid off about a dozen employees at its U.S. headquarters in Fountain Valley and that the general manager of that operation has resigned.

The U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese footwear maker, Asics Tiger said that it will close the footwear portion of its Fullerton warehouse by April 10 to consolidate the operation into a single warehouse. The goal is to reduce overhead costs now that Asics is selling fewer shoes.

About 30 people are employed at the warehouse. An Asics spokeswoman said she is unsure how their jobs will be affected. The warehouse will continue to be a distribution center for Asics apparel.

As part of Asics’ restructuring, Executive Vice President Peter Goehrig resigned after six years at the company. His duties will be assumed by Yoshiyuki Takahashi, president of Asics’ U.S. operations.

His resignation followed the decision to lay off about a dozen workers last week at the headquarters, leaving a work force of about 100.

In a competitive field dominated by Nike and Reebok, Asics Tiger has sought to carve out its place by concentrating on footwear for professional runners and other athletes.

A number of well-known athletes have worn the company’s shoes, and its visibility was heightened further by President Clinton, who wears the GT-II model when he jogs.

Lately, however, Asics has seen its sales shrink as average buyers have moved away from the running shoe look. Though Asics is the nation’s eighth-largest seller of branded athletic footwear, the company saw its sales slip 3.8% to $225 million for 1994. Its market share was 3.3%, compared with front-runner Nike’s 30%, according to Sporting Goods Intelligence in Glen Mills, Penn., a company that tracks sporting goods sales.

“A lot of people have turned to ‘retro’ or outdoor hiking looks,” said Asics spokeswoman Lisa Brama.

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Asics’ Sales Slip

Athletic shoe sales have been climbing steadily, but Asics Tiger Corp. in Fountain Valley has not kept up with the pace. Asics’ sales, in millions of dollars, and share of the market:

Asics’ Sales

1994: $225

Asics’ Market Share

1994: 3.35%

Source: Sporting Goods Intelligence; Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times