Haglöfs' global business plan providing double-digit growth – strong performances in Asia and in Footwear
The Haglöfs journey continues with unrelenting force. This is a journey that is supported by the vision of being the leading brand in Technical Outdoor and Sustainability. It is also a journey of many different adventures – several already experienced and many others ahead. With a stronger base in terms of more markets, new products and new product segments, as well as a growing organization, it is now time to say: Base camp established – the adventure continues.
The last two or three years have been a challenging and exciting time for Haglöfs. We have established the brand in new countries and set up distribution in a large number of new stores. We have established a new retail concept with our own stores, outlets and new partnerships. We have restructured a large part of the organization, welcomed many new employees and received a new owner in Asics.
We have done all this – and much more – without losing focus on Haglöfs’ vision of becoming the leading brand in Technical Outdoor and Sustainability in all the important markets in the world. We have done it without losing focus on our offering and our promise to customers and users. And we have done it with profitable growth in a market affected by a long, and in many cases, deep recession. All these things make me proud.
Haglöfs in 2012
Haglöfs' year-end accounts showed that sales for 2012 had increased from SEK 626.1 to 690.3 million. That is an increase of over ten percent. After adjustment for currency effects, the increase was more than 12 percent. Our biggest successes were in the UK, Japan and Sweden, where Haglöfs outperformed the market in terms of growth, sometimes by a large margin. We were also able to see the result of our establishment in new Asian markets, which rose from five to ten percent of our total sales.
Hard work brings results
Haglöfs has invested much time and money in our growth and development in recent years. It is therefore heartening to see that our work is paying off. In addition to our growth during the past year, which in itself is good news, we have also received a number of awards and accolades that show that we are on the right track. Everything has been made possible by our hard-working and dedicated employees. Today Haglöfs has a really good combination of long-serving employees, with all that means in terms of knowledge, tradition and experience, and new employees who have brought vital expertise in several areas.
In everything we have done in recent years, the area on which we have placed the greatest focus is Haglöfs’ offering – our products. We have developed a new platform for our product development and design which is common to all product areas and provides a link between what we want our products to express and our core values. We have reviewed the entire range and our new design team has worked with everyone involved in product development to conduct a number of successful projects. Haglöfs’ new generation of insulated shell garments with high performance fabrics, down and synthetic insulation that was launched in fall 2013 and the new Base Camp product segment, scheduled for launch in spring 2014, are two good examples.
We have also involved Haglöfs’ friends much more closely in our product development to enable us to share their professional experiences and knowledge at an earlier stage. Another factor is the close collaboration with Asics in Footwear, which has resulted in Haglöfs becoming a world-class supplier of outdoor footwear.
Haglöfs' sustainability work
In simple terms, sustainability is about taking responsibility. It means being aware that your actions affect people, society and the environment. Last year, Haglöfs became a member of Fair Wear Foundation, and, together with our bluesign® membership, this is a guarantee of our responsibility throughout the supply chain.
When compiling the final results of Haglöfs’ previous sustainability work this spring, we were able to report that Haglöfs had achieved all the defined product targets. This encouraged us to formulate new and more demanding sustainability targets for the period up to 2015. With the 2014 spring/summer collection, which contains more bluesign® products and more recycled material than ever before, and the decision to replace all antibacterial treatment with a bluesign® approved anti-odor treatment in the form of LAVA™, we are taking another few steps towards the new targets and our vision.
100 years of adventure
Haglöfs is 100 next year. The journey from small-scale backpack manufacturing in Dalarna to where we are today has been filled with adventures. As you would expect, much has changed in relation to how it was when everything started, but a lot is still the same. Wiktor Haglöf laid the foundation for our core values in 1914 by providing backpacks of superior quality, with a careful choice of materials and a robust and durable design – product promises which still apply today. We shall continue to deliver Outstanding Outdoor Equipment – ideally for another 100 years. And everyone is welcome to join us on our coming adventures!
Nicolas Warchalowski, CEO.
For further information please contact:
Nicolas Warchalowski
CEO
+46 8 584 90 631
nicolas.warchalowski@haglofs.se
Haglöfs is one of the world’s leading outdoor suppliers and offers a responsible brand that meets modern day demands for products with a high level of functionality, good design and value for money to people who invest in an active outdoor lifestyle. Sales for 2012 amounted to SEK 690 million and the company has over the last five years achieved an average growth of 9 percent. Haglöfs is owned by ASICS Corporation since 2010. www.haglofs.se
CONTACTS:
PR & Media Manager: Sara Skogsberg Cuadras, sara.skogsberg-cuadras@haglofs.se
CEO: Nicolas Warchalowski, nicolas.warchalowski@haglofs.se
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