Hemtex concludes agreements on rights to several strong brands

Hemtex has concluded agreements concerning the license rights to U.S. Polo Association, Bamse and patterns designed by Johanna Lundqvist. The licenses are part of Hemtex’s efforts to broaden its range by, for example, offering significantly more children’s products.

“We will now have access to strong brands representing considerable potential and that have the capacity to strengthen Hemtex’s position as the company that is spearheading development in the home-textiles segment. Our strategy for profitable growth includes broadening the product range, and these agreements are a natural step in this direction,” says Anders Jansson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hemtex.

The rights to U.S. Polo apply to both home textiles and home decorating products in Hemtex’s current markets, and in the Baltic countries and Poland. The first products under the U.S. Polo brand will be available in Hemtex stores as of March 2008.

The efforts aimed at broadening the range of children’s products have resulted in the signing of two new cooperation agreements. The license for Bamse applies to figures and brands for such items as home textiles, lamps, bathrobes and slippers in all Hemtex markets. Products from the Bamse range will be added in stages and be sold in all Hemtex stores.

Hemtex has entered into an agreement with well-known designer Johanna Lundqvist concerning the license to patterns for home decorating products, chinaware, home textiles and nightwear for all Hemtex markets. Sales in Hemtex volume stores of the products featuring Johanna Lundqvist’s popular figures will start as of October this year.


Volume stores will be named Hemtex & More

Hemtex’s first volume store will open on Sergelgatan, Stockholm in October. The volume stores will be operated under the Hemtex & More name to emphasize that they are larger and offer customers a broader range than they are accustomed to.

The store on Sergelgatan will be followed by additional Hemtex & More stores in Sweden and other Nordic countries. Hemtex expects to establish approximately 40 volume stores in the Nordic region.

Hemtex & More will be established in inner-city locations and in traditional shopping malls, as well as in external commercial centers, and will have 700 to 1,000 square meters of retail space, more than three times larger than the current average size per store.