Safilo Group strengthens its presence in Asia with its new subsidiary Safilo Korea Ltd.

11/10/2006
Opening in Seoul on January 1st 2007, it will supply 300 stores in the country, selling more than 100,000 pairs of high end glasses in its first year of activity, with expectations to double its results in 2008.


Padova, 11th October 2006 – Safilo Group, world leader in high end and luxury eyewear, has strengthened its presence in Asia through the opening of a new subsidiary in Korea. Safilo Korea Ltd., with offices in Seoul and 100% controlled by Safilo Group, will begin business on January 1st 2007.

Safilo Korea’s aim is to become the country’s market leader through the sale of its products in the retail channel, both in opticians’ shops and in department stores.

Through its new Korean subsidiary Safilo Group expects to supply around 300 shops in its first year of activity, achieving sales of over 100,000 pairs of prescription frames and sunglasses, and to see significant development of the market in its second year (+100%) and further double digit growth in successive years.

Safilo Korea Ltd. with strengthen Safilo’s existing presence in Asia where it already has subsidiaries in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. Safilo Group is also present in further Asian countries through distributors in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and the Philippines. These organisations, together with the Australian subsidiary and distributor in New Zealand, are managed by Safilo Far East.

“This is an important step forward in the development of Safilo” - stated Vittorio Tabacchi, Chairman of Safilo Group – “ Korea is the ninth most important economy in the world and the second strongest in the continent. The number of customers looking to buy high end luxury products is in steady growth. We will satisfy Asian tastes with specially developed collections but we will also take the good taste and refined design of “Made in Italy” to Korea”.



The Safilo Group is leader in premium eyewear and in a leadership position in the sector of prescription, sunglasses, fashion and sports eyewear. Present on the international market through exclusive distributors and 29 subsidiaries in the principal countries (in U.S.A., Europe and Far East), Safilo distributes its own brand collections Safilo, Carrera, Smith, Oxydo, Blue Bay, as well as licensed branded collections, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Boss Hugo Boss, Boucheron, Diesel, 55DSL, Dior, Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Imatra, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara, Max&Co. (from 2007), Oliver, Pierre Cardin, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent. In addition the following are exclusively for the American market: Fossil, Juicy Couture, Nine West, Kate Spade, Saks Fifth Avenue, Liz Claiborne, J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez and Marc by Marc Jacobs.



Contacts:
Safilo press office
Nicoletta Chinello
Tel. +39 049.69.85.379

Community consulenza nella comunicazione
Tel. +39 0422.416.111 - +39 02.89.40.42.31
Auro Palomba – mob. +39 335.71.78.637
Giuliano Pasini - mob. +39 335.60.85.019
Marco Rubino – mob. +39 335.65.09.552

Last update: 20/07/2010, 12:09