Clothing and accessories from retail to HAWAIIAN in 2014

Alpargatas is expanding the production capacity of the Hawaiian sandals in 40%, with the start-up of its second plant. And in 2014 will open the range of trademark rubber slippers. The project of selling sneakers, sneakers, accessories and apparel ", reported the company to the value, hit the streets in the second half of next year, when retailers will receive new products.
The new factory of sandals lies in Montes Claros, in the North of Minas Gerais, and has the capacity to produce 102 million pairs per year-40% more than the current capacity. The CEO of the company, Marcio Utsch, said it is increasing production of its own. And reaffirmed that it considers the possibility of new acquisitions. On the radar are domestic and foreign brands. Earlier this year, the company has been buying the brand Osklen.
The current production of Havaianas, between 240 to 250 million, leaves the factory of Campina Grande (PB). Second Utsch, the manufacturing line in Paraiba was on the edge when the company decided to the new drive. "We just weren't picking up more demand because it had more production".
The Executive said that the expectation is that consumers absorb "very quickly" the additional offer of Havaianas. Though the mark has been abandoned for years the status of cheap product for low-income consumers, an important slice of sales still made to families of lower purchasing power. And sales for this audience are affected directly by a better distribution of income, said Utsch.
The new factory had consumed $ 279 million investment and will generate 2,500 direct jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs. The new unit will be more automated and will have more sophisticated equipment than the first. On average, a pair of Havaianas will take six hours to get ready in mines. In Paraiba, the process is even more time consuming: it takes 10:0.
An option that was considered by the Sneakers was the construction of a plant in China. But weighed in the decision by mines, the fact that it is "extremely important" for customers, he said, "have the ' made in Brazil ' stamped on the sole of our Sandals".
As for plans for new acquisitions, Utsch said: "we have examined the possibility of acquisitions of national and international brands." In November last year, in a speech to analysts and investors in Sao Paulo, he said that the company was researching acquisition opportunities in Europe of shoe and clothing brands of high standard.
Last year, it closed the purchase of Alpargatas fashion label Osklen. The operation was carried out in March this year. "We are all the time looking for that [procurement opportunities]," said Utsch, who gave no further clues about what's currently being parsed. "If we're going to close an operation this year or not, I can't talk."
Owner of shoe brands like Havaianas, Dupé, Topper and Queen, in addition to the clothing label Osklen--and holds the licenses of Mizuno and Timberland--, Alpargatas increased net revenues in 14.3%, going to $ 831,1 million in the second quarter of this year. Last year, net revenue totaled r $ 3.1 billion.