Vicunha opens branch in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Having decided to expand its foreign market share and with a plan to double the percentage of sales made abroad to 20% in 2015, denim manufacturer Vicunha has opened another affiliate in Europe, this time in Amsterdam. The location was chosen considering the logistics base the company has in the country, with an average inventory of 1 million meters of fabric. “Having set up the new branch, we will now manage our inventory in a more cost-saving, direct and effective manner,” says Thomas Dislich, in charge of the European operation since 1999.

For a long time, these tasks have been managed by the European headquarters based in Switzerland; however, that team has gone from 16 to 7 people. Appreciation of the local currency, the Swiss franc, was one of the main reasons for cutting back on the Swiss operation, which will, nevertheless, continue. The Asian market is also in the company’s sights: after closing its offices in China, Vicunha invested in opening an office in Dhaka, Bangladesh and in opening a logistics center in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Inventory held at this location is around 1 million meters, sent to regional customers, especially in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The goal is to organize the company’s international divisions to operate in a decentralized manner. “In this age of unlimited virtual communication, decentralization is a very timely concept. We will begin to serve each region in a much more focused manner,” says Dislich.