| 210px | |
| Type | Public (BIT: SFL) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion, manufacturing, retail |
| Founded | Pieve di Cadore, Italy, in 1934 |
| Headquarters | Padua, Italy |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | Guglielmo Tabacchi (Founder), Roberto Vedovotto (Chief Executive Officer)[1] |
| Products | Sport and fashion sunglasses, spectacle frames, ski helmets and goggles, bike helmets |
| Services | Opticians, sunglass retail |
| Revenue | €1.08 billion (2010)[2] |
| Operating income |  €31.4 million (31 March 2011)[3] |
| Profit | €18.4 million (31 March 2011)[3] |
| Employees | 8,108 (2011) [4] |
| Website | www.safilo.com |
Safilo Group S.p.A. is an Italian company, worldwide leader in the premium eyewear sector. It designs, produces and distributes prescription frames, sunglasses, sports eyewear, ski goggles, ski and cycling helmets under its own five house brands and more than twenty l brands.[5] Their products are primarily manufactured in three Italian facilities with an additional plant in Slovenia, one in USA and one in China,[6] and are marketed in 130 countries worldwide.[7]
Contents |
History [edit]
Safilo Group S.p.A. was founded in 1934 after Guglielmo Tabacchi purchased Italy’s first industrial complex for producing lenses and frames in Pieve di Cadore.[8] Exports in the 1930s expanded to many European countries, North Africa, the Middle East and South America. , Safilo was forced to produce only one type of eyewear, a celluloid frame in two colours, amber and reddish Havana brown, that were all sent to Germany. After the war, exports to other European nations resumed and operations expanded to Rome and Milan with exports beginning in the United States. In 1974, the founder of Safilo died and his sons took over running the business. In the 1970s, Safilo opened sales offices in various European nations, patented the Elasta hinge, and introduced a popular UFO model of sunglasses.[8]
In the 1980s, Safilo developed designer collections, gained full control of American eyewear company Starline Optical Corp, then sunglass-maker Friuli-based Oxsol and was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.
In the 1990s, Safilo entered the Asian market in Hong Kong, opened branches in more European nations, South Africa, Japan and Brazil, acquired American sports eyewear maker Smith Sports Optics, Inc, and Austria's Carrera Optyl.
In May 2001, Safilo Chairman Vittorio Tabacchi began a takeover bid in which he acquired full ownership of Safilo. The company returned to the Milan Stock Exchange in December 2005.
In 2001 the company inaugurated its new centralized warehouse at its Padua headquarters, a state-of-the-art structure with highly automated facilities. At this point, the distribution platform consisted of three main centres, located in Padua; Parsippany, New Jersey; and Hong Kong.
In 2002 Safilo acquired the Solstice chain in US.
Licensed Brands [edit]
The company also creates eyewear under license for designer labels such as:[9]
- Alexander McQueen
- Bottega Veneta
- Dior
- Gucci
- Céline
- Boss
- Boss Orange
- Hugo
- Jimmy Choo
- Juicy Couture
- Marc Jacobs
- Marc by Marc Jacobs
- Max Mara
- Max&Co.
- Pierre Cardin
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Saint Laurent
Only for the American market:
Sales [edit]
In full year 2010, the Safilo Group’s revenues were up 6.8% over 2009, with net sales at Euro 1,079.9 million. Sales have been determined by prescription frames (38%), sunglasses (54.3%) and sport and other products (7.7%). Safilo’s products are primarily sold to wholesale clients through approximately 80,000 points of sale in about 130 countries in the world.[10]
References [edit]
- ^ http://investors-en.safilo.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=195673&p=irol-ourorganization Safilo Group Organisation from official site
- ^ "Official Company Profile". Safilo. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ a b http://investors-it.safilo.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=195673&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1555099&highlight Official Press Release
- ^ http://investors-en.safilo.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=195673&p=irol-financialhighlights Official Press Release
- ^ "Safilo Brands". Safilo. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ http://www.safilo.com/en/1-production-sites.php Production Sites from official site
- ^ "Google Finance:SFL". Safilo. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ a b "History". Safilo. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ http://www.safilo.com/en/2-licensed-brands.php Licensed Brands from official site
- ^ "Official Press Release".
External links [edit]
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