AA Footwear to launch brand

AA Footwear to launch brand

AA Footwear Co plans launch its own brand of footwear within five years after more than a decade of importing and manufacturing international brand shoes, such as Geox and Pierre Cardin.

A Geox mascot displays shoes from the new line at a presentation held by AA Footwear yesterday. PHONGTHAI WATTANAVANITVUT

The company has made and exported various kinds of international standard shoes for more than 20 years, said Jane Chongsatitwatana, assistant president at the firm. While AA Footwear continues to enjoy good relations with its business partners, it has the technological capability and manpower to start its own brand, she said.

"We will launch our own brand of leather shoes and bags domestically within the next five years, and export them to international markets at a later date."

At the same time, the company will balance its risk by importing more international brands into Thailand.

It will launch a new imported brand next month.

Currently the company imports and distributes the Geox and Pierre Cardin footwear brands in Thailand.

Sales of Geox in the first four months of this year grew 10%, compared to 20-30% in the same period last year.

"It is the first time in 10 years that we have seen Geox's growth slow. We have grown up to 30% annually for 10 years," she said.

Geox Asia-Pacific director Aldo Somaini said during his visit to Bangkok yesterday that Geox and AA Footwear continued to see opportunities in the Thai market and would open three Geox shops this year.

The new stores will be in Central Pattaya Beach, Outlet Village Phuket and Siam Discovery shopping complex, and were officially opened yesterday.

Geox has 940 exclusive shops worldwide. With 163 shops in Asia alone, which will increase to 200 by the year's end. Business in Thailand ranked fifth in the region after Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Singapore.

Geox is an Italian brand. About 70% of its products in the Thai market are imported, the remaining 30% are made at AA Footwear's King Kaew factory in Samut Prakan.

Thailand is one of only two countries, along with Japan, which has the licence to produce Geox domestically.