Small steps and giant leaps
Haglöfs has established itself as one of Europe's leading outdoor brands during the 2000s and the time is now right for the company to look at another continent. The Haglöfs model is a crucial factor behind the company's success. It is a way of being and acting which is hard to describe but emanates from Haglöfs' brand and core values. It is a combination of small steps and giant leaps. It is evolutionary and revolutionary at the same time.
Sights set on Asia Haglöfs established its most recent subsidiary just over three years ago. Since then, the company has grown by almost 50 percent. With success in such diverse markets as Sweden, the UK, Austria and Japan, Haglöfs has shown that the company's offering, products, design and brand can work in an international perspective. The time is now right to make what Haglöfs calls Outstanding Outdoor Equipment available to more markets. All eyes are now focused on Asia. Haglöfs has opened a subsidiary in South Korea in 2011 as part of the company's Asian establishment plan. Introducing the brand into a new market through an own company also takes Haglöfs' establishment strategy a step further and will be an option when entering new markets.
Strong organization – positioned for growth Success does not happen by chance – it requires hard work and long-term planning. To achieve successful expansion, Haglöfs has been developing its processes for maintaining the pace of innovation and creating new attractive products in response to the rise in demand triggered by an expanding customer base. The company has also strengthened the organization with a number of strategic recruitments. One of the strengths of Haglöfs' organizational development has been the ability to combine internal recruitment and acquiring new expertise from outside. In many cases, former employees have also chosen to come back, which is testimony to the fact that Haglöfs not only develops good products but is also a good place to work. Haglöfs has a very strong corporate culture, which is rooted in the company's history and is manifested through Haglöfs' core values. This is also one of the main reasons why the company is able to continue its success while also developing its business.
Sustainability a key issue Positioning the brand as a leader in the areas of Technical Outdoor and Sustainability in all key global markets is not something unattainable, but an aspiration Haglöfs intends to realize. Sustainability and negative changes to the earth's climate and ecosystems are key issues for Haglöfs and humanity in general.
Today, sustainability is a natural and integral part of Haglöfs' day-to-day business. It is about conducting responsible operations as a prerequisite for long-term, successful business. It is also about developing products which have minimal environmental impact. Haglöfs does this by using recycled and bluesign®- approved materials wherever possible – and where this is not possible, yet trying to find new ways of doing so. Haglöfs' sustainability work does not have a time frame, but is an ongoing process of continuous improvement which takes place symbiotically with the company's stakeholders and involves all employees at all levels of the organization.
Collaboration with ASICS Since August 2010, Haglöfs has been owned by the Japanese sporting goods company ASICS, one of the world's leading sports companies. Efforts to leverage synergies began last year. In addition providing strategic and financial support for Haglöfs' global expansion, ASICS brings extensive knowledge of materials, design capacity, development resources and new technology, particularly in the Footwear business area. For spring 2012, Haglöfs is launching a number of trail walking models developed in partnership with ASICS. The process of developing the new shoes has progressed swiftly and is clear evidence of a successful marriage between Haglöfs and ASICS.
This is where it starts Haglöfs is now embarking on a new adventure. This is where it starts. The company will be seen in more and more places around the world. Meanwhile, this is still the same Haglöfs – a company that delivers superior quality, fit, function and durability and does so in order to enable outdoor enthusiasts to focus fully on their adventure.