Thumbs Up opens European offices
Thumbs Up has announced the opening of German and French offices which will supply retailers in Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Luxemburg.
The firm expects European business to generate 30 per cent of total global revenue by 2012.
Thumbs Up has partnered with Robert Penin, CEO of Thumbs Up GmBH and Francois Grelot, director general of Thumbs Up France, both of whom have over twenty years in the distribution industry. The new offices aim to give European customers quicker transportation time, improved customer services and local market knowledge. Both will have a local stock warehouse, sales and marketing staff and customer support personnel.
The European move is in line with Thumbs Up’s global expansion strategy. With an existing stronghold in the USA, including a distribution hub in Nashville and a retail customer base (including Urban Outfitters, Think Geek and Spencer Gifts), Thumbs Up sees massive growth potential in expanding the brand’s reach to Europe.
The company's ethos is to provide and create the cleverest, most original gifts and gadgets in the international market. This approach has reaped initial success in Europe and with the new local offices, Thumbs Up can better understand the local product requirements.
Wojtek Kolan, business development director of Thumbs Up Head Office, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to be expanding the Thumbs Up reach further into Europe. The experience and industry knowledge of Robert and Francois is second to none, not least in the cultural empathy that can be offered to our European customers. We have a fantastic product portfolio and now we have fantastic local teams that can really deliver.”
German partner Robert Penin, added: “We researched the gift and gadget market extensively before committing to our investment and we identified that Thumbs Up are absolutely the right strategic partner for us”. French partner Francois Grelot adds, “We are very excited to be working with the Thumbs Up team, offering the gadget lovers in Europe the complete product range from the innovative brand”.
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