Italy's Marzotto Group, owner of such brands as Valentino and Hugo Boss, is the latest addition to the list of those looking to develop a business on the Romanian market.
Marzotto, whose sales amount to more than 1.7bn euros, is one of the most important players in the textile industry worldwide.
"The first step is our coming here to see what the Romanian market has to offer. The second step entails visits from the partners we'll find in this country to Milan to see the collections. Final talks follow next," said Mario Rinaldi, sales manager of Marzotto's Fashion division.
Marzotto is already operating on the Romanian market through a franchise for the only Hugo Boss shop in Bucharest and directly through a factory located in Western Romania, close to Timisoara, which manufactures various textile products under contract. "This is a factory Marzotto bought and invested in to retool. Moreover we have a permanent representative there who makes sure everything goes well," explains Sonia Neri, Export Area Manager of Marzotto.
This is a natural move, the Italians say, particularly because similar factories are already operating in Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"We chose to have those products that require complex technologies and more expensive materials made in Italy and the stock products made in lower-cost countries," Rinaldi added.
If talks go well, the first shops in Romania could be opened next year, Rinaldi estimates.
"The Uomolebole brand stands maybe the biggest chances in this regard, considering this is a good time for us," Sonia Neri believes. She added the brand enjoys a high awareness in countries like Italy and Greece and looks like it will do very well on the Eastern European market. M.Missoni and Marlboro Classics, yet two more brands represented by the Italian group could in their turn make a debut on the Romanian market next year, Rinaldi believes. "Marlboro Classics has a very high brand awareness and very good results in other Eastern European countries, as well. Furthermore, its development pace is a very aggressive one."
Marzotto is one of the biggest players in the textile industry. Most of the group's turnover, over 80% is derived from operations outside Italy. The company employs 11,000 people and sells its products in more than 100 countries.
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