For almost 40 years, Quiksilver has designed, produced and distributed clothing, accessories and related products designed to target young and active surfboarders. It is currently the world leader in the surfing gear market with its worldwide development, communication and organization strategy that allows it to better meet the demand of a growing consumer segment.
It was at Torquay, a small town of Melbourne in Australia, that a band of surfers invented this surfing equipment business in the late sixties. Initially, Allan Green, one of the co-founders of the brand Rip Curl, worked as a manufacturer of wetsuits. Following a disagreement over the range of products, he decided to launch his own brand.
The idea hit upon by Allan Green was to make shorts that are specially adapted to surfing, what would eventually become the famous board shorts. He was quickly joined by his friend John Law, with whom he founded the company Quiksilver in 1973. With a growing reputation in Australia, the brand was soon exported in 1976.
The legendary American surfer Jeff Hackman, who had come to play a tournament in Torquay, settled on an agreement to distribute the brand in the United States. He created the American branch of Quiksilver in USA with Bob McKnight.
Ten years later, to assume its leadership and raise the investment that was needed to expand, Quiksilver USA became Quiksilver Inc. Thus, gradually, the brand began to internationalize and appeared on the coastline of many countries in the world. Thus, the brand moved to France, especially on the Basque coast, in Saint Jean de Luz in 1984.
In 1991, Quiksilver Inc. signed the acquisition of Na Pali SA, the owner of Quiksilver Europe. It also acquired Quiksilver International in 2000, the Australian owner of the brand worldwide. Quiksilver merged its licensees in Australia in 2002 to reunify the property of the Quiksilver brand under one roof.
The definition of a trade job for a private company is one of the elements that contribute to developing its strategic diagnosis.
The trade involved in a business can be defined as "a global know-how to satisfy a request with a suitable offer" (Vuibert 1983), the trade is the natural domain of the company corresponding to its own abilities. It can be defined from the products it manufactures, the services it delivers, the technologies it uses and the markets in which it operates.
Despite its expansion strategy which makes it the market leader in outdoor (through the acquisition of Rossignol) sports equipment, originally the core activity of Quiksilver was to design, produce and distribute clothing and products (surfboarding related) for a young and active consumer base and appropriate for those adopting a casual lifestyle in sports, including surfing.
Through the division of its organization into three zones (Americas, Europe, Asia / Pacific: Internal organization), Quiksilver trades are divided and independent in decision-making (but retain the spirit of the group):
Production of its products (independently for the three zones);
Design / Design of products (independently for the three zones);
Creation of new brands (independent for the three zones);
Distribution: the Boardriders shop, Roxy shop, quiksilver-store.com, etc;
Tags: Quicksilver marketing strategy, Allan Green, Rip Curl, surfing equipment market
[...] " If this strategy is paying off, Quiksilver Inc. will expand its brands Roxy and DC, who are, at present, the showcase sites Organic growth With the extension of the range of its main brands (Quiksilver, Roxy and DC) and innovations continually improving the quality of products offered, Quiksilver Inc. increases its sales and revenues annually. In 2007, sales of Quiksilver rose by and Roxy and DC 16% and 52% (Annual Report 2007). In addition, the dynamic growth market of surfwear, sportswear and sports in general promotes the growth of Quiksilver Inc Acquisitions By the early '80s, when the creation of Quiksilver Europe took place, Harry Hodge and Jeff Hackman (creators of the subsidiary) noted that ski clothes were very strict and dark. [...]
[...] With these acquisitions, Quiksilver Inc. has developed a range of products covering all forms of slides in the mountains: Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding and ice skating, and a range of all season's accessories and symbols of Alpine lifestyle (skis, boots, bindings, clothing and accessories in activities). Other brands: o Brand of skate shoes: DC was founded in 1993 and acquired in 2004 by Quiksilver Inc., and has diversified the range by creating clothing and accessories developed through innovation; o Brand of swimwear (swimwear): Grape, Radio Fiji and Leilani; o Brand operating license in 2000, Quiksilver Europe signed a contract to operate the Gotcha brand for 15 years; Finally, the "newest" of the diversification strategy Quiksilver Inc has signed an exclusive licensing agreement globally on the creation, development and distribution of fragrances, cosmetics and sunscreens with Interparfums (specialized in the design, development and distribution of fragrances under exclusive license). [...]
[...] He created the American branch of Quiksilver USA with Bob McKnight. Ten years later, to assume its leadership position and raise the investment needed to expand; Quiksilver USA began to be traded, becoming Quiksilver Inc. Thus, gradually, the brand began to internationalize and appeared on the shores of all countries of the world. Gradually the brand moved to France, particularly on the Basque coast, in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1984. In 1991, Quiksilver Inc. signed the acquisition of Na Pali SA, the owner of Quiksilver Europe. [...]
[...] Key figures and trends (Please note that the above diagram cannot be translated to English) This diagram highlights the strengths and weaknesses of Quiksilver Inc . The group has many areas of strength, such as notoriety, distribution, responsiveness etc . However, it must develop its strengths in order to maintain its leading position on the market, and also pay attention to its finances. Indeed, until 2006, the financial growth of Quiksilver Inc was its main strength, but in 2007, it recorded its first net loss in 15 years. [...]
[...] In June 2005, Quiksilver introduced a new store concept designed and conceived to bring together all facets of boardriding culture: a space of 850m2 featuring the brand pillars of the group. Still to complete its distribution network to meet demand, Quiksilver launched in late 2007, quiksilver-store.com that can enables buying branded products directly on the Internet. "The Internet is now a part of the distribution channels on which we need to be to be in tune with our audience," says Gonzaga Lecomte, project manager for Quiksilver Europe.' Today, the 15-25 age groups is more exposed to the Web and other media. [...]
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