In this guest piece, Victorinox Head of Global Channels Thomas Bodenmann addresses how the Swiss lifestyle brand is adopting new ways of working to meet the needs of the modern travel retail customer.
There is a fine line to tread when striking a balance between tradition and innovation. Yes, sometimes traditions must be respected, but they are also the inspiration for innovation. Despite Victorinox being 130 years old, and having many customs in place, we do not consider our history restrictive.
Traditions enable brands like ours to hold their own on the world stage and we consider our long-standing expertise in Swiss engineering and manufacturing integral to new product development. Our brand values of functionality, quality and iconic design will continue to guide us through the next 130 years.
Swiss engineered, a companion for life
The Swiss Army Knife, our core product, has a pioneering role in the development of all five product categories (Swiss Army Knives, Cutlery, Travel Gear, Watches and Fragrances). Four of these categories are exclusively manufactured in Switzerland, something we are very proud of and will remain deeply committed to in the years to come.
Everything we do at Victorinox is based around customer experience and creating products that can support consumers’ everyday lifestyle. We use Swiss engineering to ensure new products live up to the high standard of the Swiss Army Knife, a symbol of Swiss quality and reliability. The attributes of the Swiss Army Knife inspire our Travel Gear collections, which have high functionality built into their DNA. For example, Airox – crafted from 100% pure virgin polycarbonate – is our lightest-ever luggage collection and is tough enough to endure everyday adventures
Our materials inspire both form and function. Although our name and our heritage are firmly rooted in our pioneering use of “inox”, we go beyond stainless steel, using materials from the natural world in our products.
From ultra-durable carbon composite, to the patterned waves of damast steel, our materials show how we effortlessly blend design with high-performance functionality. Our I.N.O.X collection watches, which come in different materials such as carbon fibre, stainless steel and titanium, withstand many extreme endurance homologation tests – epitomising our commitment to creating products that won’t let consumers down.
It’s this combination of legendary design, durability and functionality that elevates our position as a go-to lifestyle brand and keeps our fans coming back.
Commitment to our roots, modern ways of working
In Ibach, Victorinox’s hometown, the company has just unveiled its new state-of-the-art European distribution centre which optimises efficiency and sustainability. It’s a CHF50 million (€45.6 million) investment and a strong pledge to the location in central Switzerland.
Integrating 17 different warehouse locations in Switzerland and Europe, the new distribution centre is divided into three floors and has a building volume of 173,000 m3.
The centre also houses 3,000 tons of steel, a fully automated small parts warehouse as well as a semi-automated high rack with 9500 pallet spaces – a prime example of technical digitisation. Over 1 million orders can be processed in the distribution centre and more than 40 million products can be shipped each year.
In line with Victorinox’s sustainability goals, the centre features a photovoltaic roof and charging stations for electric cars. Additionally, the distribution centre benefits from direct railway access which means many more shipments can be sent via rail cargo. This, combined with multiple centres being centralised in Ibach, means that traffic in the Schwyz valley basin is drastically reduced.
The distribution centre is a clear indication of Victorinox’s commitment to innovation while ensuring that business in the future is more sustainable – for partners and the planet.
Tradition and innovation in travel retail
Despite the longstanding history of the brand, Victorinox’s focus on innovation in no way contradicts the traditional values of the company. The winning formula is to build on experience and know-how, but constantly adapt to changing consumer needs. It’s about brands – and industries – looking to their pasts to see the future.
The same principle of tradition and innovation both being fundamental to a brand’s success can be applied to retail and, of course, travel retail. There is no hiding from the fact that online shopping sales have surged in recent years, however there is still very much a place for traditional brick and mortar stores, particularly in the role they play in enabling customers to see and touch products.
There can be a world where digital technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are used hand in hand with physical retail to enhance the customer experience. In fact, some luxury brands are preparing for post-pandemic retail in the UK by tweaking the tried and tested pop-up concept to include AR technology to lure customers in. Travel retail should be looking at these local market pilots and considering how the Trinity can shake up the old way of shopping to engage travellers in new ways and get them spending again when the skies open up.
It’s also vital that we appreciate the importance of tradition and innovation in the minds of shoppers in travel retail. When they return to stores in the post-COVID world, we must ensure they are greeted with an offer which marries familiarity with excitement. Brands which have been traditional powerhouses in travel retail are certainly required as consumers expect to see them, but the industry is in a position now, with so much in flux, to introduce an element of the unexpected with brands that bring something new to the table.
*The Moodie Davitt Report recently launched a new monthly eNewsletter series that offers a curated selection of stories focused on the lifestyle theme and associated categories in travel retail and beyond. We do so in association with multi-category luxury goods company Victorinox. As with all Moodie Davitt Report media, Lifestyle Curated is free of charge. If you would like to be added to its mailing list (or to those for any other Moodie Davitt titles), please click here.
