SEAMLESS SOLUTIONS FOR ALL SEASONS:NIPPON EXPRESS’ HIGH FASHION LOGISTICS Vol.3
March 18,2021
- ― Eurasian synergies
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In 2013, Nippon Express acquired Franco Vago, the leading forwarder for top Italian and European fashion houses. In 2018, Nippon Express then acquired Traconf, specialising in warehouse, transportation, and distribution for luxury fashion and lifestyle brands in Italy and the world. Last year, these two Italian group companies were merged with the local branch of Nippon Express to form Nippon Express Italia, making it the second largest overseas subsidiary in terms of sales for the global logistics service provider.
Arnaldo Vivoli
President of Nippon Express Italia -
“Currently, in addition to the 35 Italian offices, Nippon Express has its own offices and warehouses in major EU cities with direct daily connections to ensure on-time, perfect-condition delivery at minimum cost,” says Arnaldo Vivoli, president of Nippon Express Italia. “Isn't this what is required from every logistics provider?”
Combining the Italian forwarders’ know-how and assets in Italy –, long the production and logistics hub of high fashion in Europe –, with Nippon Express’ global forwarding capabilities has put the company in an enviable spot.
“Our winning cards have always been flexibility, listening to the customer, and proposing customs-made solutions together with speed choices and decisions,” explains Mr. Vivoli. “We believe that these are essential characteristics to be able to face and overcome the challenges that for some years, and more and more nowadays, the increasingly globalised and integrated markets offer us.” European fashion brands looking to expand their sales in Japan (the world’s fourth largest luxury brand market and the Asian region’s trendsetter), China (set to account for over 50 per cent of the global luxury market by 2025) , and newly emerging markets in Southeast Asia, will naturally consider Nippon Express, the region’s champion. -
“Few logistics service providers besides us have the logistics capabilities to deliver high fashion items end-to-end from European production to the Asian markets,” explains Mr. Otsuji , Associate Director of the Air Freight Business Branch at Nippon Express. “Combining this with the reputation and personal connections which Franco Vago and Traconf have built up, and we have a unique competitive advantage.”
Reflecting this edge, the company’s sales in the sector in Japan have jumped nearly ten-fold over the past five years. Nippon Express hopes to achieve 30 per cent growth in sales in the global luxury brand logistics market in the coming five years.
It aims to do so by expanding delivery of both traditional as well as new high fashion lifestyle products such as furniture, day-to-day life designer’s goods, wine, and food. Nippon Express already possesses ample experience transporting a wide range of products, domestically and internationally, using its inter-modal network by air, sea, and land. Such capabilities allow it to coordinate global delivery of products and store window displays for synchronised openings worldwide. With its competitive footing in the production and consumption hubs of high fashion in Italy and Asia, Nippon Express also plans to further expand its services to the US, another critical market.