Montane celebrate expansion into Germany with launch of showroom and warehouse
Montane, the British outdoor clothing specialist, has achieved further expansion with the launch of its first showroom and warehouse in Munich, Germany.
The showroom, located on the first floor, Atrium 2, B119 at the Munich Order Centre (MOC), will display a selection of the brand’s standout kit from its existing range to retailers, distributors, and journalists, and brings a further presence in the country as Montane seek to establish a strong footing in Germany. The warehouse is located in Augsburg and services the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) along with other European markets.
The move comes as interest in the outdoors continues to rise, with a recent survey from Innofact, on behalf of OutDoor by ISPO, showing that outdoor activities among Germans are trending strongly since the Coronavirus pandemic. The demand for outdoor equipment is high, with “76 percent of respondents have invested in new outdoor accessories in the past twelve months and the same number of Germans want to do the same in the current year”.[1]
Speaking on the news, Montane Area Manager for Germany, Bernd Wodarz, said: “The new showroom in the Munich Order Centre is an important hub not only for our dealers in Bavaria, but from all over Germany. It allows us to meet retailers and distributors from other regions of the world to see the new collections and learn what’s new in the Montane range each season. We see that the potential for Montane as a young and unencumbered brand with highly innovative products is enormous.”
Montane’s Global Marketing Manager, Matthew Hickman, said: “This is a hugely exciting development as we look to continue our recent strong growth and momentum. With the continuing boom of the German outdoor industry, there is no better time to establish a firm footing in the country than now, and we are absolutely delighted to be branching out into what is a hugely promising new chapter for Montane.”
The development follows Montane’s recent appointment of a new International Head of Sales, Michael Vaughton, who previously worked in directorial roles for Amer Sports and Eurosport, alongside the recruitment of a new sales team to support the brand’s growth in the region. Steffen Fuchs and Holger Schumann have been representing Montane since May in central western Germany and northern Bavaria with the sales and distribution agency FORAS 365. Together they both bring over 30 years of experience in the outdoor, bike, and sports industry, and have held various management positions for brands such as Camelbak, Barigo and Katadyn, among others.
The news comes as Montane continue to expand its sights overseas, with the brand also recently hiring two North American organisations to manage its new business programmes in the United States.
Montane has been providing innovative, lightweight, and breathable clothing, packs, and equipment for over 25 years, specifically designed for endurance sports and activities in some of the world’s harshest and most extreme environments.
[1] https://www.ispo.com/en/trends/survey-shows-outdoor-boom-continues-unabated-2022
