CRC Sports unveils five-year plan to double stores, sales
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CRC Sports, a business unit of Central Group and the operator of major retail chains Supersports, FIT Sports, Go Sports, Crocs, New Balance, and Skechers, has set a five-year investment plan aimed at doubling the size of its business by 2020, both in the
The company wants to increase its share of Thailand’s Bt22-billion market for sport goods from 32.9 per cent currently to about 42 per cent in the next five years.
Managing director Tony Morton said the company would invest Bt1.8 billion under the five-year plan to expand the number of stores from 131 to 250 by 2020.
“We want to double the size of our business in the next five years. Besides having more stores, we plan to increase the contribution from our distribution business for branded sport products from 21 per cent currently to about 40 per cent by 2020,” Morton said.
He said the company currently distributed 10 main brands of sport goods – Crocs, New Balance, K-Swiss, Skechers, Warrior, Fila, Umbro, Wilson, Liverpool and Speedo. The firm plans to increase the number of brand-distribution rights to 20 in the next few years.
CRC Sports posted Bt6.9 billion in sales last year, a year-on-year increase of 10.7 per cent and a profit growth of 13 per cent from the previous year.
“Our 2015 business strategy is to focus on the expansion of product distribution, store development and digital marketing under the theme of ‘Supersports – Thailand’s No 1 Sports Retailer’.”
CRC Sports currently operates 131 stores in Thailand, comprising 65 Supersports, five Supersports Outlets, 13 FIT Sports, 27 Crocs Shops, 12 New Balance Shops, eight Skechers Shops, and one Go Sports.
The company opened 20 new stores last year, of which seven were Supersports, one Supersports Outlet, three Crocs Shops, six New Balance Shops, and three Skechers Shops.
“We will allocate about Bt400 million in capital expenditure this year to open 24 new stores, of which six will be Supersports, eight will be Crocs stores, five New Balance, and five Skechers stores. We also plan to open about 104 sales corners for Speedo,” Morton said.
The new format of Supersports store would be unveiled at its branch in Central WestGate complex in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, scheduled for opening in July, he said. With an investment of Bt40 million, the store will occupy a total retail space of 2,266 square metres and feature new retail characteristics that are interactive, experimental, fun and energising.
“Our mission is to provide the latest innovative sport merchandise as well as inspirational shopping experiences,” Morton said.
With the opening of the latest Supersports store in Vietnam, the company now boasts nine Supersports stores, four New Balance Shops, and 11 Crocs Shops in that country. The stores posted Bt250 million in sales last year, exceeding expectations.
CRC Sports will continue to expand its business in Vietnam with the opening of three more Supersports stores, five Crocs Shops, and one New Balance Shop this year.
