The manufacturer of lingerie Triumph focuses its warehousing and distribution activities for the European markets at its locations in Wiener Neustadt (Lower Austria) and in Obernai, Alsace. The two warehouses will supply all Western and Central European markets in the future. These two sites will be expanded, and the equipment and processes will be upgraded to a state of the art level. The location in Wiener Neustadt, for which investments of up to EUR 12 million are earmarked, will also see more staff in the medium term: Approximately 100 new jobs will be created there.
Part of the activities of the logistics center in Aalen, Germany will be shut down gradually until the beginning of 2018. According to the company, the decision on this was made after intense evaluation of all alternatives in close cooperation with the social partners. Up to 300 employees will be affected by the closure. To reduce the consequences of job loss as best as possible, s series of socially acceptable measures such as early retirement, retraining and the creation of a transfer company are discussed.
Furthermore, Triumph will transfer part of its garment production from external works in Eastern European to own factories in Morocco and India. This means upstream activities to sewing in Eastern Europe, which are currently located in Wiener Neustadt, . With high probability, at least half of the 110 employees affected will be able to continue their employment at the expanded logistics center.
It is also planned to increase the efficiency of the product development for the Triumph brand at the Heubach site (also Germany). This measure is particularly recommandable because of the reduced size of collections, improved processes and the introduction of an integrated IT system for product development, which replaces many manual steps. It affects about 25 employees in the current year and about 50 next year. Once again, the impact should be reduced as much as possible.
Finally Triumph is progressing its negotiations on the takeover of its production facility in Portugal, in Sacavém near Lisbon. The buyer intends to take over all 521 workers. The acquisition is to be completed before the end of this year. The process was accompanied by constructive cooperation between management, workers’ representatives and the Portuguese authorities. A final confirmation of the transfer can only take place after signature of the final contract.
This way Triumph is according to their own information taking crucial decisions for the future in order to remain competitive and continue to be one of the largest employers in the global textile industry in a shrinking and challenging market environment.
Triumph has 30,000 employees and sales of EUR 1.44 billion (2014), making it one of the world’s largest manufacturers of bodywear and lingerie. With its core brands Triumph and sloggi, the company distributes its products in more than 120 countries. Triumph supplies 40,000 wholesale customers worldwide and sells its products in 2,000 Triumph stores and via numerous own online shops.
