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Tag: dutch

  • Dutch Yacht Giant Alumax Sets Sail in Vietnam with First International Shipyard

    Dutch Yacht Giant Alumax Sets Sail in Vietnam with First International Shipyard

    Alumax Boats, a Dutch firm known for supplying water taxis for the 2012 London Olympics, has launched its first shipyard outside its homeland in Vietnam, through a joint venture partnership. This expansion was marked with a grand inauguration ceremony held on Wednesday at the Thuan Thanh Industrial Park situated in the northern province of Bac Ninh. The joint venture, Alumax Amsterdam, is a collaborative effort between Alumax Boats, the local conglomerate Son Ha Group, and shipbuilder James Boat.

    The Lego of Shipbuilding

    The process of production at the shipyard has been likened to ‘playing with Lego’ by the joint venture representatives. Here, the workers assemble precut aluminium components to create the final product. This is a testament to Alumax Boats’ specialization in constructing aluminium vessels, the expertise that the firm first exported to Vietnam in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic through its alliance with James Boat.

    As a part of the joint venture, Alumax Boats stands as the provider of core high-performance aluminium shipbuilding technology. On the other hand, Son Ha Group brings to the table its industrial manufacturing capacity, management acumen, and financial resources, while James Boat serves as the technological conduit amongst the partners. The responsibility of vessel design is shared between Alumax Boats and James Boat, with the production designs subsequently transferred to Son Ha’s manufacturing facilities.

    The Rise of Marine Tourism

    The leaders of the joint venture have expressed their optimism about the growing demand in Vietnam for catamaran party yachts. These are open-deck leisure vessels capable of hosting 30 to 50 passengers. Typically, these yachts feature sound systems, dining areas, bars, bedrooms, and spacious decks for the guests to soak in the panoramic ocean views. Acknowledging this, a spokesperson for the joint venture stated, “This has been identified as one of our strategic products to capitalize on the growth of marine tourism in Vietnam and across the region.”

    The joint venture has planned to manufacture three yachts, ranging from 6.5 to 16.5 meters in length, this year. It has already bagged orders for government service vessels and yachts worth US$20 million. Son believes that building yachts in Vietnam could result in a price reduction of about 40% compared to imported ones.

    The lightweight properties of aluminium lead to improved fuel efficiency. After 40 to 50 years of service life, these vessels can be recycled far more effectively than their steel and composite counterparts, which are still commonly produced in Vietnam.

    Questions & Answers

    What makes the joint venture’s production process unique?
    The joint venture compares its production process to ‘playing with Lego,’ where workers assemble precut aluminium components to form the final product.

    What role does each party play in the joint venture?
    Alumax Boats provides core high-performance aluminium shipbuilding technology, Son Ha Group contributes its industrial manufacturing capacity, management expertise, and financial resources, and James Boat serves as the technological bridge between the partners.

    What are the benefits of manufacturing yachts in Vietnam?
    Manufacturing yachts in Vietnam could result in a price reduction of about 40% compared to imports. Additionally, the use of aluminium leads to improved fuel efficiency and allows for effective recycling after 40 to 50 years of service.

  • Von Dutch Diversifies: Fashion Brand Ventures Into Food, Beverage, And Hospitality Sectors

    Von Dutch Diversifies: Fashion Brand Ventures Into Food, Beverage, And Hospitality Sectors

    Fashion label, Von Dutch, is broadening its horizons by venturing into sectors of food, beverage, and hospitality. The company has officially disclosed a worldwide food and beverage licensing agreement. As a result of this agreement, the brand will introduce a collection of drinks, snacks focussed on health and wellness, and a blend of cafe-lounges under the name of Von Dutch F&B. This initiative is under the leadership of CEO Joe Wallace, a seasoned executive known for securing millions in funding and pioneering a variety of products in food tech, consumer goods, and hospitality.

    As expressed by Wallace, the vision is to create an empire far beyond just a food brand. The brand’s philosophy will hinge on entertainment, authenticity, wellness, hospitality, and a fresh vitality.

    New Product Launches

    In partnership with beverage incubator Flavor House, Von Dutch F&B will launch an organic, plant-based line of sodas and mocktails. Other exciting ventures include a new alcohol line featuring vodka, tequila, beer, and hard seltzers. This move complements the brand’s existing product – Von Dutch Water, known as a high-quality hydration product that has gained popularity across various outlets from convenience stores to bars and music festivals.

    Von Dutch Cafes and Sub-Brand Launch

    Von Dutch plans on opening its brand-new cafes in New York and Los Angeles over the next year. These spaces will transition from being daytime hubs for coffee and snacks to after-hours hotspots featuring cocktails, mocktails, and live entertainment.

    The brand, which was taken over by the White Space Group (WSG) in 2024, also plans on launching an engaging sub-brand called ‘Von Dutch Loves.’ This sub-brand will highlight music, nightlife, and underground culture through exclusive releases, artist partnerships, festival collaborations, and community-centered events.

    WSG CEO Jack Cheika expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating that the goal is to create cultural relevance in every aspect of people’s lives, from how they dress to how they dine, drink, and socialize.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the new venture of Von Dutch?
    Von Dutch is expanding its brand into the food, beverage, and hospitality sectors under the name Von Dutch F&B.

    What products will Von Dutch F&B be launching?
    Von Dutch F&B plans to launch a range of organic, plant-based sodas and mocktails as well as a new alcohol line including vodka, tequila, beer, and hard seltzers.

    What is the aim of the ‘Von Dutch Loves’ sub-brand?
    The ‘Von Dutch Loves’ sub-brand is designed to highlight music, nightlife, and underground culture through exclusive releases, artist partnerships, festival collaborations, and community-centered events.

  • Dutch competition regulator rejects Apple’s objections to $53 million in fines

    Dutch competition regulator rejects Apple’s objections to $53 million in fines

    Apple may be the favorite phone brand in the Netherlands, but the Dutch regulators lately think little of the iPhone makers.

    The Cupertino giant has faced rejection from the Dutch competition regulator ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets). Apple objected to fines that currently add up to $53 million, but the Dutch ACM is adamant on the issue.

    Internally, this “objection-rejection” thing has been known from July 13, 2023, when ACM decided to say “No!” to Apple’s objections, but it has only now been published.

    Apple is ready to take this to court: “We disagree with the ACM’s original order, which degrades investment incentives and is not in the best interests of our users’ privacy or data security. As the ACM has denied our administrative appeal, we will appeal to the Netherlands courts”, Apple told Reuters.

    The ACM vs. Apple beef in the Netherlands is a long-standing dispute over… dating apps in the App Store. The problem Dutch authorities saw in the way Apple was conducting its business was due to it not allowing alternative payment systems for Dutch dating apps. That’s all they wanted – an alternative payment system to be allowed on the App Store, because Dutch people were not happy with the commission fee that the App Store takes on purchases.

    The ACM says that Apple has now complied with “most of its demands”, but there’s an additional – undisclosed one – that they haven’t complied with.

    It’s still unknown what’s the character of that final order that Apple failed to comply with, but the ACM regulator has promised to publish details should it win in court.

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  • Rituals Hong Kong Store About To Open

    Rituals Hong Kong Store About To Open

    The first standalone Rituals Hong Kong store is slated for opening in July as the Dutch cosmetics retailer ramps up its presence in Asia.

    The company has promoted business development manager of travel retail, Marjet de Vlieger, as head of travel retail Apac. She will take up the newly created role on July 1 and relocate to the city in January. A Rituals Hong Kong office and warehouse are set to open next month.

    Until now, Rituals has only been sold in the region through concessions, including one at the T Galleria by DFS stores on Kowloon’s Canton Road. But that is about to change. Along with the Hong Kong store, the first in Asia, Rituals plans 10 new points of sale in the region, including a debut in South Korea.

    “Opening the Hong Kong office and warehouse facility is a major investment and steps forward as we look to convert the Asia opportunity,” said Rituals director of travel retail Neil Ebbutt.

    “For Rituals, travel retail is leading the way in building the brand’s presence in Asia, which not only shows the power of the channel but also allows airports and retailers to better differentiate themselves by being the gateway into the Rituals world.

    “Our vision is to build a truly global lifestyle brand and we’re ready to capitalize on this travel retail-first approach,” he said.

    Rituals has a five-year plan to build sales across Asia encompassing travel retail, standalone stores, and e-commerce. It will seek partnerships with airlines and hotels through a network of distributors.

  • A S Watson snaps up Dutch chain

    A S Watson snaps up Dutch chain

    Hong Kong based A S Watson has bought a 50-strong chain of pharmacies in the Netherlands.

    The deal with Dirx Drugstores will see all 50 stores of the Dirx health and beauty retail network fall under Watson ownership, along with five additional locations currently under development. Most of the stores are in the Randstad region.

    All Dirx employees will join A S Watson, parent of Kruidvat and Trekpleister chains in Holland. The Dirx stores will be converted to either Kruidvat or Trekpleister branding once the transaction is completed.

    The deal remains subject to approval from the Netherlands Authority for Consumer and Market. The purchase price has not been revealed.

    Gerard van Breen, CEO of A S Watson Health & Beauty Benelux said the acquisition will expand the company’s national coverage making its stores accessible to even more consumers.

    Rick Groen, director of Dirx Drugstores, said that with only 50 plus stores, the business was too small a player to independently expand in the market.

    “The A S Watson approach and focus of providing the best offers to customers at affordable prices is consistent with our philosophy. We are convinced that A S Watson is an excellent match to successfully move the business forward with our employees.”

    Kruidvat, together with Trekpleister and Prijsmepper, is part of A S Watson Health & Beauty Benelux and a major player in the Dutch and Belgian markets.

    Kruidvat, with almost 900 stores in Holland, ranked among the top three most indispensable brands in the Netherlands in a 2014 study. The chain is also active in Belgium with more than 200 stores. Trekpleister (with more than 140 stores) distinguishes itself as a neighbourhood drugstore, where expert staff plays an important role in addition to a bargain-priced range of products.

    A S Watson Health & Beauty Benelux is part of the A S Watson Group, which has more than 11,000 stores in 25 markets worldwide. It is the world’s largest international health & beauty retailer in Asia and Europe, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa.

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