International Dealer News 162 Aug/Sept 2021 IDN162 August/September 2021 | Page 19

news ROOM see dealers there having access to the Halvarssons and Lindstrands brands for the first time . Both brands have more than 70 years of tradition , have been tried and tested for decades in a wide variety of weather conditions , but are not yet well known outside of Scandinavia . Since its acquisition of the brands in 2019 , Duell has further developed its in-house design and development centre . " As a premium brand , Halvarssons stands for classic design and the highest quality in leather and textiles and meets the highest safety standards like AAA ," says Jarkko Ämmälä . " Lindstrands enjoys an outstanding reputation as particularly robust , durable and comfortable equipment , especially among demanding high mileage touring and adventure riders . Both brands will expand the choice for German riders and gradually change the motorcycle apparel market there . Dealers will appreciate the perfect match they bring for the garments in the Grand Canyon Bikewear range , and in the coming years they will see our design specialists significantly improve that line too . " We want to be the one-stop solution for our customers . Instead of wasting valuable time on research , our customers will know that Duell has an answer to all questions . Even in the age of rapid e-communication , we therefore rely on personal contact with our partners - in addition to our easyto-use B2B platform . This is an essential element of the philosophy with which we want to achieve service leadership ," explains Van Hoof . " Therefore , Duell will remain true to its almost 40-year company philosophy in its expansion project in Central Europe ," continued Ämmälä . " With all the passion for powersports that everyone at Duell has , we are also calculating business people . We understand the challenges ahead of us . It will not be easy to enter the already crowded markets in Central and Southern Europe . That is why we prioritise a healthy , long-term growth instead of a quick , but possibly just short-term success . " An important part of the Duell business strategy is to build up local logistics centres that can be responsive to dealers ' needs and guarantee fast delivery times . This business model includes strategic acquisitions of existing trading companies as well as establishing our own regional subsidiaries ." The news about the IGM acquisition comes just three months after Duell announced that it was to establish its own subsidiary at Coalville in the United Kingdom . Duell reports sales growth from € 25m in 2013 to € 60m in 2020 . www . duell . fi

Left to right : Jarkko Ämmälä , Erwin Van Hoof , Arno Gaalman-Weghorst , Ingrid Gaalman-Weghorst

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