Page 24 - RLI May 2019

COVER STORY | UMDASCH THE STORE MAKERS

MAkINg Since its founding in 1868, umdasch The Store Makers, a

family-owned business of four generations has remained
SUCCESSfUL focused on classic values of corporate sustainability:

reliability, trust, responsibility. Now with 1,500 employees

STORES ALL OVER from over 25 nations, umdasch utilises its innovative spirit
and craftsmanship, to provide exceptional shopfitting
solutions worldwide. To find out just how umdasch are
THE WORLd succeeding, RLI talked to Roman Fussthaler, Managing

Director of Premium Retail.

HARROdS WINE & SpIRITS HELSINkI AIRpORT – dUfRY dUTY fREE
photo Credit: Ben Anders, Agent: One Represents photo Credit: umdasch

MUNICH AIRpORT – EUROTRAdE dUTY fREE, TERMINAL 2
photo Credit: umdasch

aving successfully integrated two companies into statistics show that even though the number of travellers is on can play with the items purchasable. Customers also want
umdasch The Store Makers over the last few the rise, the proportional number of travel retail shoppers is to continue their travel experience in the shop, they want to
months, acquired a turnover of more than €250M not. Airports are increasingly being required to think outside see the culture and novelties of the country they’re visiting
H(estimation 2018) and celebrated its 150th year in the box and come up with diverse and brilliant concepts to reflected in the stores. Helsinki Duty Free now has flooring
business as an international powerhouse, umdasch shared with surprise shoppers and inspire them to spend more time and resembling the wooden cladding seen on Nordic housing and
us their highlights of the year that has paved the way for success. capital in duty frees. Indeed, airports are aware of this need but a shelving unit in the form of a sled.
The Global RLI Awards in Los Angeles, California celebrated how many are rising to the challenge, standing out from the “Thinking even further outside the box, in collaboration
some of the best retail designs and shopfitting worldwide in crowd and enticing more travellers? with our client´s design ideas we created an ingenious new
the last year. Representing umdasch, Roman Fussthaler flew With a successful duty-free realised in Munich Airport and concept for a miniature, mobile shop named the Retail Cart.
over to accept an award for Interior Excellence for umdasch´s the creation of the retail area on the Queen Elizabeth II ship The issue of going through security and into the gate at the
part in the successful renovation of the “Harrods Wine & for Dubai Duty Free, 2018 was a triumph for umdasch Travel airport and realising that there is nowhere to buy those
Spirits”, London; just one of the many projects umdasch are Retail, supporting not just airports in adapting to market last minute gifts, food and drink are issues that most have
currently working on with Harrods. demands but also branching into ships and cruise liners. frustratingly experienced. This Retail Cart brings those items
umdasch plans to push the boundaries in 2019. This year “This rising segment is a challenging one with specific to you in a miniature airplane. Other shapes are being created
holds even more exciting developments, not just in premium regulations and very individual and unique requests. The for other airports, such as a suitcase to keep your boredom
retail, but also in travel retail. “Travel Retail has always been a Queen Elizabeth II ship for example is a British national in check while waiting for the airport at bay,” says Fussthaler.
strong sector for the Store Makers. Recently we have been treasure docked in Dubai. These two cultures though very Coming up soon this year are the Cruise Ship Terminals in
equipping clients in this sector with the tools to stay relevant different, make for a unique design concept and requirements, Barcelona. The two terminals are currently underway in a total
and innovative with their store concepts in an ever increasingly just what umdasch specialises in,” explains Fussthaler. redesign of the concept. The stores inside needed a revamp to
competitive market. Gone are the days when all duty-frees umdasch started 2019 with a bang! Helsinki Duty Free better entice travellers. Increasingly we are seeing that terminals
looked the same”, Roman Fussthaler says. was realised in March, changing both the atmosphere of the and duty-frees require a reconfiguration of the layout to increase
With air travel at an all-time high; airports around the world store and the layout to encourage a better flow of travellers flow across the stores, thus increasing time and spending in store.
must consider all travellers as potential shoppers, especially passing through. Airports are realising that travellers don’t “The new design focused on the customer experience,
because travel retail now accounts for 40 per cent of global just want a place to shop, they want memorable experiences bringing the warmth and rich culture of Barcelona and its
sales at airports. Although this seems like an impressive amount, and inspiration. Helsinki offers a toy area where the children markets into the port,” concludes Fussthaler.

24 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2019 MAY 2019 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 00