Zippo to sell American style clothing in China

Zippo Manufacturing Co., a well-known US lighter manufacturing firm, is eyeing penetration in China, and it intends to grow into China’s most adorable fashion brand by introducing American style clothing.

The firm, famous for the windproof metal lighters, operates a single outlet in the US. However, it intends to launch five flagship outlets in China by close of current year.

While not restraining itself to selling lighters, the family-owned business is looking forward to launch a new men’s apparel line featuring American-style apparels and accessories.

This would add a new chapter in evolution of the company that started exporting lighters, having American flags and eagles engraved on it, to Asia around a decade ago.

The firm’s sales touched US$ 70 million in 1986, which rose to US$ 100 million by 1996. The company’s turnover now stands at around US$ 200 million, including both domestic and overseas sales.

Mr. George Duke, Owner and Chairman of Zippo, said the five outlets in China are intended to be launched in Shanghai and Beijing, with the first one intended to come up in Beijing in September this year.

Next to US, China is Zippo’s biggest market accounting for 10 percent of its global sales turnover. Last year, Zippo performed extremely well in the Chinese market, and with a 50 percent rise in sales, the company surpassed its US$ 10 million target set for the year. This year too, the sales are projected to grow by 10 percent year-on-year.

Zippo’s future plans include launch of 50 outlets in China’s Tier I and Tier II cities by close of 2015.