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OPEN AIR GROUP
For a better
experience in nature
2022 has been a challenging year for Open Air Group. But through
investments, synergy effects and cost efficiency measures, the group has
continued to achieve excellent results on its journey towards providing
more people with the right equipment for hunting and outdoor life.
Open Air Group is an acquisition-driven group that aims to
grow by consolidating the market for outdoor activities,
hunting and dogs. Through cooperation between
subsidiaries within each division, synergies generate growth. The
three divisions are Brands, Retail and Technology. Group CEO Camilo
Sjödin looks back on an eventful year.
“The biggest event of the year was the acquisition of Aclima, a
deal that was closed at the beginning of the year,” she says. “Aclima
is a Norwegian family business that produces high-quality outdoor
clothing. In previous years, we had identified greater interest in their sustainable outdoor activities.”
products in their own sales channels, and so we made the investment.”
In recent years, the market has moved considerably. Open Air Group
has experienced strong growth since its inception in 2016 and during
the coronavirus pandemic. This year will also generate high figures.
RECESSION MAY POSE CHALLENGES
The challenges for Open Air Group in recent years have concerned
adapting rapidly and reviewing their various costs. Identifying further
synergies between the different companies is a key part of the
company’s strategy.
“Nobody expected the current situation – everything was on the way
up at the beginning of the year even though interest rates had already
started to rise back then,” says Camilo Sjödin. “Then the stock
market started going down, followed by the war in Ukraine and finally
inflation. But we’re pleased that we’ve managed to maintain a good
level of operating profit, even if we don’t reach our sales target. It’s research study in which enzymes will be able to break down polyester
mainly the Retail and Brands divisions that have been hardest hit by
the decline in sales. But overall, thanks to our hard work on keeping
costs down, we’re managing to maintain profitability, and Aclima and
the Tech division have performed well during the year.”
The Tech division has succeeded in taking shape during the year
and has been developed further through cooperation and synergies
between the three companies. Uniting the group in this way is crucial
to the strategic efforts ahead of us. Open Air Group believes that
the future will present even greater challenges, but sales of outdoor
products have previously been spared during recessions. Rather, the
trend has indicated that more and more people are spending time in
nature in their home area instead of spending money on restaurants
and trips abroad.
INVESTING IN FURTHER SUSTAINABILITY
Where Open Air Group is concerned, it is important to not only market
a product but also to indicate what the customer can experience with
it. It is important to communicate the benefits of experiencing nature
in terms of well-being. The products aim to make it easier to get out
into nature, hunt and enjoy the outdoors. Open Air Group’s goal is
to develop the best products and services to become the leading
e-retailer for activities relating to hunting, dogs and the outdoors. Its
ambition is to do this with as low environmental impact as possible.
“Working on sustainability is a necessity in our businesses,” says
Camilo Sjödin. “We have responsibilities and goals we want to
achieve. We work on the basis of four overarching business objective
areas: sustainable range, sustainable supply chains, operating our
own business in a responsible and sustainable way and encouraging
Meanwhile, Open Air Group is working on other sustainability
initiatives and has just been accepted into the Science Based Targets
initiative. To become part of this initiative, companies are required to
set targets in line with the Paris Agreement. Broadly speaking, this
will provide the impetus and support to enable the company and its
subsidiaries to halve their emissions by 2030. At the same time, it
will also contribute to a better understanding of the potential risks to
climate inherent in the value chain.
“Currently Open Air Group is working to develop products with a
longer life and therefore a lower environmental impact,” says Camilo
Sjödin. “One example is that the subsidiary Alaska’s next collection
is largely made from recycled polyester instead of virgin polyester,
which has a greater climate impact.”
At the same time, Open Air Group is contributing to a Norwegian
in garments made of mixed materials so that the wool can then be
recycled for use in new garments. This recycling method aims to
increase the possibility of working with textiles in a circular way.
CONTINUED INVESTMENT
In the future, the company will continue to invest in e-commerce. In
both the Retail and Brands divisions, continuing to generate better
offers for the company’s customers and make it easier to buy from
Open Air Group is a high priority. At the same time, the company will
increase efficiency and make better use of its premises.
“Our aim with these investments is to be able to serve more
customers while ensuring that our existing customers are even more
satisfied and keep turning to us to meet
all their outdoor needs,”
says Camilo Sjödin.
Camilo Sjödin, CEO
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