Belwest will open more than 20 new stores in the Russian Federation this year

September 17, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The joint limited liability company (JLCC) "Belwest" plans to open more than 20 new stores in the Russian Federation this year, Dmitry Gontsov, commercial director of the enterprise, told a BELTA correspondent. Expanding the customer base and activating its own distribution network both in Belarus and abroad are among the ways to increase sales even in the context of an economic crisis, the company believes. In 2008, "Belwest" opened 18 new stores in the republic and the Russian Federation. This year, its own retail network will be expanded by another 25 stores. Such facilities are already operating in Grodno and Mogilev, and one will soon open in Gomel. However, a significant portion of the outlets will be opened in Russia. The company also considers increasing the product range and continuous work on product quality as another way to boost sales. The warranty period for "Belwest" footwear is 75 days. The model range is updated twice a year by more than 50%. Each seasonal collection "Spring-Summer" and "Autumn-Winter" includes about 350 models and 1,000 SKUs. The work on a new collection is completed almost a year before mass production. Thus, in September this year, "Belwest" presented its new "Spring-Summer 2010" collection to the trade for the first time. In January-August, the finished goods inventory at "Belwest" warehouses decreased by 19% in physical terms compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the volume of goods sold in monetary terms increased by 25.9%, of which 20.5% was obtained from export sales. From January to August 2009, JLCC "Belwest" produced 934 thousand pairs of shoes worth Br78.1 billion. The growth rate was 123.2% compared to the corresponding period last year. Over 8 months, Br1.3 billion was invested in fixed assets, including Br472 million for the development of the retail network in Belarus. The Belarusian-Russian footwear company "Belwest" was founded in 1998. -0-