Question

Explain in 300 words RM Williams (industry) background?

Answer 1

RM Williams Proprietary Limited is a foreign-owned private company that derives much of its income from footwear, clothing and accessories manufacturing, importing, wholesaling and retailing in Australia and overseas. The company employs about 750 people, and is managed from its headquarters in Salisbury, South Australia. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore-based private equity firm L Capital RMW (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

RM Williams receives much of its income from the manufacturing, import, wholesale and retail sectors: Footwear-Provides footwear, such as shoes, boots, boots for craftsmen, biker boots and accessories for footwear.
Clothing-Provides clothing such as shirts, jeans, t-shirts, polos, shorts, skirts, dresses, knitwear, jackets, jackets and a range of traditional, classic clothing from Authentics.Accessories like belts, buckles, bags wallets, hats, caps, books & gifts and gift cards are issued by the company.

In 2013, a share of the business is sold to L Capital Asia, a private equity fund sponsored by LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), in support of global expansion plans. L Capital and IFM Investors group, a regional investment manager owned by 30 big Australian non-profit pension funds, purchased the residual stake from Ken Cowley and the family in October 2014.

In conjunction with IFM and a new investment partner Hugh Jackman, L Capital's investment continues to drive the business towards RM's vision of creating a global brand, reflecting its iconic status. The brand identity is updated-to maintain authenticity appropriately using a typeface inspired by the catalogs of the 1940s. The product line and stores are being updated, with the introduction of the new Adelaide boot.

The Adelaide is partly influenced by the equestrian boot Wimmera, which was produced some 20 years earlier as the definitive jodhpur boot for women. The Adelaide offers a lighter, more stylish alternative to the Craftsman for women. The company is moving strongly into best practice e-commerce, helping to extend its global footwear and leather design sales for which demand continues to rise globally.