We prefer to choose local entrepreneurs

The company that put the town of Hestra on the world map, the place where it all started in 1936 and is still the hub of the business. With sales in some 40 countries, 400 active glove models and an ever-increasing customer base in sports, fashion and professional work, Hestra was starting to get crowded. Something that has now been remedied in the form of a brand new 3,000 m² warehouse, built and furnished by us at EAB.

Anton, who belongs to the fourth generation of Magnusson, has been CEO of the company since 2019. He also has a more unique title in his CV. Together with his cousin Niklas, he trained as a glove maker in 2012 and they were the first people to complete this training in Sweden in 47 years. Today he also has a master craftsman’s certificate in glove making and can therefore train others in the craft.

– The Hestra Handsken should stand for quality in everything from design and function to durability over time. It is therefore important to know the craft from the ground up and to be actively involved in product development by constantly improving and refining, says Anton, to the left in the picture.

Control throughout the value chain

It was Anton’s great-grandfather, Martin Magnusson, who founded the company in 1936 to provide local loggers with durable gloves. When the Isaberg ski slope was built in the area, he saw the opportunity to expand the range to the growing group of downhill skiers. One thing led to another and today Hestra Handsken supplies over 2.5 million gloves, with full control from development to delivery, to a global market.

– It is unusual in our industry to own your production units, but for us it is extremely important to own the entire value chain in order to maintain control and guarantee quality at all stages. We therefore purchase skins, fabrics, linings and other materials ourselves and have our own factories in China, Cambodia, Hungary and Vietnam, where we are now building our second factory with an area of 11,000 square metres in parallel with the construction in Hestra. In total, the group has 900 employees.

Conscious risk diversification

There has been considerable growth in recent years, which can be attributed in part to an increased outdoor trend, where we have been quick to develop ranges for more target groups and new markets.

– We have consciously tried to increase risk diversification and not be too dependent on individual markets and customer segments. Our products are sold through retailers and in our own stores, but also directly to consumers via our own e-commerce. Almost all deliveries to consumers and retailers in Europe are made from Hestra. Our subsidiary in Denver, USA, handles deliveries to customers and consumers in North America from its own warehouse.

Hestra – more than a brand

Regardless of future growth, the owners are determined to keep the hub in the form of the head office in Hestra.

– It is a directive from us as owners that the company’s headquarters must never be moved from the locality. Hestra is so much more than a brand, it is where we have our roots and our soul. Today, we realise that our customers increasingly appreciate suppliers who stand for a long-term approach and security, when so much else in the world is uncertain. In addition to a new warehouse, we are also renovating our existing premises. We have also made sure to prepare ourselves in other ways for continued expansion in Hestra

Co-operation with EAB since 1975

– We want to work with local contractors who stand for the same high quality that we deliver to our customers. Erik Larsson Bygg AB is the general contractor for the new building and EAB is a given partner in this project as well. We know that they always deliver the best solution and we therefore feel great confidence.

– It is always fun to deliver to neighbouring companies. For Hestras Handsken’s new warehouse, we at EAB have delivered and installed the steel frame, roof sheeting, wall elements, sheet metal, fittings and gates”

Martin Mårtensson, Sales Manager at EAB Stålbyggnader.

However, this is not the first time EAB has delivered to Hestra Handsken. The first co-operation project took place in 1975 and concerned an extension. Since then, there have been continuous deliveries of, among other things, warehouse fittings. This time too, in the form of pallet racks and shelf racks.

– We see it as positive that EAB is close by if something needs to be supplemented or requires maintenance. Filip Carlsson, who is our contact for warehouse fittings at EAB, comes here from time to time to review our needs, which is good as we want to be a safe and well-functioning workplace.

Seasonal storage of the highest order

– With the new warehouse, we get increased storage volume, higher flexibility and better flows. Because although we try to have a range of products to help even out seasonal variations, we have an extreme peak from October to December, when 70% of our turnover goes in and out of our warehouse.

– We have cancelled the contracts with the external warehouses we had in different locations and will now gather all our warehouse operations in one place. In addition to new shelving and pallet racks, we have also moved a large part of our existing EAB Storage Equipment to the new premises. This shows that EAB has delivered quality products that stand the test of time, a characteristic we ourselves prioritise in our products, where durability and longevity are paramount.

To promote sustainability and reduce wear and tear, Hestra Handsken offers its customers the opportunity to send or return their gloves for repair.

Grand opening

The grand opening of the warehouse will not take place until late autumn.

– By then, our new factory in Vietnam will also be ready and the plan is to have a simultaneous opening, where digital technology will ensure that we can celebrate together. After all, we are one and the same Hestra Handsken, no matter where in the world we are, Anton concludes.