Puma
AG opened a new product development center in Vietnam as part of an
effort to streamline the creation of new apparel and footwear and
reduce costs. Puma said the center in Ho Chi Minh City pulls together
suppliers, researchers and developers under one roof.

The whole
complex will be the new home for footwear and apparel prototype and
sample suppliers covering 85% of PUMA’s footwear and 15% of PUMA’s
apparel development needs. Furthermore integrated in the new complex
are material and component suppliers as well as Sourcing, Engineering,
Material Management, Laboratory and Research & Development Centers
of PUMA’s sourcing organisation World Cat. Before PUMA brought all
these facilities together under one roof, they had been spread all over
Asia.

“PUMA’s new development center PUMA Village sets
unprecedented standards in our industry,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman
and CEO of PUMA. “This trend-setting concept of a product development
center with over 40 PUMA suppliers under one roof, working tightly
together, will increase PUMA’s speed to market, reduces our cost base
and makes sure that our products are of excellent quality. It underpins
PUMA’s current restructuring efforts to streamline our business
operations throughout all steps of the value chain.”

“After
three years of planning und building we have created a unique place for
all our creative people to work directly with the prototype factories
in a fast and professional way. Nearly all of our product categories as
well as technologies will be developed at the PUMA Village in order to
ensure that our entire product service and product quality goals are
achieved,” said Reiner Seiz, Chief Supply Chain Officer of PUMA.

In
line with PUMA’s sustainability concept PUMAVision, PUMA Village
features a number of environmentally friendly assets. On top of the
building, a water reservoir was installed for collecting rain water
during all seasons of the year and especially during the rainy season
from May to November. This water will be used to complement the water
supply, for cooling purposes in the hot season as well as for
gardening. In terms of energy saving a louver was installed to protect
the office and factory building from direct sunlight which reduces the
heating up of the building. Solar panels provide energy for warm water
consumption and air-conditioning.

puma.safe, the department of
Social and Environmental Affairs, is based in PUMA Village as well.
puma.safe works towards raising work and production standards
worldwide, developing new sustainable products and reducing our carbon
footprint. As all of PUMA’s manufacturers have to adhere to PUMA’s
environmental and safety standards, all manufacturing units and their
workers based in PUMA Village have to comply with PUMA’s standards as
well. A special on Health & Safety educated officer will
permanently monitor the General Constructor’s working team, making sure
that all standards are being adhered to during the production
processes.