Latest News Safilo to Integrate Smith Into Group; Will Move Smith HQ to New Global Sports & Outdoor Lifestyle HQ in Portland By Staff Wednesday, October 22, 2014 12:27 AM KETCHUM, Idaho and PADOVA, Italy— Safilo Group (SFLG.MI), announced yesterday its decision to relocate key functions of Smith, its “iconic, U.S.-rooted sports and outdoor brand,” from its current base in Ketchum, Idaho to what will become a new Global Sports & Outdoor Lifestyle Design Center in Portland, Ore. In general, even as Smith continues its dedicated focus, the company, which has been run as its own division of Safilo, will become integrated into the Safilo Group, a spokesperson explained to VMail. Luisa Delgado, CEO of Safilo Group, stated, “We believe in the Smith brand and we are taking decisions that are aimed at further developing it sustainably across the globe. To do so, we have to create a more efficient platform and Smith can strongly benefit from the synergies deriving from our Group as a whole. We need therefore to organize ourselves to leverage these opportunities.” “This decision has been taken following an in-depth analysis conducted over the past year in collaboration with Smith’s top management,” the company’s statement said, “with the goal of evolving Smith from its strong North American snow sport position into a global eyewear brand.” Delgado visited Ketchum this week to discuss with all employees the plan, the strategy and the vision for the future of the brand, while a meeting with the key representatives of the local community is planned in order to discuss how to maintain a lasting heritage for Smith, founded 50 years ago. Safilo’s strategy builds on the core strengths of Smith and adds essential new ones in order to reach the brand’s full global potential, the statement said, noting that four key decisions have been taken with regards to the future locations of Smith: • Portland, Ore. has been chosen as the U.S. West Coast location and will serve as “the inspirational base for the product leadership activities of the Global Sports & Outdoor Lifestyle segment. Consequently, Smith design, product development, marketing, artwork, and e-commerce activities will relocate to Portland. Therefore, the Portland site will become the Global Sports & Outdoor Lifestyle Design Center, creating and developing all potential future brands and products targeted at this consumer segment. • The manufacturing of all Safilo Sports brands’ ski goggles will be concentrated in the Clearfield, Utah site, the current home of the Smith manufacturing and distribution center. • In line with Smith’s goal to become a global brand and integrated part of Safilo’s portfolio, the global Smith business will be led out of Safilo’s Group HQ in Italy, side-by-side with Safilo’s other global proprietary brands Carrera, Polaroid, Safilo and Oxydo. • To enable joint capabilities with Safilo’s USA Headquarters, the IT, HR and finance functions will be moved to Parsippany, N.J. where Safilo USA is based. “The objective is to write this new, global chapter of Smith from a range of strategic locations that enable the Group to design the future of the brand while capturing important synergies and integration opportunities within the Safilo family,” the company’s statement read. “Safilo and Smith are fully aware of and very sensitive to the implications of this plan to all employees and to the community in Ketchum. Consequently, this transition will be implemented carefully and considerately, and be phased in gradually between 2015 and 2018.” Safilo’s spokesperson said, “Every effort will be made to either relocate or provide a severance package for Smith's 85 Ketchum-based employees. Some 35 employees will see their Ketchum position transferred to Portland and the new design HQ there during the first half of 2015. Approximately 20 employees who work under Smith's manufacturing and distribution departments will be transferred to Clearfield, Utah, during the second half of 2015. In 2017-2018, Smith's informational technology, human resources and finance departments will relocate to Safilo USA in N.J., some 20 positions. The 10 jobs unaccounted for should be moved to one of the three U.S. locations over time, the spokesperson noted. Priority regions for expansion will be Europe (2015), and then selected Far East and Latin American markets. Smith Optics Inc. was founded in 1965 with the creation of the first-ever goggle featuring a sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam. Today, Smith is known for its diverse line of sunglasses, snow and motorsports goggles, snow helmets, prescription eyewear and ballistic eye protection.