RIMOWA celebrates grand opening of new expanded manufacturing facility in North America

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly five years after opening its first North American manufacturing facility, world renowned German luggage maker RIMOWA has expanded their Canadian manufacturing footprint with the official grand opening of their new North American headquarters located in Cambridge, Ontario.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130925/NY86452)

The ribbon cutting on this much-anticipated new high-tech facility was attended by select well-known lifestyle and fashion tastemakers from Cambridge and Toronto. On-hand for the day-long grand opening celebrations were also distinguished guests from the RIMOWA German head office, including Mr. Dieter Morszeck, Owner and CEO of RIMOWA GmbH.

This exciting occasion was marked with a private on-site luncheon and factory tour, followed by a signature RIMOWA case design and creation tutorial, in collaboration with the esteemed production team. Attendees were invited to create their own unique RIMOWA case. The facility tour and case design activities highlighted the skilled labour and advanced manufacturing technologies now housed in Cambridge, ON, an impressive contribution to the local community which has already been highlighted by the Government of Ontario in their Ontario Business Report.

When selecting the location for the expanded North American RIMOWA manufacturing facilities, the brand considered which opportunities existed to create more of their high-performance and superior designed cases while also translating into more Canadian jobs. Carsten Kulcke, Executive Vice President for RIMOWA North America Inc., explains, "Since opening our first North American facility, RIMOWA expanded both its local production and international product lines to include a staff of over 300 in Cambridge, ON. This allowed us to grow our sales 10-fold in the five years since opening the first Cambridge plant. This is a fact we are extremely proud to announce as we continue developing our relationship with the Cambridge community and Canadian market as a whole."

In addition to creating a number of permanent jobs for skilled workers in Ontario, the new 80,000 square foot building houses some of the most advanced manufacturing technologies in RIMOWA's history.  The facility, located at 90 Vondrau Drive, was built by Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc., an innovative construction company in Southern Ontario. From construction to employment, RIMOWA has fully embraced Canadian talent in all aspects of its new manufacturing facilities and operations, a trend the company plans to openly embrace on an ongoing basis moving forward.

About RIMOWA
Founded in 1898, RIMOWA is the world's premier manufacturer of ultra-lightweight yet super durable luggage, attaches and other cases. As travel shifted from surface to air in the 1950s, RIMOWA became famous for its pioneering work with lightweight aluminum luggage. RIMOWA still produces the finest quality aluminum suitcases in the world in their own high-tech manufacturing facilities, but the company has also initiated a new revolution with the use of high-tech polycarbonates.

As the inventor of polycarbonate luggage, RIMOWA uses this space-age material to make ultra- lightweight luggage that is not as rigid as its aluminum line, yet still extremely durable and lightweight. RIMOWA is represented in more than 50 countries and has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide.

For more information on the company and its luggage lines visit www.rimowa.com

SOURCE RIMOWA