Hansae Industrial Seizes the Lead: Strategic Acquisition of US Textile Manufacturer Boosts Athleisure Dominance
‘New Balance Supply’ Texolini embraces
Vertical integration strategy in Central and South America is also flexible
Global apparel manufacturing and original design manufacturing (ODM) company Hansae announced on the 24th that it has acquired the U.S. textile manufacturer Texolini. This is expected to provide momentum for its conquest of the activewear market, including yoga wear, as well as vertical integration in Central and South America, centered around Guatemala.
Founded in 1989, Texolini is a competitive company in the synthetic fiber field, from fabric manufacturing to dyeing, printing, finishing, design, and research and development (R&D). Its headquarters and factory are located in Long Beach, near Los Angeles, USA. Major clients include global sports brand New Balance, casual brand Champion, outdoor brand Patagonia, and athleisure (athletic + leisure) brand Aloyoga.
With this acquisition, Hansae Industrial is expected to be able to significantly strengthen its production technology for synthetic fibers, a key material for activewear. Activewear includes athleisure clothing such as yoga wear and functional clothing including outdoor wear.
Texolini has built a fully automated production line, which allows it to operate the entire process from fabric manufacturing to dyeing and printing 24 hours a day. It has the capacity to mass-produce and dye over 4,000 different types of fabric.
Hansae plans to expand orders to high value-added product groups such as activewear, underwear, and swimwear by utilizing Texolini’s synthetic fiber development technology and know-how. Hansae has mainly produced knitwear (knitted fabrics) such as casual wear, shirts, and suits. Last year, it received its first order for activewear such as yoga wear from Dick’s Sporting Goods, a U.S. sporting goods distributor.
The acquisition of Texolini is also expected to have great synergy in terms of vertical integration. Hansae Industrial is investing more than 400 billion won in Guatemala starting in 2022 to build a vertical integration system from fabric to spinning, sewing, and dyeing, targeting the American market.
A Hansae Industry official said, “The fabric factory we are building in Guatemala will have a production capacity more than 10 times that of the current Textolini,” and “Our long-term goal is to produce finished products, including activewear, by linking Textolini’s synthetic fiber technology with our existing sewing factories.”
Reporter Oh Hyeong-ju ohj@hankyung.com