Sokolov (company)
| Industry | Jewelry |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 in Krasnoye-na-Volge, Kostroma Oblast, Russia |
| Founders | Alexey Sokolov, Elena Sokolov |
| Headquarters | Russia |
Areas served | Russia, China, Europe |
Key people | Artem Sokolov (CEO) |
Production output | 20,000,000 pieces of jewellery (2022) |
| Revenue | ₽ 24.4 billion (2021) |
| Parent | Welvart Group |
| Website | sokolov |
Sokolov is a family-owned Russian jewelry company with production facilities in Kostroma, Krasnoye-na-Volge and Privolzhsk, and over 400 stores in Russia and abroad.[1][2]
History[edit]
The company was founded by Alexey and Elena Sokolov in 1993 in Krasnoye-na-Volge, Kostroma Oblast, Russia, a place known for jewelry manufacturing since the 19th century. The parents of the company founders used to work at Krasnoselskaya Jewellery Factory, established in Soviet times to consolidate smaller jewelry manufacturers.[3]
In the early 2000s, Sokolovs constructed their own 10,000 sq m facility in Krasnoye-na-Volge, which produced golden rings, earrings, bracelets, and other jewelry with gemstones and sold them to retail chains and wholesale companies. By 2008, the company reached ₽ 1 billion in revenue. During the Great Recession in Russia, it opened an office and a showroom in Moscow and started the production of silver jewelry. Later in 2013, it also opened an office in Bern, Switzerland.[3]
In 2014, the company took the name Sokolov,[4] and Alexey and Elena's eldest son Artem was appointed as CEO. Since 2018, the company has developed its chain of mono-brand stores, which expanded from 20 stores in 2019 to over 400 in 2022.[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company embraced online commerce and launched an e-store and an app. It also received the status of a systemically important company from the Russian authorities.[3]
Production[edit]
Sokolov runs three production facilities in Kostroma, Krasnoye-na-Volge, and Privolzhsk (Ivanovo Oblast) and employs around 2,000 workers.[5] The company produces around 20,000,000 pieces of jewelry per year (2022).[1] It has an in-house design studio of 40 people, which generates up to 600 concepts each month and creases three seasonal collections a year (SS, FW, and "cruise").[3][6]
By 2022, the company operated 416 mono-brand stores in Russia,[1] franchise stores in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Romania,[7] and ran a 3-store pilot in Shanghai, China.[8] Sokolov jewelry is also sold in Europe and the US via Zalando, Amazon, and local distributors.[9] The company specifically targets travel retail and sells jewelry in Dufry, Regstaer, and Arial duty-free and duty-paid stores.[6]
Company[edit]
Sokolov is one of the largest jewelry companies in Russia.[4][6] By mid-2022, it had the third largest store network among the jewelry retailers and had a market share of 10,5%, according to InfoLINE report.[10] In 2022, the company reported ₽ 32 billion in revenue, with online sales totaling roughly 30%.[11] In November 2022, Sokolov became the first Russian jewelry company to score a BBB+ rating from ACRA.[12]
Since 2021, the company has planned an initial public offering.[13] In November 2022, the company scheduled an IPO on MOEX for Q3 or Q4 2023.[8] In December 2022, Sokolov issued 3-year bonds for ₽ 3 billion to support the growth of its retail chain and production facilities.[14][15][1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Nikita Kompanischenko (25 December 2022). "Sokolov placed its debut bond issue". Tinkoff Journal. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Welvart Group International Financial Reporting Standards Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Independent Auditor's Report" (PDF). Technologies of Trust. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d Tatiana Romanova (8 September 2021). "How Sokolov survived financial crises and grew during COVID pandemic". Forbes. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ a b "What's behind the name of Sokolov?". The Jewelry Market Navigator (7—8 (136)). 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Sokolov launched a production facility in Ivanovskaya oblast". Retail.ru. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "Sokolov targets travel retail expansion for its "affordable luxury" jewellery". The Moodie Davitt Report. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Sololov doubled its revenue in 2021". Retail.ru. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ a b Olga Popova (29 November 2022). "Russian jeweller Sokolov pivoting to China with Moscow IPO in pipeline". Reuters. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Vladislav Shirobokov (24 November 2021). "Russian jewelery made available to Western European consumers via Zalando". East-West Digital News. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "The leaders in Russian jewellery retail in Q1 and Q2, 2022". Russian Jeweller. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Sokolov revenue grew 31% in 2022". Finmarket. February 12, 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Anna Bunt (30 November 2022). "How the jewelry market changed over 2022. An interview with Sokolov CEO". RBC Trends. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Olga Popova (19 November 2021). "Russian jeweller Sokolov plans US IPO as revenues double". Reuters. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Fresh bonds: Sokolov". vc.ru. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "Sokolov issued bonds with a premium to the state bonds interest". RBC. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.