Since the end of the 1960’s, Eberhard Bezner observed with great concern the continuing decline of the textile industry in Germany. It was scarcely possible for him as an entrepreneur to cover his increasing need for qualified production personnel, which arose from an ongoing, dynamic growth in his business. Given a situation of near full employment, the local textile and clothing industry continuously lost workers to other branches of industry such as mechanical engineering or the automotive industry. Then, through intermediaries and recommendations, Eberhard Bezner made contact with a shirt factory located in Požega in the historic region of Slavonia, which then belonged to Yugoslavia and now is situated in eastern Croatia.

In 1969, after intensive training and support from OLYMP’s company headquarters in Bietigheim, the ORLJAVA d.o.o. company at last became the first manufacturing plant outside Germany to commence shirt production for OLYMP. Since then, this operation with over 200 employees is almost exclusively engaged in work for OLYMP. Every year, around 300,000 shirts from a wide range of product segments are made. As at all its manufacturing sites, production is likewise carried out in this Eastern European country in compliance with far-reaching quality specifications and labour, social, environmental and human ecological standards.

Mark Bezner, owner and CEO of OLYMP Bezner KG, said: “Consistency in our manufacturing processes is indispensable in order to maintain our rigorous quality standards in an ongoing fashion. In addition, our stable and trusting business relationship with our partners makes long-term production planning and continuous capacity utilisation possible for us, which pays off positively for both sides. Five decades of working together is excellent proof of how a partnership based on fairness and mutual respect can be lived out, even in today’s world. In this respect, securing the services of ORLJAVA has proven to be a real stroke of luck.”

OLYMP Bezner KG, of Bietigheim-Bissingen near Stuttgart, has become the undisputed market leader in Germany for men’s shirts and is enjoying sustained growth both nationally and internationally. The turnover achieved in the 2018 financial year was 266 million euros. The number of employees in Germany and Austria is currently around 900.

Contact: Marc Fritz, Phone +49 7142 592-170, Fax +49 7142 592-8170, marc.fritz@olymp.com, www.olymp.com