Interim director Gregor Krajnc has told the STA that Alpina improved its performance in 2017 and 2018. Last year the group generated EUR 52 million in sales revenue and EUR 2 million in net profit, with some extra revenue coming as a result of the financial restructuring.

For this year, the company controlled by the state-owned Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) and Abanka bank plans to reach a similar figure in sales revenue and around EUR 1 million in net profit.

According to Kranjc, the sport division is doing better than last year and above the plan, while the fashion division is doing worse.

"On the one hand, we felt the influx of shoes from China ... and on the other hand there is a switch to leather footwear, as the sport shoe programme is increasingly reaching into the fashion segment."

Having a strong sport division, Alpina sees this as an opportunity, and it has already placed on the market a model of urban shoes which can be used both for sport and work.

"We will also remodel our shops by combining the sport and fashion programme," said Krajnc, adding that updating the shop network would be the main investment.

According to him, further stabilisation, moderate growth and improved performance is planned this year and in the coming years, with further reducing debt remaining one of the main priorities.

Alpina currently has EUR 23 million in financial liabilities and EUR 6-7 million in liabilities to suppliers. The owners are providing it with seasonal loans which are returned every year.

The financial restructuring under the BAMC and Abanka concluded at the beginning of 2018. In reference to the BAMC, he said "it has transformed from solely a creditor to an owner which understands the company well."

Krajnc, who took over as interim director in May from Bojan Gantar, with the latter being appointed to the management of the BAMC, will return to the supervisory board as Alpina is to get a new director.

He expects that under new management Alpina will continue to develop its products, including the newly-acquired Peko brand, with a new collection of elegant business footwear for men and women to be presented in the autumn.

Alpina has employed one of the former Peko designers and has unveiled an autumn collection of the premium brand Peter Kozina, which also comes from the Peko heritage. It has been very well received, according to Kranjc.

The company also continues to develop collections of urban and light trekking shoes of its own brand, as well as innovative cross-country skiing shoes.

Besides Slovenia and other former Yugoslav states, its main markets are the Scandinavian countries, North America, Russia and Germany, and it would also like to enter the Benelux countries, France, Italy and Austria, among others.

In addition to its plant in Žiri in western Slovenia, Alpina also has two plants in Bosnia-Herzegovina and one in China. The entire group employs 1,400 people, including 360 in Žiri and 140 in Alpina shops in Slovenia.