Slovenian footwear maker, Alpina, has set up a subsidiary in Ukraine, aimed at increasing its exports

A statement released by Alpina said that it had chosen Ukraine given the low supply of the market by western manufacturers and the rising standard of living in this market, with a population 48 million.

The new company, named Alpina UA, is based in Kiev, and will initially focus on wholesale footwear, with plans for it to open its own stores at a later date.
Alpina UA is the ninth company that Alpina has established abroad, having already set up subsidiaries in Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary and Bulgaria. It also plans to open a store in Romania in September.