Retail

RT-Mart (CN)

A German shop design for China: made by Wanzl

A German shop design for China

The world is amazed by the pace of economic growth in China. Wealth is growing and with it the middle class, who are eager consumers who enjoy a multisensory experience from their shopping. Wanzl is taking part: in Changzhou, this Leipheim-based company has equipped the first RT-Mart premium supermarket. It has done so with quality products_MADE BY WANZL, produced in Germany and exported to China.

The two companies met at EuroShop – the most important trade fair globally.

This is where Wanzl introduced shopfitting_MADE BY WANZL to the delegation from Asia. Wanzl and RT-Mart have been partners for many years in the shopping trolley segment. This collaboration is ongoing and has contributed to interest in shop design from Germany. Today, RT-Mart, headquartered in Taiwan, is
one of China's leading retailers and has over 320 hypermarkets. Wherever wealth increases so too does the competition, and there is demand for new market formats. RT-Mart focuses on the premium segment and its pilot project RH Lavia, comprising 3,000 m², is located in the city of Changzhou, 2 miles' drive north of Shanghai and with a catchment area of over 4.7 million inhabitants. Changzhou is affluent – the population's income is above the national average and there are fantastic opportunities here for premium retail.

The two companies met at EuroShop – the most important trade fair globally.

After EuroShop 2014, the new collaboration in shop design began to take shape.

The schedule was tight as the opening of the new premium shop was planned for September 2015. Wanzl was responsible for full concept development and implementation, from planning and design, to project management, construction, production and installation in China. Weekly phone and video-conferences between the Wanzl headquarters in Germany, the Wanzl branch in Shanghai and the customer RT-Mart ensured that the project maintained the required momentum. There was a lot to discuss – the food selection in China is different from that in Europe, for example fresh fish and seafood in water tanks are rarely found over here. In summer 2015, the shipping containers left the Wanzl plant in Germany, heading for Changzhou. A total of 500 m of wire tech shelves, Vitable display units and YourTable presentation systems were delivered, together with shopping and transport trolleys, shopping baskets and entrance systems. The shipment arrived in China precisely on time. Wanzl dispatched specialists from the German headquarters to Changzhou for installing the shop fittings, supported by 20 employees from the Wanzl Shanghai branch. In September 2015, the RH Lavia pilot project opened on schedule – just as you'd expect from a German company, and of course with products_MADE BY WANZL.

Wanzl China

Wanzl has been successfully collaborating in China for many years in partnerships built on expertise; this Leipheim-based company has had an active branch in Shanghai for 18 years to date. In 2007, Wanzl built its production plant (comprising almost 25,000 m²) in accordance with very strict western quality and environmental standards. Today, Wanzl has long since been represented in China and knows the country and retail market from north to south and east to west.

"RT-Mart, with its new premium store RH Lavia in Changzhou, is our first shop solutions customer in China. Here, we have created a world of goods that is unique in China, comprising 3,000 m² and with space for 9,000 food and non-food items with wire tech, Vitable and YourTable. The store concept is a world apart from other premium shops such as Ole, City super and Great. wire tech stands for stylish elegance and is new on the Chinese market. As a European trendsetter, it offers a fresh experience compared with the Japanese-inspired shop layouts used by Chinese retailers."
Eric Lamballe, Subsidiary Manager of Wanzl China