AKI acquires discount clothing importer

Melbourne-based manufacturer and importer of men's and women's apparel AKI Australia has acquired the business operations of Perfect Sports.
Under the deal Perfect Sports, a wholesaling apparel business specialising in socks, underwear and casual clothing, will now be known as AKI Perfect Sports and co-located at AKI Australia's head office in Clifton Hill, Victoria.
The acquisition will see AKI Australia offering seven additional Perfect Sports brands, which encompass men's, women's and childrenswear, to its national customer base. These brands include Perfect Sportz, Joe Blow, P.ink, Sport Zone, Le Sock/Le Jocks, Z-One and Kids Col-ours.
"The acquisition of the Perfect Sports business was based on our ability to gain access to a broader product range via the Perfect Sports sock and underwear products," said group general manager David Sheer.
"An expanded product base will afford the group greater opportunities both within the existing joint customer base in Australia and further afield internationally. An overriding benefit will also flow from the fact that the sophisticated systems now in place in our China office can provide us with the required momentum to build on our existing track record of selling direct into international markets."
Additional administration and off-shore production staff will be appointed over the coming months.
The company is also working on several marketing iniatitives that will be launched progressively throughout the first half of this year.
AKI Australia operates several divisions including AKI Men's, AKI Women's, AKI Brands, AKI Corporate (Action Knits) and now AKI Perfect Sports. The company maintains a strong contingent of accounts in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the South Pacific and the E.U.
Perfect Sports co-founders Danny Segal and Angelo Puopolo will remain with AKI Perfect Sports in sales and brand management and service support respectively.