Swiss luxury group Richemont has inaugurated the expansion of its leather goods facility in Scandicci, near Florence, Italy, through its subsidiary PRF (Pelletteria Richemont Firenze). The company invested more than €10 million to expand the site, strengthening its manufacturing capabilities and vertical integration strategy in the luxury leather goods industry.

The expansion has increased the facility’s floor space from 5,000 square meters to 12,000 square meters, making it one of the key hubs within Richemont’s Fashion and Accessories division.

The site will focus on the design, prototyping, development and manufacturing of leather goods for 5 Richemont brands: Cartier, Chloé, Dunhill, Montblanc and Serapian.

The upgraded facility includes dedicated areas for each brand, an advanced cutting center, laboratories for physical testing of materials and a research and development department.

More than 50% of the site’s energy requirements will be supplied through a photovoltaic system.

The factory supports a wider ecosystem of around 100 suppliers located near the site. According to local media reports, this network represents more than 2,000 specialized jobs in the Florence region.

Employment at the facility has also increased significantly. The workforce has grown from 150 employees to 250 employees over the past few years and could reach 300 employees in the near future.

The investment comes as luxury groups continue to strengthen control over their supply chains. Competing luxury companies such as Kering and Hermès have acquired stakes in suppliers over the past decade, while Richemont is accelerating the integration of its own manufacturing operations.