The PANDORA story is about a company with a distinctive brand and distinctive products that in just a few years has made the exceptional journey from a local Danish jewellery to a world-leading international jewellery company, with sales in more than 55 countries.
1982-1999: THE EARLY YEARS
It all started nearly 30 years ago. Back in 1982 a jeweller’s shop that would one day become PANDORA was established in modest surroundings in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Danish goldsmith Per Enevoldsen and his wife Winnie. From the beginning, they often travelled to Thailand in search of jewellery for importing. As the demand for their products increased, their focus gradually shifted towards wholesale to clients in Denmark.
In 1987, after several successful years as wholesalers, the retail activities were discontinued and the company moved to larger premises. Meanwhile, the first in-house designer joined the company and PANDORA began to focus on creating its own unique jewellery. In 1989, the company decided to start manufacturing its jewellery in Thailand.
2000-2009: BUILDING INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
In 2000, PANDORA’s charm bracelet concept was first launched in the Danish market. Consumers embraced the concept, and in the following years, driven by a growing and encouraging demand, the company began to expand internationally, entering new markets such as the United States in 2003 and Germany and Australia in 2004.
Over the following years, PANDORA rapidly expanded its market presence from a Scandinavian platform to an international marketing and sales platform driven mainly by third party distributors and strong production capabilities in Thailand.
In order to increase its production capacity, PANDORA opened a large scale, six-story fully-owned manufacturing facility in Thailand in 2005, which still forms a central part of the current production and infrastructure. In August 2008 a second manufacturing facility was opened in the same area, which in 2010 was followed by the opening of PANDORA’s third and fourth facilities in the same area, further strengthening our unique production setup.
TODAY
PANDORA operates and manages a vertically integrated business model from in-house design and manufacturing to global marketing and direct distribution in most markets. The products are sold in more than 55 countries on six continents. The PANDORA brand, and its collection of currently over 1,600 unique jewellery designs, is sold directly or through third-party distributors to over 10,000 points of sale worldwide, including more than 420 PANDORA branded concept stores.
PANDORA’s mission – then and today – is to offer women across the world a universe of high quality, hand finished, modern and genuine jewellery products at affordable prices, thereby inspiring women to express their individuality. All women have their individual stories to tell – a personal collection of special moments that makes them who they are. That is why we celebrate these moments. That is why we say these moments are unforgettable.
The PANDORA milestones
1982 - Per and Winnie Enevoldsen founded PANDORA in Copenhagen, Denmark
1987 - PANDORA hired its first in-house designer
1989 - PANDORA started manufacturing jewelry in Thailand
2000 - PANDORA launched its charm bracelet concept in Denmark
2003 - PANDORA entered the US market
2004 - PANDORA entered the Australian and German markets
2005 - PANDORA opened its own six-story manufacturing facility in Thailand
2008 - A second manufacturing facility opened in Thailand
2010 - PANDORA jewelry is available in over 55 countries across six continents
PANDORA public listing on Nasdaq OMX, Copenhagen
A third and fourth manufacturing facility opened in Thailand
About PANDORA
PANDORA designs, manufactures and markets hand-finished and modern jewelry made from genuine materials and at affordable prices. The PANDORA jewelry is sold in more than 55 countries on six continents through over 10,000 points of sale, including more than 420 PANDORA branded concept stores.
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, PANDORA employs over 5,000 people worldwide of whom more than 3,600 are located in Gemopolis, Thailand, where the company manufactures its jewelry.
Video of Creation of PANDORA CHARMS (4 minutes)
http://static.pandora.net/corporate/flash/simple-videoplayer.swf
