History

VRG S.A. continues the tradition of Krakow clothing companies from the interwar period, Państwowy Zakład Umundurowań (the State Department of Uniforms) and the private company Strassberg. It can be considered that as an independent entity, the Company started its activity in 1948, when Krakowskie Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego (the Krakow Clothing Industry Factory) was established. Along with the development and specialization of the business in 1961, the Company commenced production destined for export sales, and in 1966 a decision was made to discontinue the production of women's clothing in favour of men's clothing.

Significant events in VRG S.A. history

• In 1948 upon register certificate by the Minister of Industry and Trade “Zjednoczone Fabryki Konfekcyjne” associating the four Krakow-based clothing factories received the name Krakowskie Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego (KZPO) and started their activity as a single economic unit supervised by Centralny Zarząd Przemysłu Odzieżowego.

• In 1949 KZPO took over “Polonia,” the clothing factory in Krakow. After taking over one of the buildings of Monopol Tytoniowy at ul. Nadwiślańska 11 in Krakow, the manufacturer moved to Podgórze District.

• In 1956 KZPO received another building at ul. Nadwiślańska 13. Since 1956 entire KZPO production was located in the buildings at ul. Nadwiślańska in Kraków.

• In 1961 KZPO begun production designated for export.

• Since 1966 the production profile of KZPO included solely classic men’s clothing.

• In 1967 KZPO took over additional building at ul. Nadwiślańska 7. Under Order no. 34/0/67 of 20 September 1967 issued by the Minister of Light Industry, KPZO changed its name to Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego "Vistula".

• In the 1970s the factory in Krakow was modernized and subsidiary factories in Myślenice, Staszów, Przeworsk and Łańcut established.

• On 30 April 1991 Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego “Vistula” was transformed into one-person company of the State Treasury, and Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego “VISTULA” S.A. was established.

• On 30 September 1993 Zakłady Przemysłu Odzieżowego “VISTULA” S.A. as one of the first clothing companies debuted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange S.A.

• As a result of outsourcing the whole production to subsidiaries completed in 2004, the Company’s core operating activity became designing clothes, development of sales network, managing sales and marketing communication.

• On 30 January 2001 a new Company name was registered: Vistula Spółka Akcyjna.

• On 31 August 2006 Vistula S.A. merged with Łódź-based Wólczanka S.A., the leading manufacturer and distributor of men’s shirts in Poland. After the merger the company changed the name to Vistula & Wólczanka S.A.

• On 17 January 2007 Vistula acquired 100% shares of Galeria Centrum Sp. z o.o. based in Warsaw.

• On 30 May 2008 as a result of the transaction concluded under the tender offer announced on 5 May 2008 Vistula & Wólczanka S.A. acquired 66% shares of W.Kruk S.A. based in Poznań.

• On 31 December 2008 the court registration of Vistula & Wólczanka S.A. and W.Kruk S.A. merger was completed. After the merger, Vistula & Wólczanka S.A. changed its name to Vistula Group S.A.

• On 31 March 2015 the agreement was concluded to transfer the entire jewelry activity conducted under W.KRUK brand to the Vistula Group S.A. subsidiary, i.e. W.KRUK S.A. based in Krakow.The transfer took the form of an in-kind contribution in the form of an organized part of the enterprise, previously operating within the Vistula Group S.A.'s enterprise as the Organizational Unit of W.KRUK, comprising an organizationally and financially separate set of tangible and intangible assets and liabilities, intended to perform specific economic tasks in the field of jewelry.

• On 30 November 2018 Vistula Group S.A. merged with Krakow-based Bytom S.A. specializing in designing and distribution of high-quality collections of men’s fashion. After the merger the company has changed the name to VRG S.A.