PARIS, France – A Peoria-based manufacturer of sunglasses has been sold to a foreign company.
French luxury company Kering, which also owns the Gucci brand, says it has purchased Maui Jim sunglasses.
Kering, founded in 2014, also purchased a Danish luxury brand last year.
Kering, in a news release, describes Maui Jim as an “authentic” brand with a “distinctive Hawaiian heritage.”
“Maui Jim has a unique positioning in the market, with very high-end and technically innovative sunglasses that are beloved by its clientele, and we are delighted that the brand is joining Kering Eyewear’s exceptional portfolio,” said Roberto Vedovotto, President and CEO of Kering Eyewear, in a news release . “We see strong potential globally for Maui Jim, which will benefit from our expertise and worldwide network to extend its geographical footprint and build on its core values to attract new consumers.”
Its website still says Maui Jim is based in Hawaii, but its main plant is off Allen Road in Peoria. It’s long been said that Maui Jim is based in Peoria.
Terms of the deal weren’t released, but Kering says the deal is expected to close in the second half of the year.
No word on what, if anything, will happen to the Peoria plant.
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