Retail Giant Uniqlo Sold On Searchlight

From its humble origins as a chain of small men’s wear shops in 1949, and the opening of its first unisex casual wear store in Hiroshima in 1984, Japanese retailer Uniqlo has emerged as a global retail giant with some 1,500 stores in 16 countries.

A subsidiary of Fast Retailing Company Ltd., the brand distinguishes itself in the market as a specialty retailer of private label apparel. Uniqlo is currently in the midst of ambitious international expansion, including plans to grow its Australian footprint in 2015.

When Uniqlo brought Rowan Allsop onboard to oversee loss prevention for its expansion into Australia, the selection of a video surveillance system was an immediate priority.

At the time, the opening of Uniqlo’s flagship store in the glitzy Emporium, a 225-store shopping center in downtown Melbourne was underway and the store was already equipped with a video surveillance system. The technology was sufficient, but not what Allsop had in mind given Uniqlo’s ambitious plans for expansion in the country.

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