EUROPEAN OUTFITTER TAPS EAGLE FOR FIRST U.S. DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

• Author: Siebrase, Jamie
• Position: STATE OF THE STATE

Direct Alpine, a European-based brand of technical outdoor apparel popular "around the Alps," has found a home in the Rockies.

The company, which ships products to 23 countries including the U.S. and Canada, needed a transatlantic distribution center to better cater to a rapidly growing contingent of North American consumers. The rugged mountain town of Eagle seemed like a perfect spot for the site that opened in 2017 to fulfill e-commerce orders and dealer requests.

"We recognized the central location of the state and, of course, the amazing environment--from both pure nature and business perspectives," says Dimitar Dimitrov, managing partner at XCoSports, distributor for Direct Alpine.

When it comes to those business perspectives, Colorado's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office was especially enticing. Gov. John Hickenlooper launched OREC in 201 5, under the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, appointing seasoned mountaineer Luis Benitez as the office's inaugural director.

"The outdoor industry is a significant part of our state's economy," says Benitez, noting that outdoor recreation generates $35 billion in consumer spending annually in Colorado. Tasked with the board goal of "economic development," Benitez recruits new outdoors companies to Colorado and supports existing businesses by giving them the tools they need to operate: cash, permits for land use and more.

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