RegionaLink LLC, based in Salt Lake City with an operational office in Guatemala, is offering
sourcing services to U.S. and European apparel brands and retailers searching for production
capabilities in the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) region as an
alternative to capabilities in Asia. The new company, led by Managing Director Alejandro Arias, has
received investment backing from three executives with extensive experience in apparel sourcing and
supply chain technology, including: Carlos Arias, president of denim apparel maker Denimatrix LP,
Guatemala; Kurt Cavano, chairman and CEO of supply chain collaboration platform TradeCard Inc., New
York City; and Walter T. Wilhelm, founder of apparel, footwear and retail consultancy Walter
Wilhelm Associates, Salt Lake City.
“Many companies are looking to bring production back to the Americas but need help,” said
Alejandro Arias. “RegionaLink’s mission is to provide best-in-class services to brands and
retailers in the United States and Europe seeking to source production in the Central America-DR
region by connecting them to a network of qualified reliable vendors and by continuing to support
the operation from sampling through successful on-time delivery of a quality production. We see
ourselves as a ‘Boutique Sourcing Services Organization’ with a premier network of buyers and
vendors able to attract clients and able to provide a wide variety of services tailored to a
client’s individual needs.”
RegionaLink will charge retailers and brands a fee for services, with a variable two-pronged
fee structure including fixed fees for pre-order services and percentage fees for post-order
services. It also will charge fees to the factories under a structure based on business
prospectiveness, and marketing and promotion services.
Arias said RegionaLink also will be beneficial to U.S. yarn and fabric producers positioned
to take advantage of CAFTA-DR. “U.S. yarns have a big impact in the Central American market,
particularly in knits,” he said. “We’ll contribute by bringing CAFTA-DR product into the United
States.”
July/August 2011
