As of 1 January 2017, General Cigar, Cigars International, STG Lane and STG Canada reinforce their leading positions under one leadership. The change thereby improves the world-leading cigars and pipe tobacco business’ product offering across all customer segments.
“We are leading in handmade cigars, pipe tobacco and fine cut in the US. In every one of our business entities, we have specialised in bringing either handmade cigars or pipe tobacco and fine cut to specific customer segments. Advancing our collaboration between entities allow us to bring products from across our tobacco categories to all our customers. We believe that this will benefit our customers and drive further growth for our business in the US,” says Craig Reynolds, Executive Vice President for Scandinavian Tobacco Group in North America.
Craig Reynolds assumes the leadership of the North American cluster when it is formed on 1 January 2017. CEO Niels Frederiksen says: “Craig Reynolds has successfully led our entire global handmade cigars business. Today, the handmade cigar category is a growth engine in our business and accounts for more than one-fourth of our net sales and profit. We want to reinforce this development by extending Craig Reynolds‘ leadership to our entire North American business.”
General Cigars holds a leading position in the US market for handmade cigars. Cigars International has built a marketleading position in online and catalogue sales of handmade cigars and pipe tobacco to consumers in the US. STG Lane is the leading manufacturer of fine cut and traditional pipe tobacco in the US. STG Canada is leading in cigars and pipe tobacco in Canada. The four entities continue to be run as separate, stand-alone businesses with Regis Broersma, Kelly Michols and Sylvain Laporte being presidents.