Q&A: Steve Van Andel, Doug DeVos discuss Amway's sales, challenges and future - West Michigan Business News – MLive.com

Q&A: Steve Van Andel, Doug DeVos discuss Amway's sales, challenges and future - West Michigan Business News – MLive.com: "Q&A: Steve Van Andel, Doug DeVos discuss Amway's sales, challenges and future
by Chris Knape | The Grand Rapids Press
Thursday February 05, 2009, 7:10 PM
Press File PhotoAlticor Chairman Steve Van Andel, left, and President Doug DeVos in a 2007 file photo. The two leaders had a Q&A with The Press after the company announced $8.2 billion in sales for 2008.

ADA TOWNSHIP -- Executives at Amway parent company Alticor, Inc., are cautiously optimistic about continued growth as they mark 50 years in the direct-sales business.
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• Russia, China, India lead the way to record sales for Alticor

The privately-held Ada Township-based company had a record $8.2 billion in sales for 2008, driven by strong gains in China, Russia and India.

The performance came during a year the direct-selling giant launched a marketing blitz in the United States designed to reintroduce the Amway brand -- though the campaign was not a driver of sales growth.

The company also retired the Quixtar brand, which had been used for its business in the United States and Canada for the past decade.

Alticor employs about 4,000 people in West Michigan.

Last week, the company cut 15 job"