A prominent footwear industry consultant has told footwearbiz.com that increasing demand for shoes in China—in quality as well as quantity—will present opportunities to manufacturers and footwear producers in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as those in European countries.
UK-based consultant Roger Beeby, has said that the “huge expansion of demand for footwear in China” will include demand for higher quality merchandise with the increasing affluence of many Chinese consumers. Chinese footwear producers will meet a large part of this demand, but with wage inflation right across the manufacturing sector in China, importing high-quality shoes from other producing countries will become increasingly attractive, Mr Beeby said.
“It sounds like an opportunity for some of the high-quality makers in Europe to offer their high-grade shoes to China,” he explained. “Spain, Italy and the high-grade welted manufacturers in the UK and Germany could benefit.”
But he said the situation in China could also present an export opportunity to footwear manufacturers in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. “These countries have excellent raw material stocks and tanning expertise and sophisticated, high-productivity factories, as well as smaller units manufacturing for the local trade,” he added.
In his assessment, one huge, hidden advantage for India is its increasing supply of well trained footwear technicians. The Central Footwear Training Institutes in Agra and Chennai are now producing 80 graduates a year each from a well organised two-year diploma course that is moderated twice a year by the long-established International School of Footwear in the UK city of Leicester. “Standards are high,” Mr Beeby said. “Graduates have a diploma approved by the International Textile Institute, and in addition a post-graduate course is commencing this year. Courses are also run by the Footwear Design and Development Institute in Noida. There is thus a pool of well trained young people who can assist in building up exports from India, and China could be a large and attractive customer.”
