Czech footwear output up
Czech footwear manufacturers produced 5.5 million pairs of footwear in 2007, up by nearly 6% year-on-year. They generated sales worth over Kc2.3 billion, similar to 2005 sales, Vlasta Mayerova of the Czech Footwear and Leather Producers Association(COKA) told the Czech News Agency (CTK).
In 2006, sales fell by more than 5% year-on-year. The country has 35 footwear producers employing 20+ staff. They employed 4,000 people in 2007, down 4% from 2006. Czech footwear producers have been facing fierce competition from cheap imports from China.
Czechs buy 4-5 pairs of footwear on average annually, most of them made in China. In the past ten years, imports of Chinese shoes to the Czech Republic have grown ten times to 120 million pairs. Imports from other countries amount to millions of pairs of shoes.
In 1997, Czech producers turned out 18 million pairs of footwear. Most of the Czech-made shoes are exported. ‘Czech firms have restructured and now focus on the production of footwear with higher value added, like protective footwear', said Mayerova.
Most of the Czech exports go to Slovakia. However, the export figures are misleading because according to statistics, Czech exports are several times higher than Czech production. ‘This is because the statistics count the Chinese footwear which is only re-exported', said Mayerova.
Are automotive OEM's destroying leathers natural properties by increasing their own technical and physical specifications?
- Prevent Leather increase tanning capacity
- Who are the world’s Top 20 Tanners in 2012?
- Leather technician (m/f) for SQA (Supp...
- Stahl’s sporty theme for Autumn/Winter 2...
- Hebei province most productive tanning r...
- Judgement favours Argos in DMF case
- Tanning industry hit by live animal exports
- Leather waste turns to medical treasure
- Students to highlight leather at Silvers...
- Kenya set-up a ‘Leather Council’
