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Sunday, 14 March 2010

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Prospects for local shoes good

Managing Director, Sinidu Enterprises [manufacturers of the Genelle brand of upmarket ladies footwear], Sheran Wickremesekera was upbeat about the local shoe industry on the eve of further expanding his business by way of a plush new showroom located at Duplication Road, Colpetty.

 Wickremesekera at his factory

Wickremesekera who has been in the local shoe industry for the last 25 years, having developed his family shoe business from a small-scale cottage industry employing 7 people, to a medium sized factory providing employment to 50 people, looks forward to Sri Lankan shoes taking pride of place in the international market.

"The footwear and leather goods industry is in the forefront of most developed and developing economies, however Sri Lanka's contribution towards world exports is only a mere 0.1 percent which illustrates the scope there is for the export of locally manufactured shoes.

According to Wickremesekera, the industry currently employs approximately 20,000 people both directly as well as indirectly, while it has 7 large export companies, 30 medium-scale companies and about 3000 small entities.

He said that the footwear and leather industry has been identified by the Government as a strategic sector for economic development. This sector has vast potential like the apparel sector.

In recognition of this, the Government has in the recent past offered several incentives to facilitate the growth of this sector, including the imposition of limitations on footwear imports and the increase in duty on the export of raw hides.

Duty concessions have also been introduced for the acquisition of new technology, machinery and raw materials.

An Accountant by profession, Wickremesekera always dreamed of running his own business and when upon returning home after a stint overseas, his family business was offered to him, he was quick to seize the opportunity and turn it into the thriving business it is today.

Sinidu Enterprises which manufactures high quality, upmarket ladies footwear under the brand name Genelle has exported their products to UK and Australia.

The Company has invested over Rs. 20 million in machinery and raw materials. 90 percent of the shoes are handmade, with the machinery being used to improve quality and productivity.

We also have an injection moulding plant to produce our own heels, said Wickremesekera.

Currently Sinidu Enterprises manufactures between 50,000 - 60,000 pairs of shoes per annum.

In 2006 the Company exported 15,600 pairs of shoes to the UK.

At present Genelle shoes could be found at leading fashion outlets in Colombo and other principal towns and also at their own retail outlet, Lakmal Arcade in Mount Lavinia.

Raw materials, ornaments and accessories are imported, while the adhesives, chemicals, wooden heels, boxes, cartons and thread are purchased locally, with quality checks being carried out continuously to maintain a consistently high quality. Machinery such strap cutting machines, upper/insole folding machines, pressing machines, buffing machines, and hydraulic upper/bottom cutters are used to ensure quality and increase production capacity.

With regard to the future prospects for the local footwear industry, Wickremesekera was of the opinion that there is definitely potential for locally produced shoes to take their place in the international market; however the quality of the end product needs to be improved, while the lack of skilled labour and good quality leather are major obstacles. He also said that the necessity of having to import both Polyurethane material as well as the required ornaments and accessories, necessitated a high outlay of working capital, while the influx of cheap imported footwear being brought into the country illegally was a matter of great concern to local footwear manufacturers.

The present export markets for locally manufactured shoes, are mainly the European countries; however to achieve a significant level of exports, the industry needs to be better organised.

We intend opening a showroom in every major city in the country and prove that locally made shoes can match any quality imported product, whilst being affordable to the local customer."

 

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