Positive results for Spanish shoemakers

There is good news for Spanish companies working in the footwear and leather industries – within the nation’s fashion market, these were the only two sectors to achieve growth during 2013. The combined manufacturing output of leather and footwear in 2013 is said to have grown by 2.4 per cent compared to its results in the previous year. This is an impressive turnaround, as the 2012 figure had declined by 6.4 per cent from the 2011 output. Footwear manufacturers and tanners also reported 31.4 per cent more orders than in December 2012.

Determined to build on this positive growth, four footwear companies from La Rioja in northern Spain have joined forces with the regional government to form a new organisation – Rioja Shoes – to promote footwear designed and manufactured in the locality to export markets. Rioja Shoes has been established with €200,000 ($274,000) in funding from the Rioja government. The local authorities will invest an additional €300,000 ($410,000) during 2014.

According to the La Rioja regional government, this investment in local exporters is an effort to combat the crisis that is still affecting the Spanish economy. There are around 130 companies involved in the footwear industry in the region, and 44 per cent of their total revenue is achieved from outside Spain.

Photograph shows Javier Oñate (left), manager of the Footwear Technology Centre of La Rioja, with Javier Erro, La Rioja industry, innovation and employment regional minister, and Diego Viguera of Rioja Shoes.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the April 2014 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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