The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Footwear components and accessories expo on

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 05, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Footwear components and accessories expo on

Staff Reporter

Industry must focus on intellectual property rights: speakers

BEST FOOT FORWARD: An exhibition of footwear components and accessories on at Raja Muthiah Hall, Egmore, on Saturday. — Photo: S.S. Kumar

CHENNAI: The Indian Shoe Federation (ISF) inaugurated a two-day footwear components and accessories exhibition at Rajah Muthiah Hall, Egmore, on Saturday.

President of ISF PR Aqeel Ahmed said that the industry needed to focus on two areas for progress — Intellectual Property Rights and social accountability. He said the copyright and confidentiality of patterns and designs needed improvements for foreign companies to show an interest in the products. He said the code of practice of employment, wages, ban on child labour, and other issues are of key importance to beat China and other Asian companies in the export market.

K. Elangovan, Executive Director of the Council of Leather Export (CLE) said, "Only if the footwear component industry grows along with the footwear industry will we have a say in the international market." He said that the Indian footwear industry had two options — to move up the volume chain (where China is the leader) or the value chain (ruled by Italy). "To go the value way, we need a good supporting accessory industry. The Italians are at the top because of their attention to detail," he said.

M. Rafeeque Ahmed, chairman of CLE, said that now India is the only country talking about increasing exports (footwear) in the next five years.

He said that up to 2011, when the footwear industry aims to reach a target of $4 billion, there is a huge opportunity for the footwear component industry.

The primary objective of this exhibition is to create a direct link between manufacturers of components and footwear manufacturers.

A total of 72 footwear components manufacturers from all over India and one from Brazil are participating in this exhibition, which will be open on Sunday.

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