Argentina shoe industry aims for 200m by 2020
Following the recent leatherbiz report that in the first two months of this year Argentina imported 2.6 million pairs of shoes over the two-month period, the South American country’s footwear industry hopes to make 200 million pairs and export 50 million shoes as part of new strategic growth plan by 2020, according to officials at trade federation Camara de la Industria del Calzado (CIC).
President Alberto Sellaro said the industry has posted eight years of consecutive growth, despite the latest financial crisis.
“The plan will allow the national market to grow but will also enable us to increase our market share in the international markets,” Mr Sellaro said. “This will be a qualitative jump with long-term policies and quantitative as it will create new jobs and a very competitive industry on a global scale.
“Today, many factories have begun a modernisation process, key to continue growing, but they need access to machinery and to do this better credit terms.”
To meet this need, the industry will hold strategic forums through which it will meet with government and other industry officials to hammer out new financing and competitive strategies.
Horacio Moschetto, the CIC's secretary, said it’s crucial to make investments that can foster exports and help open commercial delegations in other countries. This is why greater financing availability is necessary to incorporate “technology and design”.
As part of the plan, Argentina hopes to create 12,000 jobs, the CIC added.
