More Brazilian footwear jobs created in April
Job generation in the Brazilian footwear industry has been growing steadily in the last few months. In April 2004, the number of new jobs was up 41.56% to 4559 compared with the year before while manufacturers in the states of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul confirm that their companies created 2526 and 1737 direct new jobs, respectively, during the same month. The industry as a whole had 187,547 workers against 154,024 in April 2003.
Companies are also generating indirect jobs through the work they contract. Shoe manufacturer West Coast, of Ivoti/RS, has increased its number of indirect jobs from 900 to 1200. Sérgio Baccaro Jr., marketing manager with West Coast, said a 35% sales increase both in domestic and export markets had led the company to hire more workers.
