Aokang shoe group has recently reported that it expects exports to account for 20% of the company’s total sales in 2005. This equates to a 40% increase in exports.
CEO of Aokang, Mr. Wang Zhen Tao, made the forecast at a Geox press conference in Shanghai, stating that Aokang’s forward orders to September have now reached over 300,000 pairs of shoes for Geox alone.
“The cooperation with Geox and increasing orders from other famous foreign brands is pushing Aokang,” said a representative of Aokang.
Though June and July are traditionally the quietest production months for the majority of Wenzhou shoe-making factories, all of Aokang’s production lines are still running. The company has also announced that it will recruit another 1,000 workers at its new shoe production centre which opened in October 2004 and specialises in producing foreign brands.
Mr. Wang said, “The increment of foreign orders exceeded the estimation and the company has to enlarge production capacity to fulfil the orders received.”
