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MANUFACTURING & MATERIALS INNOVATION
A
s the Chinese would say, we
live in interesting times and,
as far as the global economy
is concerned, extremely
uncertain ones. The footwear industry
is not immune from this and many
major brands faced with ever higher
factory gate prices from their principal
supplier China, coupled to greatly
increased freight costs and a general
air of uncertainty as to what the future
might hold, are being forced to rethink
their sourcing policy. One alternative is
to look at manufacturing in low cost
countries nearer to home such as in
Africa or South America depending on
where their main market lies. The other
is to turn full circle and use robotics
and advanced production techniques in
order to actually manufacture within it.
US sports shoe brand New Balance is
a striking example of how successful
the latter can be. It uses advanced
manufacturing systems and a highly
flexible work force to produce a pair of
shoes in 24 minutes compared to
around three hours in Asia. Labour cost
per pair is correspondingly low and,
with savings on logistics and work in
progress, the final cost differential is
only a few percent on a typical mid
range shoe which is offset by being able
to make faster deliveries and quicker
style changes than competitors.
Furthermore, New Balance has been
doing this for years.
But, while low cost and good quality
footwear has been so easily obtainable
from China, most others have not seen
any reason to go down this road. Times
are changing however and some of
them are beginning to seriously
consider this option. And, seeing where
this could lead, their Chinese suppliers
are beginning to switch more and more
output to the domestic market just in
case. This in turn creates more pressure
on Western importers who will now
really have to make up their minds as to
where their shoes are to come from in
the future.
FUTURISTIC
MANUFACTURING
New Balance has shown that the cost
of the upper can be made competitively
in Western factories; if the remainder of
the manufacturing process could
achieve the same result, then we might
see a sea-change in the footwear
industry. Force lasting followed by
direct sole moulding on an automated
conveyor with a combination of human
operators and robotic work stations
linked to a rotary moulding machine is
one way. Pioneered by Ecco in
Denmark, it has been used as a
reference point by many other
companies moving in a similar
direction.
Desma is a major supplier in this field
and its amir System based around one
of its rotary moulding machines is both
well established and recognised as
being highly efficient. Even so, the quest
for even greater automation has
continued and the company’s latest
development, laser roughing, has taken
preparation of the lasted upper prior to
sole moulding to new heights (
World
Footwear
May/June issue). Working as it
does with a fixed laser and the shoe
moved by a robotic arm, it fits in
perfectly with the amir System where it
can be programmed to work on any last
shape or combination of materials.
Christian Decker, managing director
22
WORLD FOOTWEAR | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Automation makes footwear manufacture possible in industrially developed countries.
CREDIT: HEINRICH KLUMPEN SONS
Turning full circle