p.4-5 news 10:FOOTWEAR NEW TEMPLAT 10 08 6/10/09 12:47 Page 5
NEWS
Buyer stability shows increased
Name: RICHARD KOTTLER
Organisation: BRITISH FOOTWEAR ASSOCIATION
market confidence at Londonedge
Position: CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Contact: www.britfoot.com
A marked increase in new Australia and South Africa.
exhibitors and stable buyer The number of new
1. What are the biggest portunities for our members.
figures at fashion trade exhibitors also jumped from
challenges facing footwear Exporting will be a priority
exhibition Londonedge, 10% of the floor at February’s
brands at the moment given the currency position
shows a strengthening in this show to 19% and consisted of
The BFA represents the and we hope to build on the
fashion sector. large global brands such as Ed
supply side of the industry efforts of this year when we
Managing director Carole Hardy and Hello Kitty to
covering both manufacturing, saw record numbers of UK
Hunter said: “We have always smaller fledgling brands who
importing and designing, exhibitors (70) at MICAM and
had a very loyal, core section have an increased confidence
which is very dependant on a continued presence at RIVA,
of buyers who have stuck with in the market.
the success or otherwise of WSA and GDS all supported
the show despite recent Exhibitor Brian Irwin of
its retail customers - here and by the BFA. Key export
hardship in the economy, but Nitelife-Footwear told
throughout the world. The markets will still be the USA,
we now seeing a wider Footwear Today: “The
economic pressures felt by Western Europe and Japan.
stability in buyer figures and Londonedge Show was well
retailers, automatically trans- British designed product is
there has been a general feel attended with plenty of
late themselves into problems held in high regard by the rest
of optimism at this show.” European buyers. I was very
for the suppliers who addi- of the world and our colleges
Organisers have also noted pleased with the results and
tionally have to contend with continue to produce some of
the rapid growth in numbers managed to open quite a
a rapidly rising cost base in the best trained and commer-
of Swedish buyers where number of new accounts.”
the Far East, currency swings cial talents in the world.
Germany was once the largest Next Londonedge and
and anti-dumping duty. On the other hand those
overseas visitor to Londonedge. Londoncentral:
companies supplying the UK
The show welcomed buyers 7-9th February 2010 at
2. Why is the men’s footwear High Street are already
from 29 countries as far afield Olympia 2, London, W14.
market having a resurgence? suffering from many retailers
as Guatemala, www.londonedge.com.
Exporting continues to be cru- cancelling, reducing or defer-
cial with the footwear industry ring forward orders and these
responsible for over £500m of suppliers are finding it
Wortmann posts increase in turnover
sales. Central to this is the increasingly difficult to get
success of the “traditional” insurance cover for goods
Wortmann, the corporate group are employed around the world,
high-grade men’s manufactur- whilst at the same time
in Detmold, Germany, one of around 450 of them in Europe,
ers. The likes of Church’s, experiencing big base cost
Europe's leading shoe with some 30,000 workers in
Barkers, Crockett and Jones, increases, especially from
production and sales companies, addition, producing goods
Grenson, Trickers and Loakes their Far East sources. Not a
has published its final worldwide for the Wortmann
combine superb craftsman- year for the faint hearted, but
figures for the last financial Group. The companies in
ship with new design angles the strong and innovative will
year 2008/2009 (31 May). Last Europe have increased their
and a professional approach survive and prosper.
year the Wortmann companies pair sales figures in the fashion
to marketing. Sanders &
boosted their consolidated total segment to 25.5 million pairs.
Sanders has an interesting 5. How did you get your job
turnover by 7.8% to €798.9 With the approx. 40 million
niche and John Lobb is as BFA Chief Executive and
million (GBP 660 million). This pairs in the standard range, the
making great progress at the what is your connection to
figure stood at €741.3 million in corporate group is considered
premium end of the market. the footwear industry?
the previous year. The the unchallenged market leader
My early career was in the
strongest growth markets were for modern ladies shoes in Eu-
3. The Womenswear market apparel market - Aquascutum,
Germany and some Western rope. These figures include the
has been experiencing some Viyella and others before
European countries; even turnover of the European sub-
problems, why is this becoming involved with the
though it was not possible to sidiaries Wortmann (Tamaris),
Womenswear has very little footwear sector during the
quite match the two-digit Wendel (Marco Tozzi), Caprice
home based manufacturing - last 20 years or so. Initially
growth rates of the past. The (walking on air) and shoe.com
Gina and Hotter are important this was through owning and
markets in Eastern Europe were (s.Oliver and comma) as well as
exceptions - but there is a vi- running H & M Rayne and
unable to meet expectations as in Asia Novi Footwear (Far East)
brant design and importing latterly as a result of
a result of current Ltd., Hong Kong/Singapore.
business for both branded and establishing Berkeley Search
developments. The export rate Wortmann started the largest
private label operations. Think & Selection a recruitment
amounted to 53.9% (previous investment programme of its
Rupert Sanderson, Beatrice agency specialising in the
year 52.8%). Collections of the history this year. Based on the
Ong and Terra Plana for the footwear industry.
Wortmann Group are offered in motto "investing anti-cyclically
former and Jacobsons, In early 2008 having sold
more than 70 countries and at in difficult times", work was
E.Sutton, Shubiz, Wm Lamb and the business and in the
over 14,000 shoe shops all over started on another 25-metre
Kidderminster for the latter. process of leaving it, I was
the world. high logistics centre at the
approached by the BFA to fill
Wortmann is represented by Detmold location in August this
4. What do you think 2010 the vacancy for Chief Execu-
its own companies at twelve year.The total volume of this
will have in store for the tive. I had known the BFA and
locations in Europe and another project that is to be completed
footwear market? most of the players in it for
ten in the Far East. Over 820 by the end of 2010 will amount
Despite the difficult condi- many years and had a high
employees (previous year: 780) to about €35 million.
tions 2010 has some great op- regard for the work it did.
www.footweartoday.co.uk OCTOBER 2009
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FOOTWEAR TODAY
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