Zamshu inspired to explore regional markets
A Zamshu shoe shoe in production
Leather from Zambeef is used in the manufacurer of Zamshu’s shoes
Zambeef Product’s Zamshu brand has vowed to step up its footwear production operations in a bid to keep pace with competition across the Southern Africa region.
The company, which makes the Kaleza Z-12 leather soccer boot, as well as its popular Little Bwana school shoes, and safety boots, has been inspired by the market opportunities to provide substitutes for imported products within Zambia following a visit to Lusaka last week by members of the South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (SAFLEC).
The company already exports leather and shoes to Zimbabwe and recently developed a range of finished leathers for a South African footwear manufacturer, which it started exporting to Cape Town last month.
But the exhibition by manufacturers of shoes and components has encouraged Zamleather – which makes the Zamshu branded footwear – to explore further the possibilities for exporting Zambian-made shoes to countries elsewhere in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and farther afield.
“By working with our colleagues elsewhere in the region – particularly in South Africa – we can add value to our products in Zambia by sourcing duty-free components such as labels, laminates and soles,” explained Zamleather General Manager Richard Franklin.
There are also possibilities to take advantage of knowledge transfer and train Zambian staff in South Africa, helping to bolster the industry and generate further employment here, he added.
SAFLEX board member Dave Bromfield said: “In South Africa we don’t even think about import substitution, we have learned to be competitive, and with SADC everything is opening up. Zambia should be, and must be, part of that market, but it needs capital investment and people investment.”
South Africa exported 702,201 pairs of shoes, worth ZAR56.5 million (K32 million) to Zambia in 2013, making Zambia the second largest export market for South Africa footwear after Zimbabwe. South Africa’s total shoes exports worldwide amounted to 3.2 million pairs worth ZAR314.5 million (K176 million) last year, up 18.3 percent compared with the previous year.