Fusion: The orders have come in; payments are still something of a problem
Published: 18th Aug 2023
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Overall we’re not unhappy. June and July were quiet, but the orders have since come in. We’re not at capacity, but we will be working a 6-day week until the end of the year.
The school shoe market is good, fashion is more variable, but quite good.
There is still the age-old problem of payments – we have to pay for our wet blue hides on very strict terms, but getting in payment for finished leather can be a challenge. Being bankers to the industry is not a comfortable place to be.
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