S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.4 No.5, February 5, 2018

This Newsletter is sponsored by SAFLIA

Please note: Click on any ad to go to the advertiser’s website

SARS task team: Further debate over reference pricing

Cape Town (SA) – The third meeting of the SARS Footwear and Leather Task Team takes place Tuesday. The team includes representatives from SARS, SAFLIA, the DTI, both unions, and other interested parties, including chain retailers. The likely focus of the discussions will be reference pricing for imported footwear, and specifically safety footwear.

Meat residue testing: Another blow to ostrich and game industries

Oudtshoorn (SA) – SA - European Union concerns over the monitoring of residues in South African meat exports - specifically ostrich, crocodile and venison - may lead to a complete ban on the export of SA meat to the EU, according to an article in the Oudtshoorn Courant on Friday.
       It said a ban would also apply to partially cooked meat - which the ostrich industry has been developing to circumvent the ban on raw ostrich meat caused by Avian Influenza.
       A ban would also affect the venison industry, which has been waiting for the EU to lift a 7-year ban imposed because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
       The EU has just released a report by a team which visited in February last year to inspect the residue monitoring programme run by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (DAFF), which checks for the presence of growth stimulants, antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides in game and ostrich meat.
       The Courant said the EU's audit report indicated that the planning, testing and follow-up procedures in DAFF's programme were largely adequate, but that there were shortcomings in the system which put the results in doubt.
       The shortcomings included the use of unsuitable analytical models, the failure to get all samples tested in time, and the failure to test for certain substances.
       Restrictions on meat exports impact significantly on ostrich and game leather, less so on crocodile.

KKI MD leaves

Oudtshoorn (SA) – Klein Karoo International MD Charl du Plessis resigned in November to join Orange River Wine Cellars in Upington as MD. His position is being filled in the interim by Johan Schoeman, CEO of the Klein Karoo Group, which includes KKI.

ARSUTORIA workshop

Durban (SA) – Following last year's popular design courses, SAFLIA will again sponsor a series of courses by instructors from ARSUTORIA, in April. The logistics will again be handled by SAFLEC.

Wage negotiations

Durban (SA) – This year's wage negotiations will be:
       The General Goods & Handbags sector - first round April10 & 11, second round May 8 & 9.
       The Footwear sector - first round April 17 & 18, second round May 29 & 30.
       The Tanning sector - first round May 15 & 16.

UITIC: 95 applications to present papers indicates high level of global interest

Porto (Portugal) – 95 abstracts received during the Call for Papers reveal the increasing interest of the footwear industry for the UITIC Congress. The 20th edition of the International Technical Footwear Congress will take place in Porto from the 16th to the 18th of May.
       19 countries, representing the main worldwide footwear players, have presented their ideas for the in-room sessions of the UITIC Congress. China, India, Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Spain were the most represented countries in this Call for Papers open to all innovators from the worldwide footwear industry.
       An increasing number of countries with submissions when compared to the previous edition of the Congress (13 countries presented submissions for the last UITIC Congress in Chennai) reveals “the UITIC Congress is more and more interesting for the footwear community”, stated Françoise Nicolas, UITIC’s General Secretary and Coordinator of the Scientific Committee. Nicolas has no doubts: “We can consider the Call for Papers a great success!”.
       All the proposals will now be evaluated by the Scientific Committee and the results will be communicated before the end of February. A selection of 25 to 30 speeches will be delivered during the 20th UITIC Congress in Porto, subject to the following main topics:
- New products, new services linked to the consumers' needs;
- Intelligent development and manufacturing: towards a technological revolution;
- Sustainability, supply chain transparency and regulatory trends impacting on factories;
- Human centered factories and new way of management.
       Anticipating the atmosphere of the 20th UITIC Congress Françoise Nicolas declared: “It will be a great opportunity to meet relevant experts from the main footwear manufacturing areas, to have detailed information on the state of the innovations available and to get familiar with the main technological orientations for the footwear sector”.

Saddler registers brand

Durban (SA) – Saddler Belts has registered its Saddler brand - after 27 years of trading.
       "It's become a brand," explained MD Andrew Fenwick. "In this world of counterfeit and disposable items, it has been a pleasure to hear from our customers that Saddler has become a favourite." - www.saddlerbelts.co.za

They Said It

"It was a crisis, but fortunately it wasn't a very big crisis." - SA Ostrich Business Chamber CEO Piet Kleyn, who had to interrupt a conversation to take a call from his wife.

Bolton road show

Cape Town (SA) – Bolton will be launching its fourth seasonal road show this month in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. This will be followed by Free State, which will take place in early March, covering Welkom, Bethlehem and Ladybrand during a four day road trip. Our main objective for doing the road show is to allow our retailers the opportunity to view the entire product offering that Bolton has to offer, in one central location. Retailers are able to compare product and price points which are aligned with their consumer profiles. The Summer 2018 product which will be showcased will focus mainly on the imported categories with locally made product like Grasshoppers, Bronx and Barker to name a few.  Winter 2018 will also be available to allow for retailers who require March/April/May deliveries. Import  Brands like Olympic, Jordan and Renegade will be showcasing their Winter 2018 range, most  of which is ex-stock. The open invitation was e-mailed to our database of customers however if you prefer a one on one appointment, then please contact your Bolton agent for an appointment.

Kenya AGOA stakeholders set target of doubling 2016 value of AGOA exports to the United States by 2025

From the East Africa Trade Hub. Published on January 18, 2018 Today the USAID Hub and the Kenya Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives joined Kenya’s private sector to review and validate a new Kenya National African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Strategy. Since 2010, Kenya has nearly doubled its exports to the U.S. under AGOA, from $225 million to $389 million in 2016. The new National AGOA Strategy outlines updated priority actions for Kenya to diversify its export portfolio with the goal of doubling the value exports to the U.S. under AGOA by 2025.
       The new strategy is the result of a supply-side and end-market analysis provided by the USAID Hub at the invitation of the Government of Kenya. The USAID Hub worked closely with government officials and the private sector to perform its analysis which included a series of stakeholder engagement workshops by sector.
The U.S. Government remains committed to contributing to Kenya’s economic growth. Duty-free access through AGOA supports Kenya’s efforts to bolster industrialization, create jobs and achieve economic prosperity. The apparel sector under AGOA is the largest contributor to job creation in Kenya currently credited with supporting over 200,000 full-time jobs. It is also Kenya’s highest earning sector, accounting for 85% of its $389 million in 2016 AGOA exports.
       The USAID Hub is also working with the Kenya Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives on a “East Africa Cotton, Textile and Apparel Workforce Development Initiative,” a collaborative effort with the private sector based on a partnership agreement between the USAID Hub and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. The partnership ensures U.S. brands and retailers’ goods are manufactured in accordance with best-in-class business practices and operations in East Africa, producing a win-win for trading partners. As part of that initiative, in July 2017 the USAID Hub signed a grant with Generation Program Kenya Limited, a local subsidiary of the McKinsey Social Initiative, to create 2,000 full-time jobs and provide over 100,000 hours in skills development for young people in the apparel industry. - http://www.eatradehub.org/

Exchange rates

Source: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/

Birthdays this week

06/02/1964: Wouter Joubert, TFG Apparel Supply Co, Cape Town.
06/02/1971: Carel Pretorius, Pep, Cape Town.
07/02/1945: Errol Smith, ENS Machinery, Durban.
08/02/1955: Mukesh Merchant, Merchant’s Outfitters, Port Elizabeth.
09/02/1989: Tahir Jeewa, Traford Footwear, Durban.
07/02/1957: Arun Prag, Prag Shoes and Leatherworks, Somerset West.
08/02/19??: Miles O’Brien, retired, formerly Jordan Shoes, Cape Town.
09/02/1971: Anthony Lopez, Lopez Leathers, Cape Town.
09/02/1973: Steven Govender, Spunlok Laminators, Pinetown.

In Memoriam this week

08/02/2016: Vishal Rishidaw, Smiley’s Footwear, Durban.
09/02/2006: Hubertus ‘Hub’ Bijsterveld (b. 11/12/1932), Bata Zimbabwe and other Bata companies, Gweru.
10/02/1997: Don Craig, Cape Knife, Cape Town.
11/02/2009: Frederick Bernard Cattell (b. 17/08/1917), Cattell’s, Springs.

Do you have any names you’d like to add to our list of birthdays and In Memoriam? Please send the details.

ABSA Agri Trends 02/02: Hides & skins prices

Please note this is the first report of the year. The average hide price over the past week was R10.39/kg green. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies. The average price for Dorper skins was R32.50, and for Merino skins was R92.22.

Trade Fair dates

For a list of local and international trade fairs covering footwear, leather goods, leather and PPE, visit our website: http://www.svmag.co.za/events.php

Classified Adverts

TOP SALES AGENT WANTED

For Gauteng: To sell Ladies Footwear

Contact: Stan Rabinowitz
Footwear Direct cc
083 310 2687
stan@footweardirect.co.za

Agents needed for women's leather comfort range

N.R. Footwear is looking for well connected and reputable shoe agents to cover the Western Cape, Nambia, KZN, Lesotho and Swaziland.
       We manufacture genuine leather soft calf footwear with comfort insoles.
         Our production capacity at the moment is 100 pairs per day.
       The agent needs to work with us in the development and styling of our footwear.  In turn we offer a competitive agent's commission and discounts for customer.
       Our brand name is Carlo Bettinii. We are also introducing a new range of shoes under a different brand name.
       The factory has been established for some 20 years.

Please send relevant information to Berrick Salmond email address dr.raeshoes@global.co.za or dr.raeshoes@gmail.com.

Manufacturing expertise on offer

Paul Sirilli, formerly of Sirilli Shoes, is looking to get back into the footwear industry – in production, procurement or retail quality assurance, anywhere in KZN. He will accept a supervisory or management position. He has 34 years of hands-on manufacturing experience in men’s, ladies’ and kiddies’ footwear. Completely familiar with Moccasin, Brogue and Derby styles in shoes and fashion, outdoor and military styles in boots, mostly in leather. Also a working knowledge of stuck-on, lock-stitch and side-stitch techniques, soling compounds. - Contact 083 961 1759, sirillip@gmail.com.

Needed: A footwear mentor for a new brand owner

I am looking for a business mentor in the shoe industry. I have just started a shoe brand and I would like mentorship in any and all parts of the shoe business.  I have used business mentors before, but I find if they do not know much about the shoe industry, and it can sometimes feel like a waste of time. 

  I am willing to pay for the mentorship, even if it's a Skype call or a meeting once a month. I am also willing to work for the mentorship if required. 

  Yiota Christoforou +27 (0)72 455 8600, pchristoforou1@gmail.com

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: February 12, 2018.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

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