On May 19, more than 130 guests and decision-makers from industry, trade, trade fairs and the media met at the Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach for the HDS/L Symposium of the German shoe and leather goods industry. Its motto, “Resilience & Resources”, alluded to the numerous challenges that the shoe and leather goods industry has had to overcome since the beginning of the corona pandemic and the Ukraine war.
Against this background, there are still many uncertainties to be overcome, because the consequences of the Corona crisis are far from over. Russia and Ukraine have become important partners in recent years, and the massive sanctions against Russia in the areas of finance, energy and transport and the extensive breakdown of Ukrainian industry are having a significant impact on the business of HDS/L member companies.
The symposium looked into the questions and showed new ways and impulses as to how the ability of resilience that some people have built up can be transferred to companies and how they can succeed in remaining resilient in extreme situations.
Resilience through automation and sustainability
Automated companies are more resilient and better able to overcome crises. This was the conclusion of the symposium. “Globalization is regressing. Thanks to the use of automated shoe production, the framework conditions in Germany and Europe are better than ever before,” explained Klaus Freese from the mechanical engineering company Desma. Thomas Bielmeier from Magazino presented the robot Toru as an example of future possibilities for using machines in shoe logistics.
Sustainability now plays an important role as an integral part of business strategy. “Investors and consumers have ever higher demands and expectations of sustainability strategies. On the other hand, the fashion industry in particular is often criticized,” explained Gudrun Messias, Director Sustainable Direction at Adidas. Using the sporting goods manufacturer as an example, she showed which measures must be taken in order to prepare for a long-term future in which the availability and costs of resources are becoming increasingly volatile.
Resources: ways out of monopoly
Resources was the keyword for the second starting point of the symposium. In addition to material and financial resources, this also includes human resources, i.e. good, qualified employees. The recruitment of skilled workers and the enthusiasm of young people in particular for the industry was a central topic addressed by HDS/L consultant Torben Schütz, bag specialist Georg Picard and Jörg Altpeter from the Pirmasens vocational school. Her conclusion: motivation, community, digitization and the opportunity to work at international locations are all advantages of the industry.
location changes
In view of the ongoing problems in Asia, geopolitical changes in terms of production and procurement are also necessary in order not to be dependent on just one or a few locations. Silvia Jungbauer, General Manager of the General Association of the German Mesh Industry, presented three projects in the new markets and procurement locations of Ethiopia, Senegal and Uzbekistan, which the association had launched with local partners.
The HDS/L chairman Carl-August Seibel reported on his experiences in the planning, implementation and construction of the shoe factory Josef Seibel Africa Ltd. in Kenya. In a region where there has never been industrial shoe production, there is now a modern shoe factory. HDS/L General Manager Manfred Junkert also presented various current projects, including joint stands at trade fairs in Italy and Japan, as well as future business initiations in Uzbekistan and other countries.
“The great popularity shows that the industry has a lot of information and topics to talk about in these challenging times. But it also shows how important personal exchange is after a long break,” said Junkert, summing up the success of the symposium.