Bangladesh Shoe City Limited (BSCL) has emerged as a beacon of innovation and progress to revolutionize the footwear industry. The groundbreaking initiative led by the Jennys Group includes the creation of a single and state-of-the-art facility, where around 50 materials critical to shoe manufacturing will be manufactured at one location.

Despite the potential, Bangladesh’s export income of leather products, including shoes, has been stuck at about $1 billion for almost two decades. According to industry insiders, excessive dependence on imported materials for shoe production is one of the major reasons for this export stagnation in Bangladesh. This dependence makes the industry vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and exchange rate fluctuations.

Jennys Group’s subsidiary BSCL wants to change Bangladesh’s position in this sector by building a global shoe production center on 35 acres of vast land in Gazipur’s Mouchak Union. BSCL Chairman Nasir Khan reiterated the firm’s commitment to achieving 100% value addition in this state-of-the-art facility.

Acknowledging the disruption caused by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Nasir Khan said buyers often express concerns about the stability of supply chains that rely heavily on imports, highlighting the need for a more resilient and integrated approach.

Sanjay Saha, Project Director of BSCL, envisioned the company as a one-stop shop for footwear manufacturing. Its estimated cost is Tk 800 crore and the facility is expected to begin production by 2030. The project will generate around 25,000 new employments.

Saha said, currently the necessary equipment for shoe production comes from various countries including China and India. Usually about 50 materials are needed to make a shoe. Importing these materials is a time-consuming process, however, foreign buyers often open LCs for 40 to 50 days only.

This initiative is expected to increase their capacity by providing opportunities to the manufacturing units to meet the needs of both the local and international markets. The aim is to build 28 establishments where a variety of products will be produced. Its purpose is to ensure a simple process for manufacturing, where companies can focus on product manufacturing.”

According to Shoe City’s plan, each factory would produce each product in one location. Shoe making materials will be available at hand. As a result, organizations will be able to operate cost-effective manufacturing operations within existing value chains using shared service models.

Shoe City has a comprehensive plan to manufacture a wide variety of footwear and accessories. These include leather shoes, sports shoes, espadrilles (made of jute and cloth) shoes, safety shoes, children’s shoes, women’s fashion shoes, canvas shoes, school shoes, rubber shoes, Goodyear welted shoes, gags, wallets and belts.

Besides, Shoe City will encourage the development of ancillary industries of materials required for shoe production including outsoles, rubber, crepe, glue, synthetic materials, boxes, cartons, printing, labeling, tags, threads, moulds, dyes, toe puffs, tapes.

The project started in 2017. A five storied building with an area of more than one lakh square feet is under construction here. Five companies have already started production. Additionally, 15 companies in Europe, China and Japan signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with. This partnership will help in the manufacturing of various shoe components.

“We are moving ahead with our plans. Our Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is almost 90 percent complete. ETP will be provided to any tannery or establishment if required. We will also establish a Green Resilience Zone, which will facilitate obtaining Leather Working Group (LWG) certification from the institute here. We will also maintain renewable energy solutions,” Saha said.

Apart from modern manufacturing facilities, the leather industrial park will provide a wider range of facilities to ensure a vibrant and fair working environment for the companies concerned.

These facilities include – training centres, restaurants, child care centres, medical centres, libraries, prayer rooms, central administrative buildings, exhibition and sales centres, inspection centres, observatories, warehouses, fire stations, transport companies, security companies, residential hotels , grocery stores and a central waste management facility.