Setting trends in shoe manufacturing

Local shoe manufacturer, Trend Setters, is on the quest to become the country’s major shoe making company.

After working in various countries, including Italy and having worked as chief designer at Bata Shoe Company where he worked for 17 years between 1969 and 1984, Trend Setter’s managing director Jeff Kaliapa decided to open his company.

“With my background, I thought I needed to go into shoe-manufacturing business. It is easier to do business in something that you are already trained in,” says Kaliapa whose business was opened in March 2011.

Trend Setters manufactures a variety of shoes from real leather for both men and women.

“We manufacture industrial boots, school shoes and sandals, among others,” he says.

Kaliapa currently employs about 16 people in production, depending  on orders.

Trend Setters can produce about 500 pairs of leather boots per week, but Kaliapa says they can go up to 1 000 according to orders.

Currently operating from a mini factory in the backyard of his home at Kameza in Blantyre, the shoe manufacturer says he plans to expand by purchasing more machines, operating from a bigger building and employing more staff.  He is also eyeing the export market with orders already coming from Zimbabwe mines.

Kaliapa believes his business can grow if government establishes a tannery where shoe manufacturers can buy raw materials.

“If local businesses are supported, it would mean job creation for Malawians. We would also create an environment where we could export and assist in earning foreign exchange for the country.

“The industries in countries that have developed such as Singapore, China and India developed because they got support from their governments. Our main cry at the moment is for government to open a tannery so that the leather can be bought locally,” says Kaliapa.

Presently, the company imports leather from Zambia and other raw materials from South Africa.