for our manufacturing process. We have now a good supplier base coming across from different regions of the country. It is equally true that Indian accessories are competitively priced. We are keen to increase our procurement without compromising in quality. We are further working in association with suppliers in reducing the lead-time and fast change in designs, which lead to change in processes.

For us, lead-time and quality is far more important than the pricing. Of course, we need to be competitive in the market, but equally important for us, is to bring new designs fast and in time.

IFCOMA: What role do you think that as an association of footwear component manufacturers, we can have in assisting an international sourcing company as you?

FB: I understand that IFCOMA has brought up a unique concept of "Display Centre" in their office at Noida. This concept can be quite useful to any International sourcing agency You can further promote this idea by open ing more of similar kind of centres in different cities of India. Further with more than 200 footwear component manufacturers as your members, we would surely be interested in increasing our supplier base through the pro-active support from your association.

IFCOMA: What type of development we should under take to improve the quality, design and availability of shoe components in India?

FB: We have some of the leading brands like Rubber Tech ™, PU Light and Golf shoes. All our footwear is aesthetically designed and provides the up most com fort to the wearer. These are kind of shoes that we would like to get manufactured in India provided the manufacturers can commit and deliver us without compromising on time and quality. For this, shoe component manufacturers as well, have to play a vital role in be aggressive in the frequent product changes.

IFCOMA: To conclude, what is your advice and guidance to the footwear components industry?

FB: We have been a part of ever changing Indian foot- wear Industry and have seen it develop in last two de- cades. It is expected to play a vital role in coming future in Footwear Industry. For making this industry grow, the ancillary products must also grow in and around the manufacturing units.

There is also need of technical and globalization methods, to satisfy the buyers, with quality and timely supply which is more important than the prices. ECCO hopes to have India as its one of the major manufacturing hut in tandem with other countries. We also intend to have the sources under one roof, as it has been followed in our other manufacturing set-ups.

ECCO before 20 years and Today with Indian Market

ECCO have recently started making shoes from proto- type stage itself, This needs a capacity/ability to develop locally shoes, components etc. from design / drawing stage. ECCO hopes/believes that the Indian shoe/ component manufacturer will rise to the occasion and deliver the promise.

10 - 20 years back all input including components from ECCO 0-10 years back the samples from ECCO Now