IFCOMA : What's your advise to IFCOMA and its members ?

SJD : Stimulate, cultivate and motivate the entrepreneurship among the employees to bring in the best of their talents to make the industry grow to newer heights. This can be truly done by component industry by listening to its client's needs and problems and sharing the same with its employees back in their units. Moreover, the industry should also provide proper after sales support and to oversee the manufacturing difficulties in the usage of the components by the shoe manufacturers.

Company Showcase : Wolverine World Wide Inc.

The Hush Puppies brand is the heart of American casual. With its philosophy of fun, comfortable, genuine style to every shoe, the makers of Hush Puppies are the brand setters in the trend of casual shoes since 1958.

Hush Puppies is a division of Wolverine World Wide, the world’s leading maker of casual, work, and outdoor footwear. Hush Puppies is headquartered in Rockford, Michigan. Under the stalwart leadership of Mr. Timothy J O’Donovan, WWW Inc. employs 4,426 people.

Wolverine World Wide designs and markets Hush Puppies casual shoes and slippers, a variety of boots,

and related apparel and accessories. Boot lines include Merrell (outdoor), Bates (military), HYTEST and Wolverine (industrial), and private labels. Wolverine also has licenses from Caterpillar, Coleman, Harley-Davidson, and Stanley to produce branded footwear. Wolverine sells worldwide through department and specialty stores, independent distributors, and about 60 factory outlets in the US.

With the market capitalization of more than US$ 1.2 billions, Wolverine World Wide is one of the most reputable footwear manufacturing company in the North America. The last 5-year growth rate of the sales and net income of the company had been 5.4% and 3.5% respectively.

R. Griggs, Red Wing Shoe, and Timberland are it’s key competitors.

Brandname(s) : Bates, Bates float ways, Bates floaters, Breathin brushed pigskin, Caterpillar footwear, Coleman, Harley-davidson, Hush puppies, Hush puppies shoes, Hy-test, Kroupana, Merrell, Silkee, Sioux-Mox, Stanley Footgear, u-Stitch, Wilderness, Wimzees, Wolverine, Wolverine Durashocks, Wolverine Leathers, Wolverine Slipper Group.

In 2002, Wolverine World Wide reported record sales in excess of $827 million with record earnings and operating cash flow. Consumers purchased products

over 37 million pairs bearing company brand names from department stores, specialty retail stores, strong independent stores, owned retail stores and online at www.upfootgear.com, www.trackntrail.com.

Wolverine World Wide owns operations in the United States, Canada and Europe. In addition to these, a strong group of licensees and distributors cover the balance of the more than 130 countries. To meet consumer demand, Wolverine World Wide has owned manufacturing facilities in North America and a network of the world's best contract and licensee sourcing operations in more than a dozen countries.