JR One Footwear to set up two more factories in TN

CHENNAI: JR One Footwear Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company between Phoenix Kothari Footwear Ltd and Taiwan-based ShoeTown Group has plans to expand its presence in Tamil Nadu by setting up two more manufacturing facilities and leather component clusters in the state, a top official said on Tuesday. The company had already committed investments of about Rs 5,000 crore for setting up a factory in Perambalur to produce 'Crocs' range of footwear. Spread across 50 acre of land in the district, located about 250 km south of Chennai, the manufacturing unit currently has generated about 1,700 jobs (direct and indirect) in the region.

"We are expanding by entering two more districts (For setting up manufacturing facilities). We are bringing two more international footwear brands. We will announce the name of two districts soon, " Phoenix Kothari Footwear Ltd Chairman J Rafiq Ahmed said in an interaction here. Globally, Shoetown Group is a leading manufacturer of footwear and the Kothari Group has ties only with Ron Chang, Chairman, Shoetown Group for manufacturing of footwear in India, he said responding to a query.

"I am happy to work together with our brother Rafeeq in Tamil Nadu. I think it is a growth partnership. We have created a huge value for our future business growth in Tamil Nadu." Ron Chang said on his association with the Kothari Group. Elaborating on their expansion plan, Ahmed said, "we are planning to bring in more global brands. Next year we will open factories in the two districts. It will produce new brands. We will announce them soon," Ahmed said. He stressed that the component clusters play a significant role in manufacturing of footwear in India as currently most of them are imported from China and Vietnam. "Once the component manufacturing (For leather industry) comes to India, especially to Tamil Nadu there will be a big revolution (in terms of job creation). The total investment made at Perambalur for component manufacturing and footwear is Rs 5,000 crore," he said.

Asked about the current capacity at the factory in Perambalur, he said it would gradually improve as and when the employees get trained in manufacturing the footwear. "Right now they are undergoing training and once they get trained, the production will increase. About 1,700 people are working in both direct and indirectly," he said. Chang and Ahmed were here to inaugurated a new restaurant UNA VILLA on the arterial Uthamar Gandhi Road in Nungambakkam in the city.