Is Heshan Men'S Shoes Going To The Future Brand Or Not?

There are more than 300 shoemaking enterprises in Heshan, but few brands are known.

The viewpoint of enterprises: building Heshan's own brand to maintain the status quo and practicing the "internal strength" government's train of thought: "Heshan men's shoes" brand Heshan men's shoes are famous in the industry, but consumers can't name several brands of men's shoes belonging to Heshan.

There are more than 300 shoemaking enterprises in Heshan, but only one well-known trademark and two famous brands in the province.

In May 30th of this year, Heshan was awarded the title of "Guangdong men's shoes production base". This honorable title is not commensurate with the few famous brands. It has aroused wide discussion in the industry. From Heshan municipal government to relevant departments and business owners, everyone is discussing and exploring: how can Heshan shoe industry expand its brand?

In late June, relevant personnel from the footwear industry in Heshan visited Wenzhou shoe city, and the awareness and initiatives of the footwear industry in Wenzhou to win the brand led to an impulse to explore the brand of Heshan footwear industry.

In July 4th, a big discussion on the future direction of footwear industry in Heshan was launched. Some business owners tended to build Heshan's own brand. Some entrepreneurs tended to maintain the status quo and improve their internal strength. The government also put forward some new ideas.

The trip to Wenzhou feels the brand power of Wenzhou footwear industry. The Heshan footwear industry has a long history. It is the second major characteristic industry in Heshan's industrial system, next only to the textile industry. There are more than 300 footwear production enterprises and related enterprises.

Why are few people able to name a few famous brands in a large number of shoemaking enterprises?

This is because the survival mode of shoemaking enterprises in Heshan is mainly based on OEM.

Statistics show that 98% of the famous brand leather shoes on the market are OEM in Heshan when the shoe industry develops most vigorously.

Over the past two years, great changes have taken place in the economic environment at home and abroad. The shoemaking enterprises in Heshan are facing new challenges. Finding a better way to become a common goal of the footwear industry in Heshan, especially after the title of "Guangdong men's shoes production base" was awarded in May this year, from the government to the footwear industry, all of them hope to improve the quality of Heshan's footwear industry. The last trip to Wenzhou made the Heshan shoe industry find a gap because they saw the power of the brand effect.

At the seminar, the business owners who visited Wenzhou gave a series of exclamations: large enterprises, large scale, high output value, good corporate culture, sound marketing network, and a global trend. Provincial and highways are full of Chinese famous brands and well-known trademarks everywhere.

According to an enterprise speaker, the most famous one is the Wenzhou AOKANG group. The three generation of leaders have visited it. Its brand power is self-evident, but what is worth comparing is that once you return to Guangdong, you will see the brand of Lin Li, but all of them are provincial brand names, the grades are lower, the brand name is not enough, and then to Heshan, you can not see any brand.

Some departmental leaders are worried about such a gap. The director of the Heshan foreign trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, Yuan Kong Yun, said that Wenzhou had two thousand or three thousand shoe making enterprises, with more than 300 well-known trademarks, while more than 300 shoemaking enterprises in Heshan had only one well-known trademark.

He believes that the inspiration from the trip to Wenzhou is that people create brand names, brand atmosphere everywhere, high brand grade, break through the market, adopt group development, and have strong risk resistance ability; create enterprise culture, staff oriented, retain fixed employees, overcome the Shanzhai factory's thinking, these are good experiences of Wenzhou shoe industry brand effect.

Is the road to the future brand going or not?

The opposite view: there is nothing wrong with "bridal clothes for others". The brand effect of Wenzhou footwear industry inspires visitors, but some business owners do not agree with Heshan's brand.

A shoe business manager said that the footwear industry in Heshan is indeed "making clothes for others", but this does not hinder the vitality of Heshan footwear industry. He believes that it is not known to let business owners take risks to take the road of brand building and what effect Heshan footwear industry will produce. Therefore, it is not recommended that Heshan shoe enterprises take the road of brand.

The business owner said that for Heshan shoe enterprises, at present itself is facing a lot of difficulties, so survival should be put first.

He listed the urgent problem facing the shoe companies in Heshan: recruitment is difficult and factory building is difficult.

"A lot of vamp shops have robbed our workers!"

He pointed to the headaches of shoe makers in Heshan over the past two years.

It is said that these shoemaking stores have attracted a large number of workers due to the demand for freedom and the timely payment of wages. This has led to the embarrassing situation that shoe companies always appear to be "off season people go out of the way and no one is in the busy season".

Some owners of shoes enterprises reflect that, in order to solve the shortage of labor, some enterprises have spontaneously raised the wages and benefits of workers, such as the minimum wage, free accommodation, etc. the average wage of the workers on the front-line has reached 1100-1600 yuan. However, the problem of "stock can not stay, incremental recruitment can not come" is still puzzling the enterprises.

In addition, there are also obstacles to the environment: prices of raw materials, appreciation of the renminbi and so on.

It is understood that from last year, the overall price of raw materials for shoemaking increased by 30%, paper products increased by 20%, and resins increased by 30%. However, most manufacturers of shoes did not raise their factory prices very much, and the profits of enterprises were greatly squeezed.

To sum up the above reasons, those who object to taking the road of brand think that the survival of Heshan enterprises is the most important thing under such conditions. Heshan has the core technology of independent research and development, and has a steady stream of OEM customers.

The standpoint is: unswervingly taking the road of brand, but others voice a strong tendency to change, hoping to get out of a brand that belongs to Heshan.

According to a survey report of Heshan development and Reform Bureau, no matter what the reason is, the footwear industry is still a traditional pillar industry in Heshan and an industry with certain advantages. It occupies an important position in Heshan's economy.

At present, the shoe industry is experiencing a "big shuffle", but the "big shuffle" is a mixed blessing for Heshan.

On the one hand, the first aspect is that the overall scale of the footwear industry in Heshan is still relatively small, and there is no need to grow and develop like Dongguan's tens of thousands of people. Therefore, we can seize the opportunity to undertake the shift of Dongguan's shoemaking industry, especially large enterprises. Two, according to the market rule of winning the bad market, enterprises will constantly adapt to market changes, strengthen independent innovation, improve market competitiveness, and promote their own quality improvement.

At the same time, the report points out the disadvantages: smaller enterprises are getting narrower and more businesses may be closed down.

A shoe business manager, for example, said that Heshan was awarded the title of "Guangdong men's shoes production base" in May. This marks the upgrading of the footwear industry in Heshan. Its influence and status have been improved. In June 3rd, leaders of Heshan mayor Huang Guochang, vice mayor Ye Rong Chao, and municipal government offices, development and Reform Bureau, trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, foreign trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, shoes Association and other departments visited the international leather trade association, China Light Industry Federation and China Leather Association.

The government thought to create "Heshan men's shoes" regional brand. Heshan shoe enterprises also made their own brands before making OEM. However, they failed to form a climate. Now they have to go back to the road of brand building.

Ye Rongchao, vice mayor of Heshan, put forward a train of thought: Heshan shoe enterprises unite to create "Heshan men's shoes" regional brand.

Prior to this, Heshan has tried in this area. Last year, 6 enterprises were co operating in Xintiandi to establish "Heshan shoes city", hoping to build up awareness of Heshan shoes in the minds of consumers through publicity.

The heads of Heshan economic and Trade Bureau, foreign trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, industry and commerce, quality supervision, safety supervision and other departments suggest that Heshan shoe enterprises should innovate their thinking and maintain their learning attitude instead of complacency. There are hundreds of shoemaking enterprises in Heshan, and the scale is not small. The key is how we should unite and cooperate and exchange experience (business practices, management experience, corporate culture). The footwear industry association will constantly improve information, build websites, and publish industrial information, new technologies and raw materials market regularly.

Ye Rongchao suggested that enterprises should establish a sense of overall situation and strive to win the title of "China's men's shoes production base" and share this resource. We hope that one day, when we talk about men's shoes all over the country, people will think of Heshan. When we talk about Heshan, we will think of men's shoes.

"Producing such brand effect is not only a matter of benefit to the footwear industry, but a benefit to the whole of Heshan."