A new production and export record for shoe factories of the Brenta Riviera, which represent 17% of the Italian turnover

The Annual Acrib Conference – Shoe Association of the Brenta Riviera, was held on July 14th in Padua, at the Congress Centre Four Points by Sheraton. The meeting focused on a thorny issue, summarized in the title “RESTART – Understanding and Managing Changes”. Beyond the reports of the sociologist Enrico Finzi, President of Astra on “Medium-term scenarios and consequences for the world’s footwear” and of Prof. Andrea Granelli on “The digital challenge: doing better with less and preparing oneself for an uncertain future”, has spoken the President Siro Badon, who presented the situation of the footwear companies of the district between the provinces of Padua and Venice. Data referring to 2015 show the resilience of the sector: employment and number of companies are stable and there is a significant increase (4-5%) of the total turnover.

The figures of the district are: 520 companies, 10.032 employees, almost 20 million pairs produced with a turnover of 1,886 billion Euros, while the export share remained at 92% of the total production. From 2014 to 2015 the extraordinary unemployment benefit requests decreased by 6,67% and the district confirms to be leader in the regional (70% of the share) and national (10,5%) footwear scenery by number of companies, while the entire footwear system of the Brenta Riviera (shoe factories, equipment suppliers, model makers and trading companies) reaches altogether 57,9% of the sector’s turnover in the Veneto region and 18,1% at national level.

The lack of broadband, without which it is hard to work in a globalized world, the lawlessness, which alienates investors and the high tax level are among the problems faced by the district. The challenge now is for banks, which, according to Badon, must «truly enter the territories and review their credit policies as they finance 81% of large companies, from which derive 80% of sufferings». During the meeting were awarded two businessmen: Roberto Cima and Fausto Ballin, who brought the footwear of the Brenta Riviera into International markets.