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Bata Shoe Company, has moved to increase business with plans to expand its associated business units

Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
THE country’s biggest shoe manufacturer, Bata Shoe Company, has moved to increase business with plans to expand its associated business units (ABUs) to five from three.

The move would create additional 100 job opportunities from about 150 workers.

Bata Shoe Company managing director, Ronjoy Sengupta said as part of the company’s empowerment programme and complying with the country’s indigenisation laws, the firm has subcontracted businesspeople to make tennis shoes.

He said Bata had supplied them with machinery, which it decommissioned from its plant.

“The setting up of ABUs came after the government intervened and encouraged us to set up small to medium industries to support indigenous people.

“We took the idea and took part of our machinery to form the ABUs,” he said.

“Today we employ more than 150 people in three locations and this year we’re expanding the number to five.

“We’re in the process of finalising the two factories, which will be given into the hands of two indigenous partners so that Zimbabweans become part of the production processes in the making of shoes.

“We’re confident that this number of 150 people currently employed is going up to 250.”

Sengupta said the company had already presented its compliance requirements to the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, which have been approved.

“We’ve presented the documents to the Ministry (of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment) and we’ve got the endorsement in order to proceed with such programmes, which truly empowers locals in manufacturing and development of skills,” he added.

The shoe manufacturer has already embarked on the development of skills where it has set shoe manufacturing equipment at Mupfure Vocational Training Centre near Chegutu and plans are underway to establish one at Kaguvi Vocational Training Centre between Gweru and Kwekwe as well as at Checheche.

Sengupta said the company will in the next two months rope in 100 women and youth in the rural areas who will sell shoes on behalf the company for a fee.