How to sell shoes to Italians - Footwear made in Simanovci for European and global brands

(Milica Marić)

Italy has always been a synonym for fashion and high-quality clothing, but primarily footwear. Quality shoes, which enable the skin to "breathe", have become utopia at the time of expansion of cheap, mainly Chinese footwear. And did you know that you can buy genuine "Italian" shoes in our country? Or that footwear made in Simanovci is sent through Italian partners to the shelves of branded companies around the world?

Although Milotex, of which production is situated in Simanovci in the municipality of Pecinci, operates successfully for more than ten years, rarely anyone outside the expert circles knows of it.

The company's owner Milica Maric has recently obtained the "Success Flower for a Dragon Woman" award for year 2010 in the category of "the most European women's company", for which she was nominated by the Srem Chamber of Commerce. The information that 90% of the company's employees are women is not surprising, but what does make them so special?

The company with about 100 workers operates at over 5,000 square meters in Simanovci.

- We used to have more than 300 employees, but then the economic crisis came – Milica Marić, the owner of Milotex, tells Ekapija.

Milotex was one of the first companies to settle its units in Simanovci, and its facilities are now surrounded by about 30 large companies.

Its main partner is Italian Olip, which provides the company with all raw materials and samples of new shoe models that they use to organize production of Air Step footwear.

The state-of-the-arts production equipment, machines and numerous tailoring molds and knives are also imported from Italy.

The company sells part of production in its retail facilities in Belgrade.

- We now have two stores, one in Knez Mihajlova Street and one in Makenzijeva Street in Vracar. We surely plan to expand our retail network, but we have difficulties to find a suitable location.

According to our interlocutor, "only good location sells footwear", and the company also plans to open stores in other big cities in Serbia in the near future.

For the time being, Air Step footwear, or at least certain number of models, can be found in numerous stores in Serbia. For example, the company cooperates with Mistral, Thema, Faraon, Dermond from Belgrade, Coton from Novi Sad, Stana Komerc from Kraljevo, LMN and Enko from Novi Pazar, Peko from Skopje, Gazela from Podgorica, Banjo from Subotica, and Mis from Niš.

Being recognizable mainly for the quality of sole and comfort, the company's products are often copied by smaller companies. For example, one model of shoes for men, which is in high demand for few seasons now, has been copied by a company situated in Sumadija and advertised under a similar brand name.

Ever since it was opened, the factory has always been making profit and it has always been liquid and paying salaries to its workers on regular basis. Good business results are even more important when we know that the company operates in the branch where working conditions are difficult and unfavorable.

- It is difficult to find qualified workers. Those who completed adequate secondary school usually have the same skills in practice as those who have no formal education in shoe making – says Marić and adds that the company is in the greatest need for "sewers".

- We will give job to every experienced sewer who comes and asks for it. I am aware of the fact that salaries here are not big, they range between 18 and 30 thousand dinars, but this is a low-profit branch and we can not increase the price of work.

Due to bigger demand, the company gave several of its machines to companies in Rumenka, Ruma, and Ugrinovci, which now sew some shoe models for them.

This factory annually manufactures between 70 and 120 thousand pairs of fashionable footwear, 90% of which are exported to the market of European Union.

The factory has its own power generator, which facilitates undisturbed work in case of power cut. It also has its own well, in case water supply is discontinued, and its own boiler room for heating. The production hall is air-conditioned, while office space is equipped with video surveillance system. In addition to the production hall, the factory also has large warehouses for raw materials, ready-made products and auxiliary materials that are used in production.

It is interesting that the products made in this factory are not repacked in Italy. Even boxes and stickers are sent to Simanovci, so that the products looked the same on the shelves of fashion stores around the world and when leaving the factory in Simanovci.

- We know by the stickers where the shoes we make will be sent – says one of the employees in Milotex.

Shoes are sent to Italy, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, as well as Australia, New Zealand...

Milica Marić won the award of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce as a successful entrepreneur in 2006, while company Milotex won the charter of Kapetan Misa Anastasijevic in 2004 in "Way to the Top" category because it operated successfully and expanded operations in that period.

J.Đ.