Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre Designed to Develop Vietnam Footwear Industry

The Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso) recently hosted a working meeting with Mr Ivan Scalfarotto, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Italy, at the Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre in the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Research and Development Centre, based in Binh Duong province.

The visit of the Italian delegation aimed to mark a new milestone in long-term sustainable footwear development of the two countries and thus express the concern of the two governments for an industry critical to both economies.

The Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre was established in July 2017 from the long cooperation between Italian ASSOMAC and Vietnamese LEFASO following the signing of annually renewed cooperation agreement. The Italian Chamber of Commerce has facilitated this cooperation by supporting specific initial steps, such as the Technical Assistance Project and subsequent training courses in Vietnam and then in Italy, including the invitation of Vietnamese companies to Simac Tanning Tech Exhibition in Milan, Italy.

The project aims to improve the capacity and contribution to the development of Vietnamese footwear industry. This initiative was initiated at the Vietnam - Italy Intergovernmental Commission Meeting in Hanoi two years ago. This project is the cooperation between ASSOMAC, LEFASO, Ho Chi Minh City Industry and Trade College (HITC), Italian Chamber of Commerce, and PISIE - a nongovernmental organisation in Italy engaged in technical assistance and training for garment - textile and leather - footwear industries as well as related products.

The formation of Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre was a bridge to connect Vietnam and Italy. The leather and footwear industry has always been an area of interest of Italian investors in the Vietnamese market. With rich experience and achievements in the leather and footwear industry, Italy will support Vietnamese companies to improve their product quality by cooperating in and launching Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre to transfer technologies, consultancies and training for the Vietnamese leather and footwear industry.

The Vietnamese leather and footwear industry has a great opportunity to strengthen trade relations with Italy in particular and the European Union (EU) market in general. Italy is the fashion centre of the world and Vietnam - Italy footwear trade expansion is very necessary at the back of positive performance in recent years. In 2016, Vietnam exported US$380 million worth of leather and footwear products to Italy, accounting for 8 per cent of its total leather and footwear export value to the EU market. Italy - Vietnam Footwear Technology Centre will help footwear research and development in Vietnam, train high-tech labourers, apply modern machines and advanced technologies to raise personnel quality and footwear designing and production capabilities of Vietnam to win international competition.

Truong Thanh / vccinews