News

13 July 2009

Engineering High Performance Goodyear Welted Footwear Machinery

Manufacturing Goodyear welted footwear requires specialised machinery. A British company has invested heavily in technological development to introduce a new range of equipment for this sector.

Roberto Petrozzi, Managing Director of The European Shoe Machinery Company (ESM), is a man with a driving ambition – to produce top-quality high-tech footwear machinery and then to maintain it to the highest standard for his customers around the world.

A tour of ESM's UK-based factory with Mr Petrozzi gives evidence of his enthusiasm for the industry, as well as pride in his company’s recent achievements. Founded in 1995, ESM outgrew its first home in the centre of Kettering, and in September 2008 opened a new facility on the outskirts of the town, to include offices, housing corporate services such as sales, marketing, finance and distribution. The company has recently refurbished the original site to include a showroom, thus allowing customers to view and test machinery before committing to purchase. A training service has also been developed so that operators get the highest possible performance out of the machines.

"We are continuing to develop technically-advanced Goodyear welted footwear machinery, because it makes a shoe manufacturer’s production process more efficient," said Mr Petrozzi.

"Overall, companies do not need as many machines to produce the same output and, although high-end equipment is more expensive than some other machines on the market, it produces fewer rejects and therefore less wastage. A footwear producer can see a 15 - 20 per cent saving in material costs, a 25 per cent reduction in downtime and a 25 per cent boost in performance", he continued.

Engaged in a continuous programme of investment in research and development, ESM currently offers 17 machines for welt sewing, inseam trimming, side lasting, sole stitching, insole rib attaching and welt beating. The Company’s R&D includes making improvements to the individual parts used in its machines, and ESM has its own workshop where these items are manufactured. As evidence of its desire to create high quality equipment, the company is incorporating the latest electronic control system into its machines, thus avoiding any possible weaknesses caused by failure of cams or belts.

Moving forward

The company offers a full precision engineering service, from design through to manufacture. Continuous investment in precision engineering services has contributed to ESM's rapid expansion and has enabled the company to open up opportunities in industries diverse as automotive and aviation.

The ESM Academy is another service with sessions geared towards business owners / Managing Directors and Financial Directors. The aim of the Academy sessions on business efficiency is to teach delegates how to Increase production volume without increasing workforce, reduce machinery downtime, improve workforce moral and to stay ahead of emerging health & safety legislation.

With welted footwear capturing only a small proportion of the overall footwear market, why is ESM concentrating on this sector?

"There are higher margins to be made in producing Goodyear welted footwear," remarked Mr Petrozzi. "A manufacturer may face a greater investment in equipment at first, but in time he should expect to see a better return than can be achieved from other types of footwear, especially as the shoes produced will almost certainly be at the higher end of the market," he continued.

In addition to designing and manufacturing new Goodyear welted footwear machinery, ESM also produce a large range of replacement parts for use in both its own equipment and other brands such as USM and BUSM. Parts for the older USM and BUSM machines are redesigned in order to engineer out any weaknesses, which the company claims can result in an even higher efficiency than the original component. ESM also offers a full rebuild service on older machines, replacing every working part with new, high tolerance components.

As a company, ESM is working hard to position itself as the global leader in Goodyear welted footwear machinery. With the effort and understanding that has been put into the development of its new technology, Mr Petrozzi thinks this is a realistic ambition.