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ZHSpain commits to footwear industry action plan
The plan is intended to preserve manufacturing capacity, as well as increase production and improve the competitiveness of Spanish companies.
Spain’s footwear and components sectors are set to benefit from a dedicated ‘action plan’ after the country’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism committed to developing a strategy for shoemakers. This move was welcomed by the Spanish Federation of Footwear Industries (FICE) and the Spanish Association of Footwear Component Companies (AEC).
The announcement followed a visit by industry and tourism minister Jordi Hereu to the cities of Elche and Elda on 16th and 17th September, building on discussions held with FICE and AEC in Madrid in May. During the visit, Mr Hereu toured companies in the footwear and components sectors and visited the INESCOP Technology Centre to learn more about industrial processes, technological developments, research and innovation activities.
At a meeting hosted by INESCOP, participants identified key areas for the forthcoming plan, including industrial modernisation, productive investment, innovation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, training, financing, internationalisation and generational renewal.
According to FICE and AEC, the sector must now move from ‘diagnosis to action’, requiring a clear roadmap covering the entire footwear value chain. This would include footwear manufacturing, components and materials, heels, machinery, tanning, textiles, lasts, soles and technology suppliers.
The organisations said that the plan should help to preserve manufacturing capacity, as well as increase production and improve the competitiveness of Spanish companies.
FICE and AEC are now organising a working meeting with the Ministry’s directorate-general for industrial strategy and SMEs, and the commissioner for re-industrialisation in order to agree priorities, launch initial projects and establish an implementation timetable.
Publishing Data
This article was originally published on page 2 of the October 2026 issue of SATRA Bulletin.
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