Global footwear manufacturer Bata is looking to expand its Zimbabwean manufacturing operations, improve product quality and strengthen the country’s position as a regional footwear export hub, in a development expected to boost industrialisation and employment creation.
The company’s Global Chief Executive Officer, Panagiotis Mytaros, outlined the plans during a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare, on Thursday, where discussions centred on investment opportunities, production capacity and skills development.
Mr Mytaros said Zimbabwe remained an important part of Bata’s global operations, with locally manufactured footwear accounting for 85% of the products sold in its stores.
He said the company, which has maintained a presence in Zimbabwe for 77 years, was keen to consolidate its operations and explore opportunities to manufacture for export markets.
“It is my first time in Zimbabwe, so it was an honour to spend some time with the President. I wanted to thank him for all the support we receive here. We feel very much at home. Bata has been in Zimbabwe for 77 years, so it means a lot to us,” he said.
“We also discussed the opportunities we see in Zimbabwe, not just as a market, but as a manufacturing and exporting base. Eighty-five percent of the shoes you find in our stores are made in Zimbabwe, which is very unique.”
Mr Mytaros said the company’s immediate priority was to strengthen local manufacturing competencies, improve footwear quality and design, and enhance competitiveness through investment in human capital.
He said developing skilled personnel was critical to sustaining the industry and expanding production.
“The most important thing is that we make our shoes better. People want better shoes; they want more stylish shoes. The first thing is to establish competencies in Zimbabwe to produce better-quality shoes and remain competitive.
“Our focus is ultimately on the competencies of our people and training them. Shoemaking is a craft, so you need to learn it. We need to have the right people and, ultimately, to bring more employment,” he said.
He also commended the operating environment in Zimbabwe, expressing appreciation for the support extended to the company by President Mnangagwa and his Government.
The company’s local operations are headquartered in Gweru, Midlands Province, where it operates a major footwear manufacturing plant producing products that include Safari boots.
Bata’s expansion plans are expected to complement the Second Republic’s industrialisation and economic transformation agenda by strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity, creating employment, developing specialised skills and increasing the contribution of locally manufactured products to export earnings.
The investment prospects also reinforce Government’s drive to achieve an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 through private-sector-led growth, import substitution, value addition and industrial competitiveness.
By leveraging its 77-year manufacturing presence and international distribution network, Bata could position Zimbabwe as a significant regional footwear production and export centre, advancing the objectives of Vision 2030.
