The Adityanath’s government’s initiative to invite companies willing to shift operations from China took a step forward on Tuesday when German footwear giant Von Wellx started production in two units in Agra in partnership with its India partner Iatric Industries Private Limited.
Von Wellx, owned by Casa Everz Gmbh, had announced in May this year to shift its entire shoe production from China after the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
Alok Kumar, additional chief secretary, Infrastructure and Industrial Development, state government, inaugurated the units in an online ceremony. Two units at Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Agra, have provided employment to around 2,000 people and have a production capacity of 2.5 million pairs annually.
The Von Wellx group will invest around Rs 300 crore in phases in three projects in Uttar Pradesh which will generate around 10,000 jobs. The company aims to produce around five million pairs of shoes annually in these manufacturing units.
““It is an important milestone in post-Covid-19 era that an investment proposal has materialised within a short span of five months,” said Alok Kumar while inaugurating the units.
Earlier, referring to the two units made operational, CEO, Iatric Industries Group, Ashish Jain said: “It was a multiple footwear project. It will produce 2.5 million pairs across different segments annually.”
“The Iatric Industries will be the exclusive collaborator for technology transfer, research, development, marketing and production,” Jain added.
The Von Wellx group is expected to set up a new unit near Jewar (Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority) in a 10,000 sq metre area by next month. While another manufacturing unit is proposed at Kosi-Kotwan in Mathura spread over an area of 7.5 acre.
