The solution is to join forces to improve productivity. “If production in shoe factories is running at a reduced pace, we should come together to absorb the costs”. This sums up the thinking of Alberto Fasciani, owner of the Fermo-based shoe factory that bears his name and employs around twenty people. The entrepreneur tells La Conceria that he made several attempts to turn his idea into reality, but they came to nothing. “We’re becoming too small. In our sector it’s difficult to join forces, but not impossible. We need it above all in the production phase”, Fasciani explains.
The solution is to join forces
“Today there are few production lines running at full speed. This means that many companies could improve their productivity, generate cost savings and therefore increasing profitability”, Fasciani explains. He points out that, compared with the past, the frequency of times during which production is interrupted or proceeds at a reduced pace has grown. Joining forces for this end could be a solution, the entrepreneur continues, arguing that companies distributing similar items could team up. It’s an idea Fasciani proposed to some colleagues, only to be turned down. This confirms how difficult it is for the manufacturing ecosystem to merge and to envision a company managed differently from the traditional “family-run” model.
Watch the price
“Why has the slowdown in consumption of fashion products arrived? It stems from past speculation, when footwear and other products had exorbitant selling prices compared with their actual cost. And today consumers are much more attentive. Even the wealthy don’t like being deceived”, Fasciani says. As a result, the search for a product with a “fair” price has led many consumers to shift toward Asian products. “We taught others the secrets of our production. But today, from the mass market to the mid-range segment, Made in Italy doesn’t exist. It competes at the high end, where there are only a few pairs.
So, if a company is structured for limited production, that’s fine; otherwise, it has a problem”, the entrepreneur observed. However, he also has positive news: “Overall, my clients aren’t that negative, because they’re seeing greater demand from young people for non-sneaker footwear. This is a trend that benefits Italian artisanal production. We, as Italians, really are the best in fashion, but we mustn’t do stupid things”, Fasciani concludes, alluding to exorbitant and hard-to-justify prices. “The other challenge we face in the market is precisely that of justifying the selling price”.
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