The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The annual turnover of Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) stands at slightly more than Tk 469 crore from the sale of three crore of pairs of shoes in the year 2007.

The company is one of the largest tax-paying corporate body contributing Tk 97 crore and 79 lakh which represent 85 percent of tax paid by the entire footwear industry of Bangladesh per year.

The senior officials of the company disclosed this at a press conference, while launching a new product "Motor Sandal" at a city hotel yesterday.

JD Harns, Managing Director; Cizar Pandero, Chief Financial Officer; Keem Bradly, Logistic and Manufacturing Manager; Abdul Kader, Marketing Manager of Bata Shoe Company, among others, were present In the function.

This exclusive sandal is specially designed and engineered for the motor bikers. The salient features of the sandal are-break pedal rest point, fibreglass reinforced plate in the sole, gearshift protection, thermo-plastic exhaust heat resistance, toe bumper and fluorescent night vision in the back strap. The latest sandal was designed in Italy and manufactured in Indonesia

The company has decided to provide one lakh pairs of sandal in the market this year. The retail price of a pair of sandal is Tk 900.

Bata has a network of 238 retail outlets located strategically in different parts of the country. It has 13 depots across Bangladesh. It has already set up its vision up to 2010 showing significant business growth as well as increased market share.

Currently the company operates two manufacturing facilities-one in Tongi and the other in Dhamri with a production capacity of 11 lakh pairs daily.

It is now the world's largest manufacturer and marketing of footwear operating in sixty countries across the globe.