Clarks to bring back local manufacturing via robo-assisted factory
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Business
London - The future of manufacturing is much closer, and more local than you think. Footwear retailer Clarks is set to open a UK factory and bring part of its manufacturing back home. The move sees the British retailer return to local production more than a decade after it first shifted its production abroad, as the family-held Clarks seeks to open a new robotic-assisted production hub at its headquarters in Street, Somerset.
The new production facility is set to produce up to 300,000 pairs of desert boots per year and will create 80 new jobs. Clarks famous boots are currently made in Vietnam and India and the shift to local manufacturing is part of Clarks's wide aim to bring part of its manufacturing process back In-house. Clarks new manufacturing centre follows hot on the heels of Adidas automated factory in Germany and Reebok’s local manufacturing hub in the United States, as it is also set to use robot technology to help revolutionise the production process of its iconic desert boots. The technology is similar to that used in automotive production, seen in Tesla manufacturing plants in the US.
Clarks to open local, robotic manufacturing hub in Somerset
Clarks aims to cut down the production journey of its products, starting from design to having the end product in-stores, down from 73 weeks to 13 weeks."Clarks has always led the way in shoe design and manufacture having developed a significant proportion of modern shoe construction technologies. This new facility will help us continue that tradition of innovation," said Clarks Chief Executive Mike Shearwood in a statement.
"We are delighted to be bringing shoe manufacturing back to the UK and creating a significant number of highly skilled jobs. Clarks is changing and as a global business we need to innovate and respond to the changing global economic order – Clarks is thinking big and innovating to ensure we are fit for the future and at the forefront of shoemaking, whilst being able to adapt to an ever-changing world," he added.
The new hub, which is set to open its doors where Clarks first began producing shoes in 1825, will only be producing a fraction of Clarks footwear, as the retailer sells over 53 million pairs of shoes a year. This significant investment in manufacturing will enable Clarks to flexibly respond to the demands of consumers and wholesale partners globally. Once the facility is operational, Clarks will be able to implement and support trans-seasonal collections, leading the way in a ‘seasonless’ approach to its ranges.
Over time Clarks manufacturing sites will be situated across a range of locations, building a global network of regional supply chains that complements its current sourcing network to enable shorter lead times and a faster response to changing trends and consumer demand. "The 21st century craftsmanship that we are introducing will also lead to and encourage innovation in shoe design. It will be transformative to the process of how we design and develop shoes.”
Photo 2: Clarks, Facebook