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NBS SPECIAL PUBLICATION 527

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Bureau of Standards

FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

Manufacturing a

Competitive Advantage

National Bureau of Standards

Library, E-01 Admin. Bldg.

OCT X 1981

131070

QC

100

,U57

NO . 527

1979
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The

Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and

facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts

research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for. equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau's technical work is performed by the National Measurement Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory,

and the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology.

THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY provides the national system of

physical and chemical and materials measurement; coordinates the system with measurement

systems of other nations and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform

physical and chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry,

and commerce; conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement,

standards, and data on the properties of materials needed by industry, commerce, educational

institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government

Agencies; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and provides

calibration services. The Laboratory consists of the following centers:

Absolute Physical Quantities2 — Radiation Research — Thermodynamics and

Molecular Science — Analytical Chemistry — Materials Science. THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY provides technology and technical

services to users in the public and private sectors to address national needs and to solve national problems in the public interest; conducts research in engineering and applied science

in support of objectives in these efforts; builds and maintains competence in the necessary

disciplines required to carry out this research and technical service; develops engineering data and measurement capabilities; provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops test methods and proposes engineering standards and code changes; develops and

proposes new engineering practices; and develops and improves mechanisms to transfer

results of its research to the utlimate user. The Laboratory consists of the following centers:

Applied Mathematics — Electronics and Electrical Engineering2 — Mechanical

Engineering and Process Technology2 — Building Technology — Fire Research —

Consumer Product Technology — Field Methods.

THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts

research and provides scientific and technical services to aid Federal Agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of computer technology to improve effectiveness and

economy in Government operations in accordance with Public Law 89-306 (40 U.S.C. 759), relevant Executive Orders, and other directives; carries out this mission by managing the Federal Information Processing Standards Program, developing Federal ADP standards

guidelines, and managing Federal participation in ADP voluntary standardization activities; provides scientific and technological advisory services and assistance to Federal Agencies; and

provides the technical foundation for computer-related policies of the Federal Government.

The Institute consists of the following divisions:

Systems and Software — Computer Systems Engineering — Information Technology.

'Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234.

2 Some divisions within the center are located at Boulder, Colorado, 80303.

The National Bureau of Standards was reorganized, effective April 9, 1978.
National Bureau o MAR 2 197§

\r\0t kcc lj- re

FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM- ^

Manufacturing a Competitive Advantage

Proceedings of the Footwear Technology Symposium

held at the National Bureau of Standards,

Gaithersburg, Maryland, June 1-2, 1978

Edited by:

Margery H. King

Office of the Director

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 20234

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director

Issued February 1979
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number :78-6001 12

National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 527

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 527, 348 pages (Feb. 1979) CODEN: XNBSAV

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1979

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402

Stock No. 0O3-OO3-02O25-7 Price $5.50

(Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing)
FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM —

MANUFACTURING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

PREFACE

In response to a directive from President Carter to "provide

an expanded and more effective program of assistance" to those

segments of the U.S. footwear industry that have been seriously

harmed by imports, the Department of Commerce is administering a special program to help revitalize the domestic footwear industry.

Several of the Department's agencies are working together to ensure

that the Footwear Industry Program will be successful in manufacturing a competitive advantage for the industry.

The Department of Commerce is actively pursuing a variety of

approaches for assisting the domestic industry. This effort combines

the capabilities and special expertise of the Industry and Trade

Administration, the Economic Development Administration, and the

Office of Science and Technology. The total effort, encompasses a "streamlined" trade adjustment assistance program, an export promotion campaign, a domestic retailer-manufacturer cooperation program,

and a new technology utilization program.

This Symposium- -Manufacturing a Competitive Advantage-- was one

of the critical steps in the Office of Science and Technology's innovative program to create new technologies for the footwear industry.

This program is a unique government undertaking to assist a domestic

manufacturing industry in that it is

o the first cooperative government - industry program to

develop a new generation of technology in a non-defense

industry, and

o the first government -aided technology development program

specifically designed to improve the ability of an American industry to meet foreign competition.

The design for this Symposium was based on three fundamental con- cepts which underlie all Commerce Department efforts.

o Full and active cooperation between government and industry.

Industry must be relied on to understand the best prospect,

key constraints, and necessary market/production interfaces

involved in opportunities for assistance. Government must

be relied on for the objective analyses, encouragement of

creativity, and support which will locate and specify these

opportunities

.

Ill
o Rational analysis of industry problems and structure as a prerequisite for action. It is necessary to involve all

segments of the industry; from the retailer who makes

buying decisions, through the manufacturing executive who

defines market positioning, to the supplier who seeks out new techniques; in a systematic effort to understand

industry's problems in their full historical perspective,

o Creative thinking from well-qualified sources outside

the industry. There is a need for new ideas on problems,

strategies, and solutions. Such innovative thinking must

be sought at the leading universities, research institutes,

and advanced technology firms in the United States,

The initial steps are taken; the future directions depend on the

constructive ideas which emerge from this Symposium,

IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PREFACE iii

ABSTRACT ix

Presentations on June 1, 1978

1. OPENING REMARKS 1 Dr. Frank Wolek, Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Science and Technology, U.S. Department of

Commerce

2. MANUFACTURING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 3 Dr. Jordan Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science

and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

3. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE PERSPECTIVE 7 Frederick Haynes, Assistant Director, U.S. General

Accounting Office

4. FITTING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE PICTURE 13

Margery King, Program Manager, NBS Shoe Team

National Bureau of Standards, U.S. Department of

Commerce

5. TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS 21

Arthur D. Little, Incorporated

Battelle Columbus Laboratories

Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

6. THE POTENTIAL OF NEW TECHNOLOGY 51

Frank Daley, Director, Manufacturing Development,

General Motors Technical Center, General Motors

Corporation

7. MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY PRACTICUM 61

Moderator: Dr. Frank Wolek, Deputy Assistant , Secretary for Science and Technology, U.S.

Department of Commerce

Panel

:

Frank Daley, Director, Manufacturing Development,

General Motors Technical Center, General Motors

Corporation

V
Page

Dr. Eugene Merchant, Director, Research Planning,

Cincinnati Milacron

Daniel Heidt, Director of Manufacturing, Lockheed

Aircraft Corporation

Harry Heilig, General Manager, Research and

Development, Western Electric Corporation

Dennis E. Wisnosky, Manager, ICAM Program, Air

Force Materials Laboratory, U.S. Department of

Defense, Department of the Air Force

Captain L. C. Dittmar, Chief of Navy Materiel, U.S.

Department of Defense, Department of the Navy

8. FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY PANEL ... 6 7 Moderator: Dr. Frank Wolek, Deputy Assistant

Secretary for Science and Technology, U. S.

Department of Commerce

Panel

:

Robert H. Bode, Arthur D. Little, Incorporated

Gordon E. Pickett, Battelle Columbus Laboratories

John C. Williams, Illinois Institute of Technology

Research Institute

James P. Kottenstette , Denver Research Institute

Dr. Nam P. Suh, Massachusetts Institute of

Technology

Dr. Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science

and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

Banquet Address, June 1, 1978

9. A MATTER OF TRUST 73

Dr. Sidney Harman, Under Secretary, U. S. Department

of Commerce

10. INDUSTRY RESPONSE 79

Ronald M. Ansin, Chairman, Anwelt Corporation

Presentations on June 2, 1978

11. OPENING REMARKS 81

Dr. Frank Wolek, Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

12. INDUSTRY VIEW 83

Frederick A. Meister, President, American Footwear

Industries Association

13. RELATING TECHNOLOGIES TO THE MARKETPLACE 8 7 Beth Levine, Designer, BethHerb, Incorporated

14. SYMPOSIUM INTEGRATION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS ....... 95

Dr. Jordan Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science

and Technology, U. S. Department of Commerce

VI
Page

APPENDICES 105

Appendix A. Innovative Approaches in Technology and Processes

to Aid the Shoe Industry Through the Transfer of

Technology from Other Industries

Arthur D. Little , Incorporated : 107

Appendix B. Candidate Innovative Manufacturing Technologies

for the U.S. Nonrubber Footwe ar Industry^

Battelle Columbus Laboratories 123

Appendix C. The Custom-Fit Concept- - Innovation in the U.S.

Non-jrubber Footwear Industry

Denver Research Institute 161

Appendix D. Manufacturing Technologies for the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute 169

Appendix E. Manufacturing Technologies for the U.S. Non^rubber

Footwear Industry

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 205

Appendix F. A Study of Competitive Business Strategies and

Technological Advancement in the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Charles W. O'Conor and Associates 283

Appendix G. A Business Strategy to Enhance the Competitive

Position of the U.S. Nonrubber Footwear Industry

Zinder Energy Management, Incorporated 309

Appendix H. List of Participants at the Footwear Technology

Symposium 339

VII

ABSTRACT

The Footwear Technology Symposium, hosted by the

National Bureau of Standards, was held in Gaithersburg

,

Maryland on June 1 and 2, 1978. Approximately 220 people

participated representing the manufacturing, supplier, and

retailing segments of the footwear industry, as well as federal officials concerned with assistance to the industry.

The objective of this symposium was to assess manufacturing

technologies which could be adapted or developed to provide

a competitive advantage for the U.S. footwear industry,

and to develop a specific plan for activities that would

be appropriate for government and industry cooperation.

The meeting was part of a three-year Department of Commerce

Program to help restore the growth and vitality of the domestic footwear industry. Initial sessions presented technical and evaluative information as an input to the subsequent working group discussions of footwear industry representatives. Government staff described the results of their

assessment of the problems and opportunities of the industry.

To stimulate constructive dialogue, five private research

organizations presented ideas and recommendations for future

footwear technological development resulting from Commerce

Department sponsored studies. The major new technologies

and processes presented addressed materials development,

leather technologies, customf itting and computer assistance

in shoe design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) . In other presentations, the President of the American Footwear Industry

Association shared his concerns, a leading footwear designer

explored design, marketing and the technology interfaces,

and representatives of technologically advanced industries,

(aerospace, automobiles, communications) shared their views

on manufacturing technologies and applications to footwear

industry problems. Preliminary symposium results were evidence of industry enthusiam and support for governmentindustry cooperative activities, interest in establishing

a footwear center to provide industry-wide technical assistance, and a desire to assess computer-aided design and

manufacture (CAD/CAM) . Reports by the consulting firms on new technologies and business strategies for the footwear

industry are included as appendices.

KEY WORDS: Computer-aided design and manufacture ( CAD/ CAM)

;

footwear industry; fragmented industries; government- industry

cooperation; imports; innovation; leather; materials development;

manufacturing technology; shoes; technology transfer.

IX
-

-
OPENING REMARKS: THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 19 7 8

Dr. Frank Wolek

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

Department of Commerce

It is my pleasant task to serve as host of this symposium and

to welcome you. We are gratified that so many of you from so many organizations in the footwear industry accepted our invitation to jointly

explore the special problems and solution of this important U.S.

industry - we have almost 220 people from the private and public

sectors registered here today.

As the title indicates - Manufacturing a Competitive Advantage - this symposium is concerned with identifying and creating new

technologies that will help restore the competitive position of the

domestic footwear industry. But this activity is only a part of a broader Department of Commerce program to provide effective assistance

to industries seriously hurt by imports. Footwear was the first industry we tackled. Several of the Department's agencies are working

together to assist footwear under the leadership of a steering committee headed by Under Secretary Sidney Harman. Although this symposium

originated as part of the program of the Office of Science and Technology, its preparation has benefited directly from assistance of

the other footwear program components. This includes the Industry and

Trade Administration, represented here today by Deputy Assistant

Secretary Robert Shepherd. That agency includes the Footwear Industry Team which provides technical and management assistance directly

to individual firms affected. by imports. Also active is the Economic

Development Administration, represented by Deputy Assistant Secretary

Harold Williams, which has provided not only funds but also guidance policy on economic assistance.

Appropriately, we are assembled here at the National Bureau of

Standards, one of the finest research laboratories in the world.

Themissionof the Bureau is to provide the information- -the infrastructure of analysis, measurements, standards, and basic data--that

underlies the contributions of technology to our society. In this

symposium we are also presenting to the industry the infrastructure

of information that we will all need to determine the development of new technologies to assist your industry during the next several

years. Technology is admittedly only one part of the footwear management and strategy, but we here must ask how important that slice is.
What is the future of technology in footwear, and how can we maximize

its role both by contributing to the development of new technologies

and by assisting with the knowledge needed to effectively implement

those technologies?

Three points which characterize our approach to these subjects

will recur throughout these two days. The first is analysis . This

is a management symposium. Rather than presenting new technical

ideas, we are reviewing this industry's problems as a manager might

assess them. What are the corporate strategies for coping with those

problems, and what technologies contribute to those strategies? That

approach must be based on a systematic analysis of existing data on

the economic structure and history of the footwear industry.

The second point is creativity . Much of that has already been

contributed by the people here. We are adding the ideas of selected

outsiders to the industry, some of the best intellects in the research

institutes and universities of this country, some of the most crea- tive independent inventors, and representatives from successful firms

in other industries that are leaders in the adoption of new technology.

Perhaps this information will further stimulate your thinking in

footwear

.

The third point is cooperation . The decisions to be made here

are industry decisions. Our role is to provide the information and

assistance that you need to carry out those decisions. The industry

must tell us which technologies should be developed and promoted

and what is needed for their development.

2
MANUFACTURING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Dr. Jordan Baruch

Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

Department of Commerce

We are here today as part of an effort to do something. We

are here to discuss manufacturing a competitive advantage for the

U.S. shoe industry, a long, difficult effort. Why, one might ask, are we, trying to do this job? What is so important about the shoe

industry? The shoe industry consists of firms, which in turn are combinations of individual people. There is a huge difference between government statistics and plant closings, where real men who

have worked all their lives to build a company see their market

position destroyed by foreign competition. Government statistics

on unemployment are numbers, but the actual people forced out of

jobs represent personal economic tragedies.

The United States could, of course, solve the problems of

foreign competition and prevent closings, but by building a wall around

ourselves, setting up a tariff barrier, and having extensive mar- keting agreements. Unfortunately, buyers of shoes are also people.

Every time we propose new barriers that increase cost we, in

fact, tax all members of society in order to protect one segment.

There is one way that we might resolve that dilemma with no cost to society- -by making the American shoe industry effectively

competitive with foreign suppliers and, thus, insuring the domestic

market an adequate share of the growth. As a matter of fact, I would like to see them become effectively competitive to a degree

that would pay the high cost of getting there. However, there are many

bright people trying to solve these problems and I do not know if

we can do better. One thing that I can absolutely guarantee, however, is that we in this Department will certainly try.

The shoe industry cannot depend on border protection alone.

It would be a losing gamble. Not only is this administration

determined to encourage free trade, but I know that the hidden

tarrifs and inflation associated with border protection are well

understood now by our fellow Americans, who are not willing to

pay them. There are many more shoe buyers than shoe suppliers,

and there are a lot more buying states and districts than there

are states and districts with shoe manufacturers. Nonetheless,

there is an interest in the shoe industry, and we will have some forms of border protection.

3
We will have other forms of border protection because other

countries subsidize their industry and exports and we do have

countervailing tariff rules. We will have them to counteract

against unfair governmental participation in the competitive act,

but not against cheap labor, better management, or economies of

scale. The government and the American people want to ensure a fair fight for the shoe industry.

Another interesting choice is to give up. It's the course

that some of your peers have already taken. It is an alternative,

but as I look at this audience, not one you have accepted.

Clearly, we have one alternative, giving up, that you reject,

another border protection, that the government and people seem

to reject, and a third one that will require cooperation, brains,

money, and luck. We have the capacity for the first two, cooperation and brains, and we know where to get the third, the money.

Our efforts today will be designed to minimize the need for luck.

How will we tackle this problem? We are here to discuss the

shoe business and the changes that technology can make in the

effectiveness of that business. This can be broken down into

five tasks.

The first is defining the problem. Where is the problem

occurring, why is it occurring, and who is involved? The where

is difficult. The shoe business is not homogeneous. Children's

shoes are different from women's, salon shoes from men's, and

welted shoes from cemented and injection molded. One can also

break the shoe industry down into segments: by price, by style,

and by the kind of manufacturing process, for example. In each

of those cells we can ask, "Where are we hurting from foreign

impact, and who's doing the hurting?" One answer is the rational

shoe buyer. Thus, we have to identify the buyers that choose to

buy foreign, rather than American shoes, and we can segment those

too. Lastly, we have to ask, "Why are they buying foreign shoes?"

One problem involved in asking that question is the variety

of answers. From the manufacturer, you may get the answer,

price. From the buyer, you may get the answer, quality. We get

very different answers. We must be aware that groups have their

grievances. Buyers want to keep their own channels open through

multiple sourcing. Sellers want to accentuate a problem they

think the government can solve.

To make progress in this area, we must sort out some of these

conflicting data. I hope some of you from the shoe industry will

tackle that problem in your work sessions or during the coming weeks

4
To design a great solution to the wrong problem is a sure waste

of time and money. Therefore, part of today's job is to identify

the information we can use.

The second task is to characterize the advantages of the foreign

competitor. Is it just cheap labor that they have? Is it economies

of scale? Is it marketing? Some foreign companies are using very

skilled American-style marketing techniques, and they have invented

some of their own. Is their advantage price, and if so, why? Lastly,

what are their weaknesses -- transport time, the availability of new

materials, the ability to maintain complex equipment? If we know

their weaknesses and if we have a choice among technologies to help

the American shoe industry, we might be able to choose those that

are least transferable to foreign countries.

Our third task is to analyze the existing U.S. industry, its

management, marketing, and production. There is an interesting

characteristic of the U.S. manufacturing industries. There are,

on the same continent and using similar materials, industries that

are very high in technology and others that are very low in technology. One of the enormous problems is transferring technologies

across industries. Rockwell International had a great idea. They

had this "high level" electronic organization that decided to go

into the printing business. They bought a printing company and

a loom company and put in electronics. When those two industries

were modern.' zed, Rockwell found the people in the companies did

not understand the new way. A major trauma resulted, requiring

a major turnover of people. The transfer of technology across industries is difficult. However, I find it exciting that we have representatives here from the automotive, electronics, and

aircraft industries who are willing to try to help you.

The next task is designed invention or the development of new technologies that fit the corporate strategies of the foot- wear manufacturer. Technology and corporate strategy are inseparable. If you're aiming for a market niche of high-style

expensive shoes, and all that technology has to offer you is a cost

reduction system that operates on mass production, the fit is

wrong. Any attempt to measure the potential of a new technology is

dependent on the initial analysis of the industry.

Even if we find a good fit, it may still be the wrong scale

for an individual company. If a large effort is needed, there

are some interesting approaches that we can take, utilizing other

parts of the Department. We've been looking at an industry in

Providence, Rhode Island which needs some help and may require a consolidation of many small electroplating activities. The individual companies can't do that, but the Department does have access

5
to resources to finance that type of effort by providing aid to

the state or city. Thus, we are not ignoring the fifth task,

the implementation question, because until we get through with

implementation, the new program has not really become part of

your corporate structure.

Therefore, our tasks are problem identification, the analysis of our foreign competition, the assessment of our own technologies, the development of technologies fitting the needs and

corporate strategies of our firms, and implementation. If we can achieve this, I think we have a good chance of helping the U.S.

shoe industry.

6
GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE PERSPECTIVE

Frederick L. Haynes

Assistant Director, U.S. General Accounting Office

Before discussing the shoe industry, I would like to explain

why the General Accounting Office selected this area for review.

Some years ago we were involved in a world-wide evaluation of man- ufacturing technology and its impact on productivity. As a result,

we became very concerned that the world situation had sufficiently

changed to put the small to medium labor intensive manufacturers

in the United States in an adverse competitive position. Coincidentally, the shoe industry, one of those labor intensive industries,

was symptomatic of problems occurring as a result of the world-wide

spread of industrialization, particularly to those less developed

countries which have an obvious comparative labor advantage. Be- cause of this, we decided to take a preliminary look at the shoe

industry. Our full report will be out later this year.

I would like to give you a brief overview of our perspective.

From what we have seen the less developed nations have been able

to uniquely capitalize on their labor wage advantage, government

cooperation, and support from Western technologies to the point

where their products are competitive with the best industrialized

nation products. This situation proposes severe problems and

challenges for the innovative capabilities of existing industrialized

nations. The United States has a more aggravating problem, having

just begun what appears to be a secular decline in our world-wide

competitive position. One of the major effects or components of

this decline has been the absence of aggressive productivity growth

in the United States economy. And of all the industries on which

the United States has manufacturing statistics, the shoe industry

has exhibited the lowest rate of productivity growth for at least

the last 15 years. With that observation one would expect that

the shoe industry might not be as strong as we would like.

More specifically, the industry appears to have been caught

between the emerging low cost manufacturing capability of the

less developed countries, the "high-style" capability in Europe,

a changing and highly competitive level of merchandising, and,

quite frankly, an unprecedented level of manufacturing complacency. When the shoe industry is usually discussed, the emphasis

is on the domestic manufacturing segment. It is, however, more

relevant to view this segment in the world-wide context. In

7
this setting, almost every nation in the world has its own capability and each nation's retailers, which are for the most

part divorced from manufacturers, select the styles, quantities,

and prices for their consumers, from a world-wide inventory.

Obviously, other things being equal, the retailers make their

purchases from the manufacturers offering the most attractive

quality and price. Complicating this situation for the United

States is the fact that many large American manufacturers are also large retailers. Here again, even those engaged in manu- facturing buy not only from their own captive manufacturing

base, but also from the world-wide inventory. While merchandising methods and distribution channels have been tailored

to the changing demographic and disposable income patterns, in

general, the U.S. domestic manufacturing capability has not

kept pace with the technologies which would enable them to be

low cost quality producers. However, we all recognize that there

are some very forward looking and innovative companies in the

industry. Unfortunately, their productivity is insufficient to

create a comparative advantage for the entire industry.

Let us look at some of the demographic and disposable in- come patterns, starting with the consumer and moving back to

the manufacturing operation. In our discussions with many of

the U.S. manufacturers, we were surprised at their unfamiliarity

with the growth and demographic changes and disposable income

changes in the United States market. In contrast, manufacturers

in Asia and Europe were much more conversive with what was going on in our domestic market than were our own manufacturers.

I think that says something about the complacency I mentioned

earlier. It is important to recognize that, in the last two

decades, there has been a significant shift in the demographic

composition of the consumer universe in this country, accom- panied by similar shifts in disposable incomes. This can be

simply characterized by a pyramid representing the population.

The vertical height indicates the age groupings from one year

old at the base to 100 years old at the top, and the breadth

of the pyramid represents the numbers in each age group. Over

the last two decades, there has been a significant shift upwards

without a refilling at the base. The base is now smaller and

there are bulges which are working into the age groupings

which traditionally represent America's buying power. A similar

pyramid can be constructed representing disposable income, and

a like bulge is again apparent.

The U.S. shoe industry must examine its market as carefully

as its overseas competitors do, studying^the changing demographic

patterns and the effects of disposable income, recognizing that

traditionally the greater the amount of disposable income, the

8
greater the propensity to purchase imported goods. A careful look

at these patterns in the United States coupled with the technology

innovation that we will discuss during this meeting will provide a better understanding of how our shoe industry must be postured

and what manufacturers need to do to make domestic products more competitive. American retailers, on the other hand, appear to have

anticipated these changes, along with the population movement to

suburbia, and began 20 years ago creating merchandising mechanisms

and retail outlets to service this specific change in demography

and disposable income. This has been repeatedly confirmed not

only with footwear people but also those in the general merchandising

area

.

These merchandising changes will continue. We can recognize

this if we just look at the full-service drug stores that sell

shoes, drugs, clothes, and fireplace equipment, as well as hardware. About ten years ago these retailers wanted to capture the

10- to 20-year-old market, and then carry and upgrade it through

their growth periods. There are similar opportunities for the

footwear industry and for America, because the United States market

is the greatest, largest, and most profitable market in all the

free world, in fact everybody in the world is targeting on your

market. Thus, you should at least equip yourself with those tools

that others are using, including an understanding of our market-

past and future.

There is another trend in the United States which suggests

that, as the disposable income increases, there is going to be more and more interest in a world horizon of goods. This means

that the manufacturers will be producing a greater variety in

fewer quantities for smaller and smaller sectors of the market.

They will have to target more precisely in coupling the consumer

with the manufacturing base. This suggests some very specific

things for your technology, in order to, for example, become

more flexible and control your in-process inventory much more

effectively than in the past. How are you going to integrate inprocess inventory control with your purchasing and with the

actual construction of whatever types of shoes you desire?

The United States" technological capabilities and our innovative strength in terms of being able to couple that

technology with the shoe industry offers some very unique challenges. Currently, the high cost of new technology makes it more attractive for an average plant to add either a second

shift or to work overtime, rather than spend over $4,500 for a new piece of equipment. Instead of looking at an individual

machine, the shoe manufacturing industry should be viewed from

beginning to end, as a system. That system should be defined

9
and redesigned to produce at competitive world-wide costs. We

have in our audience people who have already done this. Today,

you have an outstanding opportunity to look ahead at what is

available. In fact, today is a unique opportunity not only for

the shoe industry, but also for our country. The model we use

to solve the shoe industry situation will serve as a precursor for

about 165 other industries. How we handle the problem will tell

us whether we are going to be able to help the other industries

survive the problems now facing you. Thank you.

Questions and Answers

Q: Is there a blind spot among American industries in general

in their ability to understand the marketplace:

Haynes: In my opinion, yes. Our country does not have a longstanding tradition for exporting or a need to export. During

the industrial revolution, we survived on our own basic

resources for so long, we seem to regard our domestic market

as ours. We generally fail to recognize that we are emerging

into an interdependent world. The world, however, is not

looking at our domestic market as ours, but as a part of the

world market. This is a cultural problem, but it is a very

dangerous blind spot that we Americans appear to have.

Q: What is the importance of mergers and acquisitions in the

growth of large companies and are there any differences in the

breakdown of times and the flexibility of large versus small

companies?

King: According to my understanding of what I have read, you are a large company because you may have 10, 15, or 20 factories.

Factory sizes are about the same if you are a small company.

In the large companies, there have been some mergers but not

many recently because of some antitrust cases 10 to 20 years

ago.

As to the change in the times from concept to delivery, of

course, you can do it more quickly if you only have five or six employees. The average size of the Italian firm is 17

people. The Italians have been much smaller and more responsive but they are also dealing with a smaller, more responsive

supplier industry too. However, in America the order of a small

customer to a large material supplier waits until they get

enough orders in to justify the run or preparation of that

color. Some domestic manufacturers are now greatly condensing that time. They are smaller and considered reasonably

innovative. They are out on the West Coast.

10
Baruch: A lot of design turnaround time, the time that it takes to

go from design to something out on the market, does make large

companies stiffer, because the set-up cost and set-up times

grow. The discussions so far suggest this may be an opportunity

not necessarily a problem, because, for example, there are technologies for shortening set-up time.

11
:
FITTING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE PICTURE

Margery H, King, Program Manager

NBS Shoe Team

National Bureau of Standards, U,S, Department of Commerce

Good morning. First, let me say what a pleasure it is to see

so many of you here. You may have noticed in the agenda that this

presentation is entitled, "Fitting Technology into the Picture",

That picture, which I am going to describe as briefly and succinctly

as possible, was originally drawn for me by a number of individuals

whose faces I see before me. Thus, if you discern any errors of

either omission or commission, I beg your indulgence and faithfully

oromise that there will be time for your comments at the end of my

talk.

The preceeding two speakers this morning spoke with great eloquence and conviction about both your industry and the potential

for technology. I think Dr. Baruch's point about the interrelationship of technology and business strategy is worth reiterating. An

old Broadway show tune says, "love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage". So is business strategy and technology an equally interdependent concept. Technology may exist, but can never function within a vacuum.

The Department of Commerce has purchased, for a finite period

of time, a number of creative minds to consider both technologies

and business strategies for the footwear industry. These considerations have, to a certain extent, been conducted within a vacuum.

It will be your job over the next day and a half to remove that vacuum

and evaluate all potential technologies within the context of your

industry picture.

I said "your" industry picture because one thing I am well

aware of, after an intense eight month indoctrination into the foot- wear industry, is that each of us has a unique picture of the industry. This seems only natural, given our different perspectives.

However, we should define that part of the picture which is common

to all our perspectives so that we will begin with the same understanding of the environment for technology.

Before addressing that common portion of the picture, let me note that my resources for this picture are many. We visited 14

different manufacturers . . . f rom coast to coast ... including plants

that were on the verge of closing the doors and other operations

13
that were flourishing, We met with the suppliers of both synthetic

and natural materials, We also visited with most of the major machinery

suppliers, We talked to retailers ,,, the volume operations, the small

independents and the department stores. Finally, we sought information from others including trade associations, consultants, resource

documents, and academicians.

Our inquiries began with a look at the bottom line: How much

does it cost? Although there is no such thing as an "average"

shoe, the typical factory cost breakdown is fairly constant. Our

investigations indicated these costs to be: materials, 451; machinery,

4%; direct labor, 25%; and indirect expenses, 261.

As expected, the largest single cost is production materials.

Hidden within this cost is the availability of raw material, the

labor rate for finishing and the productivity of manufacturing of

the material. Certainly materials is a cost that is amenable to

shrinkage through new technologies and better management. The cost

element that is perhaps the best known, and most often lamented, is

that for direct labor. The production of footwear today follows

essentially the same process of a hundred years ago. The only change

has been in the development of machinery to duplicate hands. Direct

labor costs represent the "hands" which perform between 80 and 240

specific and different operations. The largest percentage .. .nearly

501... of the labor costs is in the fitting room.

Machinery costs are only about 41 of factory costs. The obvious

6:1 labor to machinery cost ratio is a vivid indicator of the labor

intensiveness of the footwear manufacturing process. In the fitting

room, the labor to machinery ratio becomes a mammoth 25:1, clearly

supporting what many of you said: "The fitting room is a real

problem .

Another way to measure cost is to measure time, With a product

that is so closely allied to market demand, one unit of time may

be worth multiple units of money. Frequently, we seek and may even mandate technologies that save time. The success of such technology

hinges on our ability to quantify and subsequently exploit the

saved time.

In measuring time for the footwear production process, we ended up with two pictures-the big and the little. The first is

the macro or larger picture of the total process, from design to

delivery. To examine this picture, I think it is easiest to begin

with the 'hands-on' part, that time when the shoe is actually being

worked on. That accounts for about 30 to 90 minutes, However,

adding the process time in between each of the 'hands-on' operations, results in a total in-process time of two to five weeks.

14
In addition, the shoe must also be designed, engineered, materials

and parts ordered and received, executive decisions made and the

final product delivered. So the full operation from design to

delivery may take 10 to 11 months.

Consequently, any reduction of time for an individual 'handson' operation is not likely to have any substantial effect on the

big picture. It might, however, if we could identify that operation,

which, if addressed by the right technology, would have a lever or domino effect on the whole process.

After looking at that 10-11 month process, we decided to exa- mine more closely the design to sample sequence, which takes 3-4

months. In the ordering of parts and materials, cutting of patterns,

estimating of costs, conducting of fit trials, and others, there is

a great deal of "soft" time ... decision making and/or waiting time.

There appear to be significant possibilities for improving and

condensing this preproduction turnaround time. Again, however, we must identify that lever operation that will enable us to evaluate

which technology.

As we began to dig deeper into a definition of the footwear

industry, we realized that to look at industry trends we had to look

at specific market segments by specific product categories. Foot- wear is not a neat, clean industry of homogeneous products. We

wanted to know the "what's" of your current situation. What market

segments have the highest dollar value? What market segments - have

been hardest hit by imports?

If we divide the market into nine segments, women's shoes and

men's shoes account for approximately 801 of the total market value.

To chronicle domestic impact on these two markets, we know that

in 1966 U.S. manufacturers produced nearly 127 million pairs of

men's shoes and 284 million pairs of women's shoes. By 1977, U.S.

production of men's shoes had fallen to 103 million while women's

had literally plummeted to 141.5 million. In 1977, the net effect

was that 57.6% of women's shoes, and 401 of men's shoes consumed by

the American public were made off shore.

The general picture is still too gross for definitive analysis.

We wanted to see the level of import penetration by price level

within specified market segments. In the women's category, 80%

of the lowest price level, 37% of the middle price level, and 55%

of the top price level were imported shoes. In the case of men's,

the relationship between the three price levels, as to degree of

importation, was a similar curve although the actual percentages

were lower.

15
Five countries account for 86% of all the imported footwear

in the United States, and the source country matches very closely

the price levels we were discussing. Taiwan and Korea hit us hard

in the low price levels, while Italy, Spain and Brazil have their

hardest impact on the top price level.

The points we must remember are that the import share of the

lowest price level is greater than the import share of the aggregate market for each market segment. In the middle price level,

domestic manufacturers have met the competition with relative suc- cess. Finally, in the top price level, the pattern is mixed, but

imports still hold the lion's share of the highest value market

segments

.

Thus, having seen imports grow by more than 100% over the

past ten years, do we acknowledge the strength and pervasiveness

of the adversary. To complete this examination, we must also

look at domestic production and domestic consumption during the same time period. In 1968, domestic production hit an all time

high with 642 million pairs of shoes, which was nearly 80% of the

shoes consumed in the U.S. By last year that number had fallen to

385 million pairs, which represented only 511 of the total U.S.

market- -a nearly reverse image of import performance. That rise

and fall, although graphic, does not tell the whole story. Another

element is the apparent domestic consumption of footwear. In

1968, we consumed 815 million pairs of shoes, while this past

year we consumed slightly less than 747 million pairs. But in

more critical terms, the average American bought 3.4 pairs of

shoes in 1977, but ten years ago he or she bought 4.1 pairs of

shoes. This fact strikes me as an anomaly in light of America's

increased affluence and the seeming transition of shoes from an item of necessity to an item of luxury influenced by the whims

of fashion.

Regardless of that fact, however, the effect of decreased

consumption and increased imports has had a marked impact on domestic manufacturers of footwear. In 1967, there were 675

producers of footwear in the United States. By 1975, that number

had failed to 378. Similarly, the number of employees in the

industry had fallen from 230 thousand to 163 thousand.

Despite these grim figures, some companies have withstood

the onslaught better than others. Just as we have maintained

our hold on medium-priced footwear, certain segments of domestic

manufacturers have remained healthy. Let's look quickly at the

number of manufacturers according to annual production figures.

The number of firms producing 4 million pairs of shoes, or more,

per year, has actually increased from 16 to 21 firms. That's a 371 growth rate. Furthermore, while those 16 firms accounted

16
for 31% of all domestic production in 1967, in 1975 the 21

firms accounted for 50% of all U.S, production, The trends seem to indicate that within this highly disaggregated industry there is a natural evolution towards concentration.

I said earlier that the bottom line was cost, or money,

or in this case, profits. Is anybody making money? Looking again

at the companies according to yearly production, we find that in

the first six months of 1976, those firms producing more than 4 million pairs of shoes showed profits of 8.2% before taxes. As for

the other producers, their profits before taxes in the same six

month period increased in direct proportion to the production

levels. It would appear that profitability is directly related

to firm size.

There are some signs of health in this industry. There are some signs of strength. There must, then, be some key factors

to the maintenance of that health. We can look at both the competitive process that is generic to the total industry and a few

specific management strategies. The key that opens every door

is cost, which may make you think of low-priced shoes from the

Far East. Let me ask you to think back ten to twelve years.

Think back to the first shoes that landed from Italy. They were brought in because they were less expensive and also looked nice.

The beginning element to get, if you'll pardon the pun, your foot

in the door is cost.

If you can be sure of always having the lowest cost, while

still passing the threshold of market acceptance, cost may remain

the primary element. As we all know, however, many of the shoes

from Italy today are not low in cost. It's cost balanced against

value. It's responsiveness, flexibility and creativity. In 1975,

footwear was the number one export out of Italy. There are more

than 7,000 factories in that country. The supplier industry is

equally broad. There is a willingness to take risks, to invest

capital, to develop specialized equipment and to change quickly.

Cost and value are only two elements in the competitive process. A third element is marketing. The Far East has been an aggressive marketeer of its products. In many cases, the actual

marketeer may be U.S. originated. It has been a successful merger of capital, labor and management skills. Furthermore, we have yet to see what Taiwan and Korea are capable of if they decide

to trade off cost for improved value and quality.

Therefore, cost may open the door, but it's not the only

element, fortunately. If cost were the sole determinant, things

would indeed look very grim for the United States. There are a lot of developing countries left where supplies of cheap labor will

be abundant. Perhaps, we must recognize that we may never be able

17
to compete on a cost-only basis. We must continue to strive

for cost compression, but we must develop increased strengths

in the areas of value and marketing.

We mold and modify these three competitive elements, no matter

what our geographic location, through the formation of business

strategies ... strategies which must be dynamic, not static.

Dr. Wolek likes to think of these strategies in the context of

the ancient Oriental concept: the Yin and the Yang, which stands

for the constantly shifting, but always balancing, positive and

negative elements within all beings.

In the case of footwear, it is the equalization, or balancing

of cost against value on the scale of market demand. It is the

fact that for every action taken with respect to one element, there

is a corresponding reaction that will occur within the other element.

On some occasions, although we may make no overt change in either

element, the market or environment in which we operate may change,

thereby skewing the absolute values of the elements. It is a balance

that requires both active and reactive strategy on our part.

As we look at cost, we seek means to minimize it, We con*-

sider economies of scale through volume production, realizing

that it is a risk to go with a limited number of styles. We

consider lower overhead through subcontracting specialized tasks,

recognizing administrative control of such actions is more difficult. We consider management skills such as humanizing the work

force, acknowledging that an improper step could drive up over- head instead of productivity. We consider the efficiency of a unique piece of equipment or process, recognizing the increased

possibility of obsolesce. Thus, as we seek technologies to com- press costs, they must be evaluated in terms of total impact to

business strategy.

What of the other element, value? We seek to maximize this

element through numerous strategies. We recognize the value of

brand identification although we risk stagnation as market values

shift. We may seek to be first with a creative design although

there is increased uncertainty of market acceptance. We seek to

improve service to our respective retailers, despite the fact

that we may be forfeiting certain flexibilities. Or we may seek

to create or find a market niche knowing that is maybe of short

duration. Again, technologies can be developed to maximize our value, but the success of the technology will depend upon the

accompanying business strategy.

18
From our point of view, a number of domestic producers have

been successful in the competition. They have developed strategies which have included such factors as vertical integration,

style leadership, product identification, service to retailer,

market niche, exploitation of materials, not to mention importation of products to augment and complement their domestic lines.

They have successfully balanced the cost and value elements on

the market scale.

No matter what your level of business performance, many

of you have come to this symposium with two images: one, of your

current corporate environment, and second, your particular desires

for new technologies. So where does technology fit in the picture?

No matter what your perspective, technology fits in two ways.

Technology may be considered in and of itself, in that vacuum I mentioned earlier. It may be developed to expand creativity of

designs or to increase efficiencies. Furthermore, it may be a revolutionary development of some new product that will cover,

protect and beautify our feet.

This is the part of technology that we have tried to bring

to this symposium. We have five technology contractors with a lot of ideas including ways to: produce new raw materials from

waste; apply computer-aided design; produce fully automated

uppers; join leather and fabric through the impregnation of

thermoplastics; and assure better fit.

We stand ready to help with the technology. We want to help

put U.S. manufacturers back on their feet and consumers back in

American-made shoes, but that is not the whole picture. The

second, and less obvious way technology fits in is what I have been

alluding to throughout this presentation. The technology which

we buy today may be available to our competitor tomorrow. What

can you buy with a new technology a day ahead of the rest of the

world? Perhaps even more germane, what do you buy with a new technology on any day?

For technology to exist is no trick. Scientists are always

pushing back the realm of possibility. For technology to function

is a little more difficult. It must be integrated into the cor- porate environment. For technology to provide a preferential benefit, you must be able to exploit it. There must be a market, a public, a consumer demanding the results that technology makes

possible

Thus, to assure the necessary level of exploitation, the

technology must be in firm harness with the management of your

organization and the marketing of your product.

19
Knowledge of your organization and your market is what will be

needed to evaluate the technologies to be presented. Perhaps your

individual picture is crystal clear, with but one blank spot, where

you want a technology to "drop in". That is rarely the way it works.

The better your understanding of that three-way interdependency between technology, management and marketing, the higher the potential

for any technology success.

Where does technology fit into the picture? We hope you'll

tell us where it fits into your individual picture tomorrow afternoon

20
TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS

CONTRACTORS FOR MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES STUDIES

Arthur D. Little, Incorporated

Battelle-Columbus Laboratories

Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute

Denver Research Institute

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wolek: Seven small studies dealing with new technology for

footwear production have been conducted by private organizations.

The conclusions and recommendations from these studies were intended

to provide stimulating resource material for the Symposium. Five of

the studies explore manufacturing technologies explicitly and the

other two studies investigate business strategies for improving com- petitiveness and the utilization of new technology with these

strategies

.

The specific objectives of the manufacturing technologies

studies were:

o to identify current and/or advanced manufacuturing technologies which could have positive impact on the production process,

o to quantitatively evaluate the benefit these technologies

could provide domestic manufacturers relative to foreign

manufacturers, and

o to identify areas where cooperative efforts between government and industry are appropriate for developing or facilitating the use of improved manufacturing technologies.

These studies were performed by:

o Arthur D. Little, Inc.,

o Battelle-Columbus Laboratories,

o Denver Research Institute,

o Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute, and

o Massachusetts Institute of Technology Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity.

21
The specific objectives of the business strategies studies

were

:

o to identify business operating strategies that would enhance

the competitive position of the domestic footwear industry,

and

o to define conditions necessary for the successful utilization

of technological improvements under these business strategies

These studies were performed by:

o Charles W. O'Connor and Associates, and

o Zinder Energy Management, Inc.

Presentations of the five manufacturing technologies studies

follows

.

22
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW- - ARTHUR D. LITTLE, INC.

I'm Robert Bode from Arthur D. Little. We would like to present

the findings from our brief investigation of the transfer of technology from four industries to the shoe industry. We examined the

technology used in the manufacture of nonwoven fabrics, pulp and

paper, electronic circuit boards, and plastics. With me are members

of the ADL core team on this program; Louis Ashley, a senior staff

member of our Product Technology Section which includes product and

process development, materials, and chemistry; and Dick Tschirch,

a senior staff member from the same area. I spent nine years in the

research division of United Shoe Machinery. That was 21 years ago,

but I have had exposure to the industry since then quite a number

of times.

We started our investigation by meeting with our ADL technical

staff who work in these four indutries. We asked them to describe

the technology, and what techniques, materials, or processes could

impact from that technology to the shoe industry. To each of these

panels were presented a picture of the cost of manufacturing the

shoe today. These are the same costs that Margery King discussed

earlier. For an average cost shoe, the material is 45%, direct labor

25%, and machinery 4% of total cost. That direct labor cost can be

broken down into cutting 12%, fitting 44%, stock fitting 4%, lasting

20%, and soling and finishing 10% each. Our interest therefore was

to find, using a transfer of technology, those new approaches which

would result in a sizeable reduction in cost. Therefore, we were concentrating our efforts on new approaches which could impact the

45% of materials cost and which could impact the 80% of direct

labor. We opted not to concern ourselves with machinery, because

of its insignificance.

We judged that in order to impact these costs, the industry

should seek the capability of producing a nearly finished shoe

upper directly from a semi-processed material. One of the reasons

we felt that the research concentration (and the need) should be on the upper was because the use of injection molded unit soles

in place of leather bottoms has reduced considerably the cost of

that operation. Injection molded unit soles have already captured

almost 35% of the bottoming operation today.

23
We also felt that if at all possible the upper should' be a poromeric or porous type material, should be comfortable, exhibiting

the proper yielding so that the upper expands on the order of 3%

throughout the day matching the variation in foot size. In this way,

the problems associated with the Corfam and other existing poromerics

would be avoided.

After identifying these concepts of need, we held interviews

with two shoe machinery manufacturers. We found that the technology

for producing advanced uppers almost directly from a semi-processed

material was at the stage where for certain styles a satisfactory

product was almost available. As an example we would cite the USM

process which produced a polymeric upper close to quality, which we had perceived to be desirable from our in-house discussions. The

upper developed using the USM process included stiffeners both in

the toe and in the heel.

The USM process is a major breakthrough. However, although it

is 90% of the way towards the development of a suitable upper directly

from a semi-processed material, additional advances must be made. The

next 101 necessary to take the process the rest of the way will probably necessitate an investment of close to 90% of whatever has gone

before. In the USM process, the complete upper was made by one shot

injection molding of urethane material at very low pressures. The

cured urethane was porous because it had an extractable element

removed during the reaction.

As previously noted, we concentrated our attention to the problem of shoe upper manufacturing processes and upper materials, hopefully going from the semi-processed material directly to a completed

upper. Following are some of the results and conclusions that

resulted from our investigations. Mr. Louis Ashley of Arthur D. Little

will describe some of the processes which we examined from other

technologies and which we felt would be applicable to the shoe industry.

ASHLEY: As previously mentioned, we concentrated our examination of suitable technologies on the following industries: nonwoven

fabrics, pulp and paper, electronic circuit board, and plastics

fabrication/molding. We identified certain processes and principles,

among them those which resulted in poromeric properties, which we felt could be applied to the making of a shoe upper in three dimensions. From the pulp and paper industries we identified processes

such as hydraulic needling (a current DuPont process) , vacuum deposition for forming substrates on a three-dimensional glass, electrostatic spraying for concentrating and laying the fibers with optimun

distribution and dispersion on such a last, and dipping processes

(which are currently used in nonwoven pulp and paper industries)

for preparing the continuous matrix that would form the shoe upper.

24
We also examined electronic circuit board manufacturing techniques. Although this latter technology provided little that would be

directly applicable to the formation of the uppers, we did find that

the detail usually associated with these techniques would be useful

in the forming of molds (or at least their finishing surfaces)

From the plastic industries we examined the following techniques:

reaction injection molding, liquid injection molding, and high frequency heating techniques; the latter which are already used by

industry for joining pieces of the upper. Electron-beam laser

holing is a technique that we thought would be useful for making

holes in the complete shells that would be part of the upper. Material fibrillation using blowing agents we examined as a way of forming

fabrics from a sheet of plastic. This process could be useful for

forming substrates. Shrink wrapping is another technique that could

be used for forming the finished surface on an upper. The dilatancy

principle which utilizes a bag of metal particles to replicate an irregular shape such as a last, could be used to make quick and low

cost molds for uppers. This approach was used right after the Second

World War for making rather precise copies of feet having orthopedic

problems and then making molds for shoes.

The innovative approaches to making complete uppers which we identified were of two major categories. One involved a dip, spray,

gel and fuse technique and the other a direct molding process.

For the dip, spray, gel and fuse technique we proposed use of

a knitted lining (which would be slipped over the last) , or a non- woven substrate which could be deposited on a screen last by one

of the methods previously mentioned. The next step would be to apply

powders and any other strengthener required by spraying techniques.

The entire composite mass would then be dipped in vinyl plastisol

for whatever number of dips would be necessary to build up the thickness required. This plastisol could result in either a porous or nonporous upper. Finally, the outer surface would be molded, perhaps

using some of the flow molding techniques that are now being used

by the industry.

For the direct molding process, one method would be to mold the

complete shoe upper directly on the last (or over a fibrous substrate)

A second method would involve the molding of two separate pieces

which could then be joined using nonsewing thermal techniques such

as dielectrics. In this approach either a bare last or knitted liner

could be used, depending upon whether or not you wanted a substrate.

Reaction injection molding (RIM) or liquid injection molding techniques are recommended using either polyurethane or vinyl plastisol.

25
As previously pointed out by Bob Bode these are currently

used techniques; USM's technique of molding the upper in three

dimensions uses a liquid injection molding with polyurethane

The molds would be low pressure and low cost; they could be made

from epoxies, or epoxies plus a metal shell. With the principle

of dilatancy approach, mold size would be variable so that the

number of molds necessary to provide the range of widths and

sizes could be reduced significantly. Substrates useful in

this process include three-dimensional nonwoven substrates;

either knit socks or fabricated structures made from solid plastic sheets by either fibrillation or slit sheet techniques.

We next looked at the impact of such innovative processes

on the shoe industry. It was clear that one of the significant

benefits of the direct molded shoe uppers would be the elimination

of the cutting , fitting, and lasting room and the pattern making

function. Another impact of such a process would be the natural

evolution of equipment in soling and heeling which should improve

significantly; therefore the cost and the techniques would be

improved. Such a process would also permit the automation of

proper finishing. These are some of the benefits that we would

see emerging out of such a technique.

One other factor would be that a labor intensive process would

not become capital intensive. We would expect to see increased productivity from increasing production with a decrease in labor. In

terms of cost advantages, we felt that the molded porous upper and

the molded bottom would decrease the cost. Although this technology

could be licensed abroad, the relative capital intensity of this

process would still favor the U.S. domestic industry.

The barrier, however, is obviously a need for development of

process equipment. Although 90 percent of the development has been

done, in many cases it would take perhaps another 90 percent of the

effort to get the last 10 percent of the problems solved. There

may also be certain limitations in style that have to be dealt

with, although we do not see this as something that cannot be handled.

The high capital costs might limit the initial use of such processes

to large or rich manufacturers. I also see an overall reluctance

of the shoe industry, as in most industries, to accept such innovative

approaches

We looked at ways of getting around some of these barriers and

carrying some of these concepts to fruition. We see a cooperative

effort that must be made between government and industry. The first

two of these are 1) technology development programs that would be

aimed towards molded porous shoe uppers and 2) some sort of a financial arrangement for applied research and machine development would

lb
also be necessary. The third item is probably another way of going

about carrying out the first two; forming a footwear industry institute'which would manage these two processes. Talking with shoe

machine and shoe manufacturers revealed a high degree of cooperation

and expectancy in terms of what one could do if a lot more people

became involved. There should be a recommendation for a footwear

industry institute which would serve as a repository and disseminator of data in marketing, manufacturing, research and development,

as well as sponsor joint technology development programs and applied

research activities.

Questions And Answers

Bode: While we answer questions, I would like to just pass

around two experimental shoes made by USM using this molding process. They are breathable urethane shoes made from conventional

shoe models, the upper thickened at the toe and heel to increase

stiffness. It's molded out of metal male molds, spray finished

after molding, and has a slab ruled sole and heel added after

molding. The shoe is light in weight and has been wear tested

for several months. I would like to point out this shoe was made

in 1972.

Q: Have you done any marketing work to see whether you could

sell that type of product to anybody and, if so, what type

of price it would carry?

Bode: No, but since it is a very high quality upper, I personally cannot see why it would not sell as well as anything

else

.

Comment: I think you are confusing some problems. There are some very satisfactory poromerics on the market, and there have

been for several years, which have very good breathability

.

However, there has been very limited public acceptance just

because they are not leather. That's the big strike against

them, whether they work or not, is immaterial.

Q: Are you advocating elimination of leather in the manufacturing

business?

Bode: No, not at all. What we advocate is to look at every process

and every style of shoes to find some sort of proper niche, one which grows as styles change. There are already millions of

pairs of footwear sold made out of synthetics.

27
Q: You are eliminating leather in shoes. Why don't we apply

chemistry and do things to leather to eliminate procedures in

the fitting room? We have the technology to learn to fit

leather shoes efficiently and give the look you want.

Bode: That is definitely another approach. We are not saying

here that this is going to replace all leather shoes.

Q: Do you assume that this technology would fit in the low end

of the market?

Bode: It would probably be a medium-priced shoe since it doesn't

yield throughout the day to exhibit the comfortable fit of a leather shoe. However, we want to be able to introduce that

characteristic into the final product by development of a poromeric yieldable material.

Q: What kind of time frame are you looking at for accomplishing

the last 101 of the development task?

Bode: We figure it will take a minimum of 3 years. We have not

worked out the program yet.

Q: Why did USM stop working on this development?

Bode: If it hadn't been for the antitrust suit against them, USM

would probably be spending $20 million a year on shoe machinery

research. As any company proceeds, it has only so much funding

available, and it has to look at development activities as a commercial activity. USM can't look out today and conduct 5 or 10-year research and development programs as it did at one time

It's looking at a shorter range, because it doesn't have the

resources

Q: What is the status of the patent of the shoe you are passing

around the room?

Bode: It was patented by USM in 1972.

2 8
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW -- BATTELLE - COLUMBUS LABORATORIES

I am Herb Kleiman from the Battelle - Columbus Laboratories.

Gordon Pickett will be talking about some of the technical aspects

of our suggestions, but I would like to give some introductory com- ments. First, we are emphasizing three particular technologies

which we think are particularly fertile. Improved adhesive bonding

relates to the whole bonding process, particularly synthetics to

synthetics, but also the possibility of synthetic to leather, and

leather- to- leather bonding -- a wide open field. The bonding area

is a major one that relates critically to the industry.

The second technology is leather finishing by the shoe manufacturer, rather than by the tanner. The last one is really several. Waste relates to a number of different possibilities in which

mainly the leather wastes can be recycled to come up with a number

of benefits which might be very worthwhile.

We tried to develop a few criteria that we think make sense

as far as choosing technologies. This is particularly true for

bonding, a fundamental area of increasing importance to the industry.

It is practically universal because if you could go leather-tosynthetic and leather-to-leather, it becomes almost completely

universal. The potential is there, but certainly anywhere you have

synthetic- to-synthetic bonding, this technique cited could apply.

Much of what we talked about, particularly in the other two

areas, recycling and leather finishing, is important in men's

shoes the second largest segment of the industry after women's

shoes. It also has been "relatively" successful in fending off

imports. I emphasize relative, because its imports are now two

out of five while for women's shoes the figure is three out of

five. That is better than most of the other segments as far as import penetration.

Basically all three technologies are not affected by the

major culprit in the industry, style changes. Therefore, we believe these three make an important target for attack by the

industry, in cooperation with the government.

Let me just emphasize one other thing. Bonding is the most

fertile area we are going to suggest and also the most universal,

There are always problems associated with the bonding process and,

thus, many possibilities for adapting new technologies. Here we think there is a potential to do a lot more that simply is not

29
done today, Gordon Pickett will talk about some of the more

technical aspects of our presentation.

Pickett: For each of the technologies, I will briefly

describe the technology, tell how it might be used in the shoe

industry, and try to make an educated guess as to what efforts,

how much funding, and finally, how much equipment investment

would be required.

The first technology is the improved bonding area. Primarily

there are two technologies involved here. One, microwave or dielectric heating can be used to dry the adhesives faster. The second

technology is a magnetic induction bonding process which uses specialized adhesives incorporating a magnetic iron oxide, a magnetic induction field, and the capability of generating heat internally in the adhesive. You make a heat seal from the inside out,

to avoid damaging the substrate on the outside by trying to get

the heat into the bonding area.

Use of these techniques in the shoe industry involves speeding

up the bonding process. Microwave could be used to dry adhesive

systems, rather than letting them air dry, as is done in many

factories today. We can also increase the bonding options. Most

bonding today is done synthetic- to-synthetic ; however, some of the

processes mentioned here offer the potential of going syntheticto-leather and leather-to-leather.

Finally, the induction process provides a potential for "super

bonds". In other words, you could use chemically reactive materials

to develop, high strength bonds that could replace the stitching

and sewing operations.

Both technologies would require adhesive development simply

because the adhesives available today are probably not adaptable

to either of these processes. In microwave dielectric heating,

for example, the materials used in present-day adhesives are not

receptive to microwave or dielectric energy and, of course, in

the induction bonding area, you would have to develop an off-theshelf type item for the super bond. In the induction bonding

area also, there is some question as to how to best implement

this technology into the shoe manufacturing process. Once the

shoe manufacturing process has been studied to determine how

induction bonding might be best utilized, coil design should

be optimized so that the magnetic field can be applied in the

most effective manner.

Equipment costs for microwave or dielectric heating will

range anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000, depending on the size

30
and complexity of the production lines. The induction generators

used in the induction bonding process are commercial entities.

They cost about $50,000, but are capable of operating multiple

lines

The second area I would like to cover is leather finishing

by the shoe manufacturer. This primarily relates to the application of color, abrasion, and other finishes that are normally used

on leather.

Possible systems include present finishing systems as done by

the tannery today or the use of high technology materials, such

as ultraviolet or electron beam cure systems. The finishing might

be done at the input stages, when the leather comes into the factory.

Here you would save the damage done to the finishes during shipping.

However, the biggest savings seems to be in the finishing of the

final product, the shoe. In other words, you would work with the

crust leather, go through the entire shoe manufacturing process, and

then after the sole is attached, or at some intermediate point near

there, apply the finishing materials. This offers the advantage of

saving coating materials presently being thrown out during cutting

and trimming operations.

One of the key areas that needs to be considered here is the

attitude of the tanners. I doubt they would be receptive to the

shoe manufacturer taking over this process.

Secondly, we need to determine what sort of economics can really be achieved. We could not get detailed information on how

much the finishing costs impact the total price of the shoe.

Regarding the research and development efforts that are required,

use of present finishing systems just necessitates a technology

transfer from the tanning operation into the shoe manufacturing

operation. However, application of the high technology systems

would require a materials development program because presentlyavailable materials are not directed to the shoe industry, and

shoe finishes have certain characteristics that these materials

do not provide in their present form.

Equipment required would be highly variable depending on the

options chosen. The use of the present solvent- or water-dilutable

finishing systems, hot air dryers and associated spray equipment,

for example, might cost around $50,000. However, in the high

technology system, an electron beam curing unit alone can run up

to $250,000.

The final area to discuss is the recycling of leather waste.

Some leather waste is now used to make inserts for heels, belts,

31
and leather- trimmed articles. One emerging technology uses cryogenics and hammermilling techniques to grind up the leather wastes

into a fibrous form which can then be processed into other articles

One concept being developed at Battelle involves a further processing of the hammermilled waste materials if you want shorter fibers

or a powdered leather material.

Once the leather waste is reprocessed, then comes the question

of what can be done with it. First of all, it could be dispersed

in water and deposited on a screen form to make a finished product.

In other words, if you had a last made out of a screen and put a vacuum on the inside of that, you could deposit the fibers and

actually make a shoe upper. Shoe insoles could also be made by

this same technique. You might produce a continuous web of the

material such as is done in the paper industry operations. That

might serve as a base for synthetic materials to replace the present cloth backing materials. You might take the dry fibers and

deposit them electrostatically on a last to make a shoe of them.

You might also, at the same point in the process deposit powdered

resins, perhaps also electrostatically, to bind fibers together

or to apply a finish coat. Incorporating very short fibers or maybe even a powder into the coating used to finish the shoes would

impart breathability and other characteristics unique to leather.

The waste fibers might also be made into a leather cloth. Thread

spun from the small fibers might in turn, be woven into a cloth.

This again could be used as an integral part of the shoe itself

or as a base for the synthetic.

Primarily, we need to determine what type of new product

and end use possibilities for the wastes would be made available.

These new opportunities would not necessarily be limited to the

shoe industry. Determination of these end use products will dictate the recycled form needed and that in turn suggests the processing needed.

Of the three areas discussed, this technology requires much

higher risk. As an emerging technology, much more development

is required. We estimate several hundreds of thousands of dollars

probably would be needed to develop the whole range of possibilities. However, it also offers a large potential payoff, because

since 45% of the shoe cost is in the materials area, recovery of

part of this expensive raw material would represent a definite

economic gain. Finally, it is difficult to estimate the equipment required because there are many options here.

Concerning the impact of some of these technologies, the

largest payoff we think is in the bonding area, which applies

across the whole shoe product line. The long-term opportunity

32
is the recycling area, where economic gain is recovered from a high cost raw material, but this is also the most risky area. The least demanding research and development efforts will be

in the finishing and bonding areas. These are presently available technologies, which just need to be adapted by the shoe

manufacturer. Conversely, the most demanding or most costly

is the recycling area.

Questions And Answers

Q: Have you actually tried the adhesive with the iron oxide

powder you mentioned under the induction bonding? If so,

is it of commercial quality?

Pickett: Yes, we have used it. Here are some bonded strips

here that you can evaluate. However, its value depends on

its use. If you use it to replace stitching, I am not sure

it is the best quality. However, the curing time is essen- tially instantaneous. The bond is formed in a matter of

seconds. It is only a fraction of a second in the coil

but since you have a heat seal, the pressure must be maintained for a second, while it cools.

Q: Don't microwaves and dielectric heating dry the basic

product itself as much as the bond?

Pickett: It depends on the moisture content. Most of these

are self limiting. For example, dielectric will cut off

at about six percent moisture content. In other words,

below six or eight percent in a dielectric field, it does

not heat up. If you get above that, it does.

33

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW -- ILLINOIS INSTITUTE

OF TECHNOLGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Good morning. I am Jack Williams from the Manufacturing

Productivity Center of the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute. We are a non-profit organization, engaged in

the applied research of all the engineering disciplines, plastics,

composites, electronics, computer sciences, and numerous others.

We have recently been involved in the area of technology

transfer, particularly innovative technology transfer. As a result, we have learned never to start developing or designing a product without first looking at what is already available in some other field that might, by minor innovation, be used to

evolve the new product.

We visited seven midwestern shoe manufacturing plants and

one tannery. Using those seven plants, we developed a profile of

a plant that has 350 employees, producing a million pairs of men's

and women's footwear a year. It would be one of two plants owned

by a single company. In addition to this composite profile there

is a listing of composite findings that were common across all seven on those plants. I will mention just one. Eighty percent

of the product life span in a shoe manufacturer's plant is spent

with nothing happening to it. It is standing and waiting to be

moved or worked on or it is being moved. Less than 20 percent of

its life span in the plant actually involves being worked on. That creates significant in-process inventory problems.

Today, it is technically possible to build a totally automatic factory today, but it is not economically justifiable to

do it. In time it may be. However, there are many opportunities

in the shoe industry for the long-range development of high

technology. I will talk about a few of them at the conclusion

of this presentation, but the general thrust of our study is the

turnaround right now in the shoe industry. Business cannot presently afford to enter long-range high technology efforts without

getting some immediate quick turnaround to keep them alive.

I want to discuss four areas, and please forgive me if my

language does not agree with that of the shoe industry. The

four areas are the incentive pay system of the shop floor reportin

for production information; technology in the area of joining

of components, whether leather or man-made materials; marking

35
of components; and the entire process of grading, pattern layout,

and cutting of the leather.

Let's talk first about shop floor reporting, I refer to

the ticket pulling operation used throughout the industries. We

spent quite a significant time monitoring lost product hours from

this operation and found, on an average of those seven plants we looked at, a cost of $40,000 a year of direct labor time. This

does not include the time of the shop foreman or that of the time

clerk who accumulates and totals all that information. In the

end, you have nothing of any use to you other than the payroll.

A simple technology to solve this problem is bar coding. It is

simple, well proven, well established, and easy to move. If you

put a bar code tag preparation device which is nothing more than

a simple typewriter device, at the beginning of your plant where

the pallets or carts are assembled you could put a bar code on there which would identify that pallet and what is on it. A

bar code reader at the exit of each work station would result

in an immediate accumulation of who did the work, what they did,

what operations were performed, what products were on that cart,

what status of production they are in, and what was the reduction

in inventory as a result of that pallet passing there. All

that information would be available by pushing the cart past the

reader. We visualize 30 readers and one type preparation device,

costing about $45,000, a small mini-computer for about $25,000,

and about $10,000 worth of insignificant software, giving you

a total investment cost to install of $80,000. Assuming that you

get back only 901 of the time that worker spends pulling tickets,

you are still going to save $36,000 a year, giving you a payoff

in 2.2 years in direct labor cost.

Next, I will discuss the component joining area, including

leather stitching and both leather and man-made cementing.

I have little to say about cementing except for the area of high

frequency heating. Microwaves have proven to be very energy

efficient and a low cost, quick method of achieving heat, particularly when compared to some methods presently used in the shoe

plants we visited. It would be very easy for shoe manufacturers

to obtain such devices and use them in lieu of the current methods

of creating heat for cementing operations, and would be a significant savings.

Concerning leather stitching, at the seven plants we looked

at the average cost of sewing was 27 cents of direct labor time

per pair of footwear. Using a one million production figure per

year, that yields a cost of $270,000 annually for stitching and

sewing. A number of things can be done about this; liquid stitch

plastic thread, and impregnated leather.

3 6
Liquid stitch was developed about four years ago at a cost

of about $25,000 of internal research and development funds at our research institute. Four perforator needles are backed up by four

injector needles. It does not have to be four. The needles come down and punch holes in the material, it moves out of the way and

the injectors drop down into the same holes and inject a thermoplastic material. We used a nylon material which eventually worked

fairly well. It keeps moving down the stitch line in that fashion.

I would strongly recommend it only for straight line sewing of the

kind found in the long zippers on the side of boots. That kind of

an operation would profit from this kind of technology. Strength

tests of the thread and the nylon liquid stitch were absolutely

comparable

.

Plastic thread was developed to solve the problems resulting

when bobbins run out of thread. In this process normal thread is

coated with a thermoplastic material and used to sew with a chain

stitch, rather than a lock stitch, eliminating the bobbin. Normally,

if you break that chain stitch, it will pull out. However, if a small ultrasonic sewing head is placed behind the sewing head, every

place that thread goes through and comes in contact with itself,

that thermoplastic material on the surface will fuse together. It

is a- very simple solution to what must be a very trying problem.

The third idea is really the only one that is yet untested.

Our chemists and chemical engineers, all say there is no reason

one cannot impregnate leather with thermoplastic materials and

adjust the thermoplastic material so you do not have any effect

on the textures or quality of the leather. It may discolor slightly,

but it will be dyed eventually anyway. Fundamentally, the idea is

to take two pieces of thermoplastically impregnated material, put

them together, and simply ultrasonically heat them. The thermoplastics in that material will fuse together and produce a very good

liquid seal. It is not a thread, but where you only want a good

solid joint, it seems to be a good application.

For these methods of component joining, the average payback

period is about 2.5 years. The exception, impregnated leather, will

run 2 to Zk years before that investment is paid back.

The next subject, the marking of components and shoes, is an expensive area in those seven plants we visited. This includes

the alphanumeric characters that are permanently applied to the

shoes, the identification marking of component parts as they move through the shop, the stitch marks and join or match marks on com- ponents to guide the assembly. Those three areas of marking cost

about five cents a pair. That is $50,000 a year for a million

pairs of shoes. A marker could be built right into the cutting die

so that as the component part is cut out, it is marked with the

37
necessary stitch mark or match mark. The cutting die will cost more but in the end the savings more than pay for it. By doing

it in one operation, you are actually eliminating two or three

operations now done singularly.

Alphanumerics is more difficult, but perhaps a fairly common

device, the impact matrix type printing head could be used. Fundamentally, this is a block of little metal sticks with an impact

movement to it and an alphanumeric character located on the end

of it. Interconnected to a typewriter keyboard, it can be operated

directly by keyboard or by punch card input. Following a command

for a letter, the block moves up to put that letter in line with

and properly spaced from the previous letter. A system such as this

could be readily installed in a normal punch press or a press kind

of operation where you could bring the head in contact with the

shoe, feed the card in, and simply go ahead and run the identification number in the shoe. This could be achieved with a much higher

speed than is currently available.

The system would cost $50,000 to put in place. The payback

is actually $44,000 a year, but cutting dies will cost at least

$25,000 a year more. Thus, putting that marker in the die is going

to reduce the annual payback to $19,000, resulting in a payoff of

2.6 years.

The driving force in the next area, grading, nesting and

cutting, is the high cost of material. Why do materials run from

40 to 50 percent of the cost of the shoe? The primary reason

is poor utilization resulting in excess scrap. The grading of the raw leather itself is done manually and not always consistently.

I think you would gain efficiency by going to an automated pro- cess for grading.

The second element that drives up that cost is material waste

due to pattern layout. Once the useable portions of that leather

have been identified and graded, the pattern layout, also done

manually, does not provide the best layout of patterns for opti- mum use of material. Even if the pattern layout is done properly,

the third element, inaccurate cutting, leads to further material

loss

.

Let us see what a grading system could look like. Once a hide is chosen and locating holes and an identification number

are put on it, it could be scanned with a sensing array of

photosensitive cells. These are basically photo cells that read

reflectivity. You could scan the hide with that light-sensitive

array and read the surface reflectivity in order to identify the

"map" of the portion of the hide with the appropriate surface

38
finish. The next step is to look at the texture, a factor of

thickness and density. By penetrating the hide with airborne

sound waves, the thickness and the density of the material

could be determined. This density map would be overlaid on

the reflectivity map and stored in a computer for future use.

After this rawhide grading, the computer can be used to

determine optimum pattern layout. The die cutters are identified

with particular textures and surface finishes of the material.

This information is put into the computer which then selects

the best location and orientation for each die on a given hide.

It will store this information in terms of where the die cutter

is and what its orientation is according to its center location.

Center location is important because a center post should be

put on each die to give the subsequent cutting operation some- thing to grasp. The hide can be mounted on a pallet which is

put on a machine. A rotating drum contains up to 64 tools, brings

the proper tool to bear at the appropriate location, and punches

whatever is needed. The machine moves at 1,500 inches a minute

between hits and is capable of hitting well over 200 hits a minute, yielding a high production rate. At this stage, all the

operator needs to do is to identify the number of the hide presently

on the table. The system would then go back in its memory, recall

up the map of that hide, the pattern layout, and the necessary

tools to punch it, hold those tools up in the right locations, and

punch out the parts, simultaneously giving you the marking operation if you use the marking die built into the cutting die.

This system would cost $550,000 to put it in place, and the

payoff would be $225,000 a year. It is still a very large initial

investment. My suggestion is to move it back to the tannery,

which has many customers and has the large volumes needed to justify

that kind of investment.

Now I would like to talk briefly about other areas susceptible to long-range technology. One is group technology which is

based on the similarities between parts that require the same processes. This can yield a data base of parts which a designer

can use when considering a new shoe. If he designs a new component part, he simply puts a coding and classification number on

it that describes the attributes of that component and checks his

system for similar parts. If there are any, he has precluded the

need to redesign. He also has all the necessary production data,

tool identification, and tool locations to produce the component

part

.

39
Robots could serve the shoe industry well. They can be used

to read bar code labels on shoe last and return that shoe last

to its proper location by reading the size and style number. Other

areas are discussed in our report. That concludes the presentation

Thank you very much.

40
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW -- DENVER RESEARCH INSTITUTE

I am James Kottenstette and I want to discuss the idea of

bringing custom- fitting to conventional footwear. I would like

to first bring three ideas together that we fould deeply troubling

when we undertook this work. First, we found, for example, that

people often talked about the need to lengthen the manufacturing

run. Next, we encountered bits of information about people with

general shoe fit problems not special fit problems. Third was

the need for our concepts of technology to produce, we thought,

greater demand for American manufactured shoes. During our initial discussions someone raised the possibility of custom

fitting shoes at the retail point of sale. A custom fit concept

would be an innovation in footwear manufacture and retailing,

designed finally to increase the demand for American-made shoes.

It would have to be done in such a way as to limit the international transferability of the technologies involved while

ensuring broad access for American industries to the technology.

Perhaps the relationship between the retailer and the manufacturer would also be strengthened as part of this process.

The stimulus for the idea in part came from the fact that

ski boots are custom fitted at the point of retail sales. We

felt that insert materials could be added to the lining of the

shoe upper and/or to the insole in such a way that the insert

becomes an integral part of the shoe after the fit is assured.

Three different approaches could be used to achieve this custom

fit in ski boots. The first, called Flow Pack, is a material

that will deform under foot pressure and essentially conform

to the inside of the boot shell and to the skier's foot. The

second material could be inserted and uses polyurethane or a thermo-setting wax, formed into a blotter with essentially

the same results. Lastly, a material called memory foam is

essentially shaped by. custom cutting and adding the material to

the liner in the boot, thereby delivering the fit.

Using one or more of these methods the retailer might be

able to offer custom fit footwear from a smaller size width

inventory. If they choose not to reduce the inventory, they

might, increase the number of styles available for the consumer to select from. The manufacturers could produce more shoes

in a single size-width shell and, as a result, have a longer

style run. All of this will work only if in the end the custo- mer is enjoying greater satisfaction from the custom fit.

41
Kottenstette : That is an important point, The problem is that

the use of current insert materials creates a closed surface.

There are, however, at least potential materials that have a desirable absorption, flexibility, and that can be put in a matrix form and essentially stabilized.

Q: What about reliability when a shoe is worn more frequently

than a ski boot?

Kottenstette: This is where a cooperative effort between industry

and government to develop materials that have the right characteristics could develop. I expect there is little data on how well the boots do hold up. I think the secret might depend

on whether or not one could actually make the insert material

an integral part of the shoe.

Q: Is there a capital investment requirement by the retailer to

accomplish this?

Kottenstette: There is some amount, perhaps an investment in the

fitting socks and a stabilizing device such as a microwave

oven

Comment: One suspects that there is a market niche of those people

who have difficulty getting fitted, and we must avoid cutting

off ideas too soon. If we are going to increase shoe industry

progress, we must look not only at overall solutions but also

suggestions that do satisfy some sort of a market niche.

Kottenstette: I can only see this working from the point of view

of retailers who see it to their competitive advantage to be

able to advertize that they are delivering custom fit in addition to their service, their styles, and the brands that might

be there. As far as time is concerned, I have heard stories

from women who spend one half hour to an hour and a half trying

to get fitted in a pair of shoes. Sometimes they also have

some custom fitting, for example, lifts are often used in

fitting women's shoes. We already have a market response from

people who have a problem in getting fit. Therefore, when we can do this at a profit, we might find a modest shift in the

number of American shoes as a percentage of all shoes sold in

this country. I would like to see it go to 55 percent.

Comment: If an importer wants to bring in shoes which can also be

used this way, he will do it.

Kottenstette: I recognize the truth behind this, but patent protec

tion can be established for the insert.

44
Comment: We are talking about the realities of it. By protecting

the development of these materials and the standard systems

that deliver the insert in an integral fashion, you will put

your competition off for several years, but if it is a good

idea, they will build their own system.

Kottenstette : My point is this is the one technology we would

refuse to export.

Comment: This would not be in the public domain; it would be developed jointly by government and the footwear industry. The

licensing could be very carefully restricted on the use of this.

One of the interesting things about patent licensing and sale of

patented goods is that the manufacturer could restrict its use. Therefore, if the manufacturer were making shoes under the

licensing for this kind of insert, it would be illegal to import

other shoes to be used for the same kind of thing. Those are enforceable restrictions. It is the kind of barrier allowed

in the European Community Treaty.

45
Kottenstette : That is an important point, The problem is that

the use of current insert materials creates a closed surface,

There are, however, at least potential materials that have a desirable absorption, flexibility, and that can be put in a matrix form and essentially stabilized.

Q: What about reliability when a shoe is worn more frequently

than a ski boot?

Kottenstette: This is where a cooperative effort between industry

and government to develop materials that have the right characteristics could develop. I expect there is little data on how well the boots do hold up. I think the secret might depend

on whether or not one could actually make the insert material

an integral part of the shoe.

Q: Is there a capital investment requirement by the retailer to

accomplish this?

Kottenstette: There is some amount, perhaps an investment in the

fitting socks and a stabilizing device such as a microwave

oven ..

Comment: One suspects that there is a market niche of those people

who have difficulty getting fitted, and we must avoid cutting

off ideas too soon. If we are going to increase shoe industry

progress, we must look not only at overall solutions but also

suggestions that do satisfy some sort of a market niche.

Kottenstette: I can only see this working from the point of view

of retailers who see it to their competitive advantage to be

able to advertize that they are delivering custom fit in addition to their service, their styles, and the brands that might

be there. As far as time is concerned, I have heard stories

from women who spend one half hour to an hour and a half trying

to get fitted in a pair of shoes. Sometimes they also have

some custom fitting, for example, lifts are often used in

fitting women's shoes. We already have a market response from

people who have a problem in getting fit. Therefore, when we can do this at a profit, we might find a modest shift in the

number of American shoes as a percentage of all shoes sold in

this country. I would like to see it go to 55 percent.

Comment: If an importer wants to bring in shoes which can also be

used this way, he will do it.

Kottenstette: I recognize the truth behind this, but patent protection can be established for the insert.

44
Comment: We are talking about the realities of it. By protecting

the development of these materials and the standard systems

that deliver the insert in an integral fashion, you will put

your competition off for several years, but if it is a good

idea, they will build their own system.

Kottenstette : My point is this is the one technology we would

refuse to export.

Comment: This would not be in the public domain; it would be developed jointly by government and the footwear industry. The

licensing could be very carefully restricted on the use of this.

One of the interesting things about patent licensing and sale of

patented goods is that the manufacturer could restrict its use. Therefore, if the manufacturer were making shoes under the

licensing for this kind of insert, it would be illegal to import

other shoes to be used for the same kind of thing, Those are enforceable restrictions. It is the kind of barrier allowed

in the European Community Treaty.

45

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW -- MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

I am Dr. Frans Van Dyck, Assistant Director of MIT's Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. Our presentation today

is divided into four sections. First, we have developed evaluation criteria for judging technologies. To do this, we visited

18 organizations including 8 footwear manufacturers, a die

manufacturer, a last manufacturer, retailers, tanneries, and trade

associations. The second part of the ,talk will deal with technologies with short-term benefits. The third one concerns technologies and research offering long-term benefits which might make the

United States a leader in footwear. Fourth, we will discuss the

development of a cooperative research program.

We have five basic criteria with which to evaluate footwear

manufacturing technologies. The first one is the effect of the

technology on the product cost. The second is the effect of the new manufacturing technology on the style reaction time. The

third one is the quality of materials in stitches and their effect on the quality of the product. The fourth one is the effect

of the technology on style perception and style inventiveness.

The last criterion is the anticipated time lag between the implementation of the new technology or the decision to implement it

and the moment we sense its effect on the market. This criterion

has been used here to subdivide the technologies into those with

short-term and long-term benefits.

Not one single technology can solve all the problems by

itself. There has to be research done in many different fields.

On the short term, a lot can be done in savings of materials,

perhaps by giving better equipment to the cutter. If he were

given a larger table, equipped, for instance, with a system

that projects a well-nested pattern on it, he would be able

to shift a piece of leather for maximizing the number of flaws

in the waste and for maximizing his materials utilization.' This

might decrease productivity because it will take him more time

to do that search. However, the table is large enough to cut

simultaneously, so we could consider new equipment to use for

simultaneous cutting. Roller die cutting, rolling a big cylinder

over a set of dies, gives a significant reduction of the total

cutting force, yet your local concentration of force can be

high if you also adapt the design of the dies. We might need

a leading and a following roller so the dies stay where they

are placed.

47
A second, short-term effort is the use of appropriate on-thespot materials testing in the plant. After lasting bursts may- occur in the upper. This can be solved by very simple testing

techniques. A lot of work has been invested in that part when

it goes to the lasting machine, so if we can prevent such things

by proper testing, we can save a lot of productivity and waste.

The third thing we have investigated is the use of manufacturing axiomatics, a new way of looking at manufacturing processes.

In the Laboratory for Manufacturing Productivity, we are investigating whether axioms exist which govern the productivity of manu- facturing operations.

One of these axioms is to minimize the information content.

The information content of manufacturing is the amount of descriptions necessary to describe a complete manufacturing process. A

consequence of this axiom would be to try to combine as many operations as possible, but at the same time making sure that each

of the functional requirements of the manufacturing process can still be satisfied independently. For example, why can't one operator do both sole trimming and heel trimming. Very often in

factories it is a different operator and a different machine.

Every time an operator picks up a part and examines it, he gathers

information which is lost when he lays it down again.

On the longer term we have been looking especially at the use of computers, new processes, and new materials. The whole

problem of reaction time was discussed today. How much time

does it take before a new style can come on the market and can

be manufactured? Computer-aided designing and computer-aided

manufacturing, increasingly used in the metal working industry,

might be of great help. First of all, we must be able to introduce the whole complex geometry of a last into a computer. We

might then come up with computer-aided manufacturing systems for

making the lasts. Model lasts, made out of hardwood with reinforcements at the edges will not be needed anymore when we work with the computer. Fewer lasts would be needed if we can find ways to optimize the memory storage of the whole geometry

of the last. The same system can be used, for instance, by a designer fitting patterns around soft model lasts. He could

put the three dimensions of his parts into the computer. The

computer can be used later to develop the three dimensions

in two dimensions and then to do the grading. The computer system could also immediately put out on paper tapes, on magnetic

tapes or on disks which would drive the last manufacturing system, the die manufacturing system and computer-controlled stitchers

48
Another way of quickly putting three-dimensional information

from the design process into the computer would be to use a sensitive last. It would be a last filled with wires and interfaced

to the computer. When we activate one of the sensitive points,

it would be immediately stored in the computer and could be shown

on a video screen. With this three dimensional information in

the computer, we can do grading or get computer output to drive

an automatic die manufacturing machine, cutting machine, or last

manufacturing machine. Here is a videotape on work done at MIT as an example of what could be done in this whole design process by

computer graphics. By representing data on tape, cassette, or disk, and giving a presentation on the cathode ray tube, we can

edit very quickly whatever errors might be on that tape. This

whole system was developed by MIT's Professor Dave Gossard, an expert in computer graphics. He would be one of the people on the

team that would develop such systems for the footwear industry.

The cost of such systems has dropped tremendously the last

five years. It would have been completely uneconomical for the

footwear industry five or ten years ago.

Professor Gossard is involved in another project at the

Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. It is a system for

computer-controlled bending. At a cutting die manufacturer

there is a lot of work involved in the bending of cutting dies.

After every bend the operator has to check his part with a model

or a drawing, perhaps several times. This machine would allow us

to put data from the computer-aided design systems into a computer-aided manufacturing system to obtain properly bent dies.

This would shorten the whole process of manufacturing dies significantly, possibly resulting in cost savings also.

Simultaneously, we have to do research in processes, because

computers by themselves are not going to solve all the problems.

We need new ideas, for instance, for stitching. Now the problem

of stitching of leather is that the penetration force for a needle

through leather, and the flexibility are all high, making the

stitching operation difficult to execute. We have some ideas on reducing that force.

New ways of stitching might be developed. One example is the use of a consumable needle with a thread through it. It would show

us a thread as a normal stitch and would still have the flexibility

of a stitch, but on the other side would be rivets.

Materials is another area of research. There is a large

amount of raw materials from the United States exported to other

countries, including Japan, Mexico, Korea, Rumania, and the Soviet

49
Union. Twenty-one million hides, 50 percent of the production, are exported annually to these other countries from the United States.

We should try to use this resource more efficiently in this country.

Research is needed to improve the quality of the raw materials

through automatic detection of flaws, as is research on recycling

materials. This has to go together with research on computers and

on processes.

The fourth part of my presentation deals with cooperative re- search. How could we work together to get some of these technologies

into practice? By itself, an institution like MIT cannot do the

kind of research most useful for industry. It is impossible because

we need a very close working relationship between the companies and

MIT. On the other hand, if you take the companies themselves, there

is not one company that can do the needed research. Few have the

capital to do the research, we must establish a close working relationship among industries research centers, and government.

Presently at 1IT there is such a program on polymer processing.

More than 20 researchers are involved, and funding comes from 12

major U.S. companies. It was begun with support from the National

Science Foundation. A similar program could be very beneficial to

the footwear industry. If it does not happen in this country, it

will elsewhere so we must do it to remain competitive. Government,

industry, and major research organizations should all be involved.

Thank you.

Questions And Answers

Q: What is the present day cost of a computer that can scan a hide and decide where to put the pattern?

Van Dyck: I do not know the exact figure, but I know about return

on investment. A system under development is expecting a return

on investment of two and a half years.

50
THE POTENTIAL OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

Frank Daley

Director of Manufacturing Development

General Motors Corporation

In early April, when I told my wife that I had received a call asking me to participate in this footwear technology symposium, she said, "Why should somebody from the car business

be helping the competition?" That just about floored me. I do hope that I can contribute effectively today, but I must

admit to some prejudice in saying that I consider wheels a preferred mode of transportation.

My particular experience has been in designing automobiles

and in developing the manufacturing technology to produce them

better. My only hint of qualifications in footwear is that my

grandfather learned his first trade as a shoemaker. I remember

well the tools of his trade that occupied a favorite corner of

his workshop.

Remembering those tools makes me think of how in many

areas of the manufacturing industry we tend to become static

in our approach to production technology. In much the same way

in my business, we have stuck with the tried and true and some- times have been slow to realize how rapidly new technology is

developing all around us, and the opportunities it can offer.

This is a time of great opportunities as well as great challenges. In 1973, the automobile industry in the United States

was dealt a sudden sobering blow -- the oil embargo dropped on us

at a time when complex product decisions relating to regulatory

requirements were already straining our capabilities -- things

looked dark.

Today, I plan to tell you how new technology and a lot of

other resources were applied to help our industry recover from

that setback.

Since that time, General Motors' 1978 automobiles have attained an improvement in fleet average fuel economy of 58% by reason of tremendously improved designs. We have been able to

produce products that fully meet greatly changed demands of the

51
consumer and the government ... and I'm pleased to report sales

are great.

In 1973, the decision to redesign our cars to smaller

and lighter vehicles was already made. This Corporate project

was a massive effort and was accomplished in record time with

the help of the computer technology. Computer aided design -- CAD -- has proven itself at General Motors. Thousands of man-hours

are saved by being able to take profile measurements electronically,

directly from design models, and have the computer prepare precise

"blueprints". Skilled designers and draftsmen can then revise and

refine drawings on a graphic design console which resembles a TV

monitor. They simply "talk" to the computer with an electronic

stylus by "writing" on the screen. Line smoothing and surface

blending as well as other finishing details can be done in literally seconds. Another time-saving benefit is that the computer system allows designers and engineers miles apart to access the same information and make their contributions.

.The result of our first downsize project were unveiled with

our 1977 full-size models which were several hundred pounds lighter

yet interior roominess and passenger comfort were preserved.

Our goals were accomplished without the use of radical new

structures or expensive new materials. We made a big first step

with our first cycle of creating smaller, more efficient,

automobiles

Meeting the 1985 fuel economy requirements will require another

strong dose of technology to advance our use of lightweight structures and materials which will continue to satisfy our customers as well as meet government standards.

In doing my homework on the footwear industry, I find that we both depend on three major inputs to make our product: Style and

design ... suitable materials ... and the manufacturing technology that

puts them together and sends them to market. I will leave the first

item to those who are better qualified to sense market and design

needs, and focus my attention on the second and third items... and

the promise that they offer.

You might be interested to know that I took a recent lesson

from the footwear business. About five years ago, as my activity

looked to the future, we judged that some form of resilient bumper

system or header panels might be highly desirable in automotive

products. We learned that polyurethane was being used in Europe

to make footwear, especially ski boots, by a process called Reaction Injection Modling -- RIM. This process offered the potential

52
of making plastic parts in a machine which could operate at considerably

lower pressures than those required for conventional injection

molding. This kind of system, scaled up to a much larger size and

fully automated, could let us make flexible, tough, lightweight

parts competitive in cost with conventional materials. Polyurethane components from this complex program are currently in

successful production and used on approximately 30 percent of

General Motors cars.

There were lively discussions about spending a large amount

of money to determine appropriate press size, cycle time, and

the like. People who tended to rely on traditional methods kept

saying the cost of such a system might be prohibitive. But, before

we had been in l

r} 7 7 production very long, we had already hit our targets on cost i.nd could be competitive with conventional structures.

Further development of the reactive chemical materials used in

this process is allowing the production to be speeded up to a con- siderable degree. For example, Motorcross and ski boots made in this

country by Scott-USA using RIM technology are molded in two separate

1 parts and then assembled. The mold closed time is only five seconds.

Total cycle time- - including spraying with mold release, cleaning,

and removal of the part--is 28 seconds! The boots are molded in an array of automatic machines from which they are taken as fast as an operator can pack them.

Because RIM component materials are the consistency of light

oils and easily flowed compared to the peanut butter consistency

of conventional plastic materials, the machinery required for RIM

products is significantly less costly than the heavy presses re- quired for conventional molding. In addition, the parts only need

to remain in the clamped mold for a relatively short time before

they can be removed. Continuing development of reaction molding

materials, particularly urethanes, is bringing forth a wide spectrum of properties of strength, toughness, and flexibility to suit

many potential uses. Controllability of reaction time, including

some very fast reactive proerties, makes productive capacity very

; large compared to conventional molding procedures.

Many molds are required for such a process, and they are needed

quickly and at low cost. In making tooling for prototype parts for

1 cars, we have made good progress in the development of epoxy and

kirksite molds at much lower cost than conventional steel molds.

Such materials may be suitable for production runs of low volume

and are made by well established techniques.

53
/

General Motors is not in the toy business, but we often look

at other areas of technology to see what potential they may offer.

In a recent effort, our computer design people undertook to examine

the possible application of interactive computer consoles in designing tools to make sculptured objects. In this particular case, we found the utilization of technology available to us from our own developments, and methods derived from the aerospace industry, made

it possible to rapidly digitize contours of a sculptured model.

This was done by scanning an actual model to record a large

number of points on the surface in mathematical form within a com- puter. The sculptured surface was referenced to a mounting plane

which was the common surface of two halves of the object. The data

bank of surface coordinates was then set up to drive a computer

controlled milling machine that can produce replicas of the surface

sufficiently accurate in shape that a relatively small amount of

finishing work will make the contours into a smooth surface. All

of the technology and methods applied in this effort are commer- cially available today. The process offers precise replication,

exact opposites for lefts and rights and could be applied to making

of lasts or other tooling as well as molds for shoes or soles.

Where in even recent times computers were expensive and often

skittish, requiring a large number of specially trained attendants,

these devices have dropped in cost and have risen in simplicity and

reliability to a point where they can be reasonably considered for

almost any manufacturing operation.

In General Motors we anticipate that the use of computers in

manufacturing may increase by as much as 400 percent in the fiveyear period between now and 1982. Pete Estes, President of General

Motors, has recently stated that it is entirely possible within ten

years, computers will control in one way or another about 90 percent

of all new machines in General Motors manufacturing and assembly

plants

.

At our development facilities at the General Motors Technical

Center the computer is found everywhere. Uses include computeraided design of tools and products, heat transfer models, multiple

machine numerical cqntrol systems, tolerance charting, plant layout,

and machine loading, to name a few.

Computer technology has been used to provide product design

and dynamic analysis that has permitted the design of improved

machines. In fact, in many cases a computer in some form is hard

at work inside the machine itself doing many of the control jobs

previously dependent on human operators with varying dexterity and

skill levels.

5 4
Rapidly declining costs of computer services give small manu- facturing organizations the ability to utilize computer techniques

to solve manufacturing problems with time-sharing service bureaus

which have access to remote computers over phone lines through a relatively low cost terminal. Anyone can now choose from a variety

of small business computer systems for his facility. Prepackaged

systems cover many areas of manufacturing which can optimize actual

day-to-day operations and get more effective results from present

facilities. '

The use of interactive graphics has much potential for the

footwear industry, I believe. A computer aided design system has

ability to project differing views allowing examination of all

angles. Designs can be translated readily into digital dimensions

suitable for making models or tools. This method produces fast

results to permit rapid response to changing markets.

Operation of such a system does not require the ability to

walk on the water. The manipulation of a design console can be

taught to a resonably skilled person in two or three weeks time.

After seeing our people digitize the components of a plastic

sculptured cow, I believe it is reasonable to undertake the task

of designing articles of footwear.

For many years in our business, the idea of doing assembly

work with automatic devices has been given serious consideration.

Many advances have been made, especially in the area of robot

welding. It has only been in the last 18 months or so that we have been convinced that using robots for general assembly could

soon be feasible and cost effective. We decided to look at small

bench- type assembly jobs, of which there are a great many within

General Motors. These include assembly of instrument panels and

other small mechanical or electrical units.

Ninety-five percent of the parts in an automobile weigh

three pounds or less, according to our recent checks. So many

of the manufacturing robots in the catalogs were too large and

expensive for the small bench type jobs. We needed a unit that

could be produced at significantly lower cost and have several

levels of capability which could be chosen tinker-toy fashion

to bridge the gap between manual assembly and complex, expensive

special purpose hard automation. The first GM designed prototype of this small machine is currently undergoing tests at our shop in Warren, Michigan, to verify its ability to be taught

by leading it through the intended motions. It will then repeat

its teaching with an accuracy of one-tenth of a millimeter.

55
In another joint effort with an established robot equipment

manufacturer, we undertook development to produce a higher level

of programming software. The investment will pay off because

laboratory demonstrations of this new machine with its "advanced

education" show that the ability to optimize and smooth the

programmed path of a paint spray, from both tracking and speed,

has produced the ability to program this machine far better than

the previous mode in which an operator would manually track the

machine through its task. At times the combinations of motions

and speed needed to paint the interior of a van would exceed the

capability of the most powerful operator leaving the programmed

path response considerably less than optimum. The newly enhanced

programming capability, which results in more precise tracking,

lets the machine produce a higher quality pattern of distribution.

More sophisticated capability is needed in some operations

and we are developing various sensors for use with robots, including computer vision. This has been an ongoing joint venture with

our GM researchers who have pioneered much of the theory in the

field. The ability of robots and other automatic machinery to

follow preset . programs is now judged by many authorities to be

sufficient for programmable and flexible assembly.

Last December, I saw movies of a computer-driven machine for

assembling and stitching of footwear. There is no doubt in my

mind that the capability of machines like that could greatly in- crease output. In GM, we currently utilize vision capability

robots driven by computers which direct the positioning and assem- bly of electronic microcircuits . We are using computer-directed

devices to follow digitized information or lines on a drawing

or template 'to cut out materials for the manufacture of developed

sheet metal shapes. Capability to do the same in other materials

used in the footwear industry is clear.

The application of new technology which I have described are

in place and functioning beneficially in my industry. To date

many of the applications have met or exceeded our estimates, and

difficulties caused by delay or failure of technology to materialize have been small. It appears that results have been well worth

the risks.

One final concern, however. Technology is available to everyone, except where we come up with innovations that can be kept to

ourselves. The race will probably go to those who take the risks

of development. In this case we probably should go back and listen

to the old general, Nathan Bedford Forest, who said, "The way to

win the high ground is to get there fustest with the mostest."

I think the possibilities for advancement of the footwear industry

by mounting a concerted effort toward developing new technology are tremendous

.

56
Questions And Answers

Q: What period of time is needed to have a payoff using your

technique?

Daley: Tom Murphy, the Chairman of the Board of General Motors,

has pointed out that it is desirable that our returns should

be at least as good as if you put your money in a savings bank.

That is a very good test in terms of how your return should go.

As a general rule, we ordinarily consider a return of two to

three years to be highly desirable. If it is less than two,

you have a pretty good case, assuming the money is available,

which turns out to be a problem these days. If it is going

to be much longer than that, you should be prepared to show

ongoing long-term benefits as a need for transition to justify the expenditure.

Q: Do you drive your machine tools with separate computers or in

combination?

Daley: This varies, and it depends on the mission that is intended

or its complexity. We have one system that we are working on which integrates the operations of 17 machines in a sequential

way; they backstop one another in the event of a falldown failure

so that the system does not stop. In other cases, equipment may

be independently controlled by distributed computers, which are directed by an overall architectural computer (and then they

redirect the jobs). In far and away the majority of cases,

machines have individual controls.

In some cases these systems will be teachable robots. There

are fantastic and ingenious ways of teaching a robot, but if

you want to change models, you have to laboriously reteach it.

What we try to do now is to figure out how we can psychoanalyze

it and switch programs in a flash. That sounds like it ought

to be easy, but it has not been. We are almost at the point

where we can run through a sequence of different steps and the

machine tell itself this is a speedometer, I do this; and this

is an instrument cluster, I do that.

Q. To what extent do you have an interchange of information between

your research department and people at the Ford Motor Company

research department?

Daley: This is an area where we experience extreme difficulty, ex- cept in sessions that are of a technical or professional association nature. In many areas we in fact have consent decrees and

formal constraints, particularly in areas of safety and emissions,

57
that prevent us from exchanging information with some very

serious penalties. Thus, exchange of information within the

auto industry is often a difficult thing. This is sort of

against nature as far as I am concerned, but we have learned

to live with it.

Q: Is there adequate training of manpower and engineers by the

universities for the type of manufacturing you are describing?

Daley: I think they are doing a very good job. It is a paradox

in many ways. Even though the educational requirements are quite sophisticated, whether you like it or not, the auto

industry does not provide a lot of high-level jobs for doctorates in manufacturing engineering. We should figure out

how to get out of that one before we lay it all on the educator's doorstep.

I think the current generation of engineering people is very

good in the area of computer technology. They have learned

to use it the right way, as a tool, not as a mission in

itself. The sooner that we can all decide to use computers

with the same ease that that we use the telephone, the faster

I think we will get where we are going. We keep setting the

computer up as some kind of an icon. It was at first, but now it has become a means to a lot of other missions, and we should get on with those.

Q: There are many reasons why an industry will develop modern

technology. One reason that I have not heard mentioned here

is the declining availability of the craftsman in that industry, this is certainly true in the area of shoemaking. To

what degree does General Motors, and I would also add the

footwear industry, feel that that is an important factor?

Daley: I think it is a very important factor, and I have gone

around and around with Tony Canole, a well-spoken advocate

of labor's position. The United Automobile Workers (UAW) in our particular instance maintains that there is no shortage

of skilled people at present. I guess that is substantially

so, except in certain specific areas. Certainly skill shortag

would be a compelling item in adopting modern technology. I think there are other compelling forces, and again I would

mention what we did in 1973. I think our management was about

to recognize the need for computer-aided design, but OPEC

forced immediate action. An economic incentive is always

a strong one.

58
We have, as a written part of our present agreement with the

United Automobile Workers, a statement which clearly defines

that the ingestion of new technology is an important part of our mutual contract for mutual benefits. The only place where

we ever get into any discussions is what do we do in order to

manage the transitional displacements that may occur once some

of this is done. Who is going to get jurisdiction over what?

What are we going to do afterward? You cannot answer those

questions in advance; they have to be discussed and handled

as they take place. I am sure that they can be managed if we look at it intelligently. Certainly anybody who is considering

the adoption of new technology has got to recognize that you

are going to change the hierarchical authority systems and disrupt all kinds of things. People are not sure where they will

be after everything is done, so it is a delicate situation

and has to be considered accordingly.

Q: You mentioned that over the past two years General Motors has

adopted a lot of new technology, specifically CAD-CAM and that

this has saved many labor hours. Yet over the same period there

have been major price increases for the cars. Can you comment

on how the new technology has affected your costs?

Daley: In most cases it has helped keep cost down. If you examine

those price increases, vis-a-vis the content and functions of

the product that you buy compared to the price of footwear, food,

or other things, you will find that the rate of price increase

of our automobiles has been very conservative by comparison.

Technology has certainly helped in this regard. It has provided

the ability to simplify designs and the ability to control factory management, as well as the technological design and conduct

of operations. For example, a lot of our people were concerned

that all the time and money that we had spent on development

of interactive computers probably was going to take 100 years to

pay off. I asked our staff to go back 17 years ago when this

thing first budded in General Motors and add up all of the

cash flow out and then measure what we have gained so far. I can submit we have done pretty good with CAD, as far as product

design is concerned. We have only made a stab at CAM so far,

and that is what is coming next. We have not really done a CAD-CAM job all the way through, but th^savings to date have

already turned the cash flow positive about three years ago.

59

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY PRACTICUM

MODERATOR

Dr. Frank Wolek

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

U.S. Department of Commerce

PANELISTS

Frank Daley, General Motors Corporation

Dr. Eugene Merchant, Cincinnati Milacron

Daniel Heidt, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

Harry Heilig, Western Electric Corporation

Dennis E. Wisnosky, Department of the Air Force

Captain L.C. Dittmar, Department of the Navy

(The discussion was recorded, transcribed and edited for smoothness.

The speakers have not reviewed the comments attributed to them.)

Wolek: We now have an array of talent. Let me introduce those

who will answer questions -- Eugene Merchant, Director of Research

Planning from Cincinnati Milacron Corporation; Mr. Daniel Heidt,

Director of Manufacturing from Lockheed Aircraft Corporation;'

Mr. Harry Heilig, General Manager of Research and Development, Western

Electric Corporation; and Mr. Frank Daley. The Department of Defense,

which has an active program of encouraging manufacturing technology

developments, has sent Mr. Dennis Wisnosky, Manager of the Integrated

Computer-Aided Manufacturing Program for the Air Force Materials

Laboratory, and Captain L. C. Dittmar, Chief of Naval Materiel for

the Navy Department. Are there any questions regarding the techniques

that are being used elsewhere, particularly concentrating on any managment lessons learned from the introduction of these techniques.

Q: Please describe some of the activities in the overseas

countries using advanced technologies for manufacturing footwear?

Merchant: I will try to summarize the general approach in Japan

and in the European countries, of which Germany is perhaps the best

example. Virtually all of the industrialized countries have recognized

the fact that the major wealth-producing activity of a country is its

manufacturing industry which produces, on the average, about two- thirds

of the new wealth in those countries.

61
Thus, most industrialized countries have coordinated programs

to assist their manufacturing industry in developing and implementing

advanced manufacturing technology as the major factor that keeps

their industry healthy and makes their manufactured goods competitive on the world market, giving them a greater share of the world

market. They have focused particularly on developing a generic

manufacturing technology that can be used as widely across the manu- facturing industry as possible. In recent years by far the most

generic and most effective in reducing costs, increasing quality,

and providing flexibility to manufacturing is computer-aided manu- facturing coupled with computer-aided design. That is the area in

which these governments have concentrated.

The strategy used by most of these countries is two-pronged.

To do effective research, development, and implementation of advanced

manufacturing technology requires both a systems approach to manufacturing and an overall cooperative activity, involving government,

industry, and universities. They have set up excellent mechanisms

for each of those three to contribute to overall advancement in this area. Each has their understood role, and in each case there is a strong coordinating mechanism which varies from country to country,

but still provides a basis for coordination, usually through committees made up of representatives from government, industry and

univers ities

.

In Japan, for example, there is a cooperative national program

to develop computer-controlled prototype factory in about the next

six years, which has received $50 million of government funding and

a lot from industry too.

There are many such projects, and hundreds of millions of dollars

are being spent by these governments and by industry.

Wisnosky: Last year I went with Dr. Merchant to look at Japan,

Germany, and some other countries. I have a report which is available

to any American Company.

Q: Have you experienced any restrictions in your use of computers for fabrication or assembly of your product, that is restrictions

that might affect your marketing of the final product?

6 2
Daley: If we had anything that the use of computer aids

restricted our ability to do, that would be the first reason that

I could think of to do something else. In other words, we would

not accept any restriction based on something that was introduced

by the technology of the system.

Heidt: We do not have any restrictions in terms of the product because that is controlled by various government agencies for

export. However, in terms of the technology being transported out

of the country, there are certain restrictions there.

Wisnosky: The contention seems to be just the opposite for

the use of computer-aided design and computer-aided management.

The use of this technology enables one to respond more quickly to

engineering design changes brought about by changes in styling

requirements, aimed at a new market or at a change in an existing

market

.

Wolek: William Abernathy, Harvard Business School, is a student of manufacturing technology and the management process for

that. After studying the implementation of these technologies, he

has found that the general lesson that the technology must be incorporated into the administrative structure of the organization and

have a package of benefits, including reduced costs, marketing

advantages, and an administrative structure simplification, is an important concept. Otherwise, the technology has great difficulty

making progress. I am wondering about the effect of computeraided manufacturing on the work force and any problems in obtaining

the cooperation of labor in the adoption of these technologies.

Heilig: I will comment on that. In the electronics business,

without the use of high speed data processing equipment today, it

would be very difficult to even manufacture the product. Design

information from our design agency, Bell Laboratories, comes to us

in a variety of forms, but is almost always machine readable. We

put the information through automatic equipment which does the

processing and creates that design. Because the testing of our product is also done automatically with a computer, it has to be

a part of the design consideration by the physical designer when

he starts out. He has to transmit that information to an engineer

in some way so that he can go through the process of manufacturing.

Thus, we in the electronics industry have long since passed the

stage where it is possible to live without some form of automated

data processing capability.

63
Wolek: Since we have some people from the government who are trying to help introduce manufacturing technology, I wonder if any

lessons have been learned in the Department of Defense programs

about working with small as opposed to large companies.

Dittmar: The Navy has been rather late in getting involved in

this program. We only have 57 projects funded right now, and only

two of those are completed. One thing that is evident so far is

the transfer of technology from one company to another. There is

a reluctance to share with their competitors what they develop on our money. Actually, the firm that develops it is still ahead for

a couple of years anyway.

Wisnosky: The Air Force has been in the manufacturing technology business since they needed to learn how to make better fabric

to put on airplanes. The whole aerospace industry is interwoven

with some big companies as primes, others as subcontractors, and

then small companies which may manufacture critical components.

We use small companies in procurement as second sources and for

satisfying critical needs. We actively encourage small companies

to participate in the manufacturing technology program directly.

My opinion is that we do not need new institutions, but rather a better way of managing the introduction of technology within the

institutions that exist. We do that in the Air Force by doing

technology development where the problems really are. If a company

is having a problem, we will try to solve it in that company by

bringing in help from other parts of the industry, with the stipulation, they share the results with their competitors.

Q: What is the extent of the financial resources needed to get

into this type of technology?

Daley: Without being facetious, the answer is that it depends

on how far you want to go. The initial foray of determining what

you can do and putting it into a frame of reference for your company

would probably cost about $10,000.

Heilig: Because of the size of a typical company in your

industry, you have a serious problem here. Computer-aided design

or computer aids to manufacturing are not inexpensive and must be

upgraded all the time. You will need a software specialist to write

the programs for what you want done. You might discuss this with

the Department of Commerce which is looking for areas in which they

might be of assistance to the industry. You need a sharing arrangement, either of a terminal, software packages, or time, for example.

If you can use this powerful tool by pooling your resources in some

way, you will be very impressed and pleased with the results.

64
Heidt: There is one comment I would like to make about developing and implementing these new technology systems. Implementing

these technologies into a productive atmosphere requires a firm

commitment by the executives of the company. You will encounter

massive resistance from management and your labor force. In many

cases I found that in order to make a unit use a technology that

has been developed, I had to completely remove the capability of

doing it the old way. The only way they could get the job done was

to use the new technology. Therefore, when you look at these new

technologies, also look at the alternatives that will be available

at the time to either subvert or change technologies and thereby

not realize the benefits to be gained.

Baruch: As you are probably aware, Dr. Wolek, myself, and

others in the office have been working on the concept of some form

of institutionalization of basic technology development for various

industries. The shoe industry is a classic example. When we look

at the problems of CAD-CAM, it may not only be necessary to have

a cooperative center that develops such equipment and facilities,

but also to have some form of cooperative that uses them operationally. One of the intriguing things about being able to work

with an industry that's in a little bit of difficulty is that it

catches the attention of the Economic Development Administration.

They are interested in technologies whose size make them inappropriate for the small firm but appropriate for the whole " industry

.

CAD-CAM could clearly be one of these technologies. It does not

generate a comparative advantage for a single company but in fact

can do so for the entire industry, elevating the productivity

and competitiveness of each firm in the industry. Ask the question,

is this something which a group of firms in my industry could share?

Let us worry about the Justice Department and about the basic

capital needs, at least for a while.

65

FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY PANEL

MODERATOR

Dr. Frank Wolek

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

U.S. Department of Commerce

PANELISTS

Robert H. Bode, Arthur D. Little, Incorporated

Gordon E. Pickett, Battelle-Columbus Laboratories

John C. Williams, Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute

James P. Kottenstette , Denver Research Institute

Dr. Nam P. Suh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Jordan J. Baruch, U.S. Department of Commerce

Wolek: Bob Bode from Arthur D. Little, Gordon Pickett

from Battelle-Columbus Laboratories, Jim Kottenstette from Denver

Research Institute, Jack Williams from ITTRI, Dr. Nam Suh from MIT,

and Jordan Baruch from the Department of Commerce will now respond to

questions

.

Comment: In our session there was general agreement that most

of the papers presented missed the mark, possibly because of a lack

of specific knowledge about our industry, our real problems, and

the limitations that would have to be imposed on any solution. What

could be done next time to get more input from the industry?

Williams: Give us more time, not money. Let us spend some

time in your plant with your people. We need more time to make

that initial intelligence grasp.

Suh: In my experience in working with a large number of

companies, the identification of the real problem only comes after

a long period of group discussion. What will eventually end up

being the problem is not the same as what any one person in the room originally conceived to be the problem. As I see it, this

is essentially the problem with this particular industry. We

have to have a fresh viewpoint, try to define what the problem

is jointly, and then we see where we go from there.

67
Q: I have a couple of questions. One is a definite industry

problem- - the need to rough all leather before cementing

soles. Can someone develop a technique to force the cement

into the leather so that we would not have to rough it. We

damage a lot of shoes doing this, and the wear of the shoe

is not as good. Next, any breakthrough on stitching would

certainly help this industry because 45 to 50 percent of our labor is in the stitching room. Last, what help will

be given to small- and medium-sized companies in financing

these innovations?

Bode: Our approach was directed at going from bulk semiprocessed

material to a nearly finished upper and eliminating any problems associated with roughing, cutting, the fitting room,

or lasting. You have demonstrated this ^approach beautifully \ the industry in your modern bottoming techniques, but you

have done almost nothing for a quality upper.

Pickett: At Battelle we also came up with a couple of concepts

of improved adhesive bonding involving some induction heating

techniques. Whether these would get around the problem of

roughing the leather or would eliminate stitching has yet

to be proved. However, I think it is a technology that

deserves consideration.

Wolek: A number of the technologies presented by the contractors

are already being worked on some place in the industry. There

is also concern about the general innovativeness of the industry or the extent to which it is likely to respond to the

challenges that are before it. By merely coming to this program, you have already indicated that you are innovative and

open to moving on the changes that are reasonable for your

industry. Now, where is the money, resources, and talent

going to come from to move faster on these technologies so the

industry gets the benefits? What we also need is your sense

of the priorities from our limited resources.

Butlin: One of the quickest places that new technology can get

into is the Far East, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. How

is your thinking going to affect the competitiveness of the

industry and its survival?

Bode: One of the principal problems with this industry is labor

intensity. By developing automation and processes that are capital intensive, you remove the labor intensive aspect.

Then it does not matter where that technology moves throughout the world because the United States will always be competi

tive. You are competitive worldwide if you only do one thing- remove labor content and transfer it to the service industries

68
Baruch: One of the disadvantages the United States shoe industry works with is the fact that finished leather is cheaper

overseas. They buy raw hides here, ship them over there, and

finish them, because that segment of the industry is also

highly labor intensive- - tanning and finishing.

Comment: Your assumption is not valid. We are competitive in

Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, in fact with everyone except

the Japanese, who sell cheaper outside Japan than they do in

Japan. Pressed leather from Argentina is a lot cheaper, but

to make a good full grain piece of leather you have to make

it from American hides generally tanned here. Western European

leather prices are higher than ever. The differences that come from finished leather goods made in the Orient I think are engineered somewhat by their governments rather than in any

lower labor costs.

Baruch: If that is true, it gives us data to seek the kind of

countervailing duties that such engineered support activities

recommend

.

Comment: We have asked for it.

Baruch: There are other methods than asking for them, and one is

to sue for them.

Comment: Due to section 301 that's been filed about 8 months ....

Baruch: Customs court?

Comment: But with the Special Trade Representative in the trade

procedure in section 301. It is not resolved yet.

Comment: We've been fighting the same battle for Zenith.

Comment: Zenith lost a similar case which shows that if you have

the data, it has to be clean and presented because the courts,

particularly the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, are really

very tough on it.

Comment: The AFIA set up a committee to consider the industry,

and they submitted the needs of the industry to the Department

of Commerce. Was that paper considered during the study of

this industry?

69
Wolek: Because we were looking for creativity, we did keep the

report temporarily from other people that we would be working

with outside of the industry itself. That report has been

discussed though. The footwear center, for example, which

we were told was the number one priority on the industry's

list, is moving ahead rather rapidly. I will be able to re- port a little bit more about that tomorrow.

Comment: What is the amount of added cost which the American industry experiences from regulations, reports, and other red tape

that we are compelled to follow to comply with existing laws

that our foreign competitors do not have? This is an area

that could be a real help to us if we had some way to reduce

those costs. This is a cost that the government is imposing

on us. It might be well for the Commerce Department to make

a study in this area and see what can be done. It appears in

every part of our business- -in our factories, our accounting

department, our insurance department, our tax department,

right down the line. When you total it and then compare our cost to foreign cost, there is a tremendous difference.

Baruch: According to Margery King, that category called other,

which I suspect covers these costs, amounts to about 26 percent of the cost of the shoe. If that is so and labor amounts

to 25 percent, we ought to tackle both of these areas. If

the shoe industry does have any data on what the governmentimposed costs on a pair of shoes are, I would appreciate

seeing it. The government as a whole has started a paperwork

reduction program. If we can get from the industry some indication of cost, this is an enormous lever that we can use. We are indeed part of the problem.

Wolek: Existing units of the Department of Commerce make that

type of study. It is not impossible to incorporate them in our overall effort. The Industry and Trade Administration

and our own Office of Environmental Affairs do exactly this

type of thing.

Kleiman: As one of the contractors working on this, I would have

preferred not to have seen the AFIA paper. I think we lose

objectivity. However let me address another aspect. You

keep coming back to the fragmented heterogeneous nature of

this industry, and lots of the probems are attributable to

that condition. Other highly concentrated industries such

as consumer electronics, steel, and automobiles, have experienced almost identical problems. Obviously, there are other

things going but, I think, much has to do with the basic

nature of how American industry looks at itself. I think it

70
is much more fundamental and possibly relates to what I suggested before--this blind spot that the U.S. has had, even in analyzing our own marketplace. That the Japanese

and Europeans do this better than we have seems to be a common thread that runs through a lot of these industrial

problems

.

Wolek: There is a general approach of trying to make sure that

the competitiveness between countires is on an equivalent

avenue. We are looking at various tax treatments, financial

benefits, non-tariff barriers, etc., that are provided between different countries. The Department is attempting to

reduce them as much as possible, or to get countervailing

duties charged for those that cannot be reduced. I assure

you that effort is going on.

71

A MATTER OF TRUST

Dr. Sidney Harman

Under Secretary, Department of Commerce

Thank you all for coming. I spoke to the President about

our progress in the shoe program a couple days ago. As a conse- quence of that, I have a message which I would like to read to

you

Fourteen months ago when I rejected the tariff

rate quota on shoes recommended by the International

Trade Commission, I said that over the long haul, the

solutions to difficulties in the shoe industry lies

not in the restriction of imports but in innovation

and modernization of our own production facilities and

the financing to make these possible. This Footwear

Technology Symposium is a critically important step

toward the strategy for the shoe industry to gain a competitive advantage through technological development and utilization.

It is also a pioneering effort in public/private

cooperation to advance technological capabilities in

civilian industry. I want to express my deep gratitude

for your participation and my confidence that these proceedings will advance the national interest by helping

to preserve jobs and improve profitability in a vital

American industry. /Signed/ Jimmy Carter.

I like that message for a number of reasons. In the first place,

it does speak to an element of our experience which I regard as historic. For the very first time ever in our history, not in time of

war, government and an industry have engaged in cooperation on a truly

collegial level. There is no precedent for what we together have

been doing in the shoe industry. Although we may from time to time

have our differences, we have come through 14 months of significant

times based very substantially on a growing mutual respect and fundamental trust. Almost everything that I want to say tonight is con- cerned with that matter of trust. I must share with you my very

favorite story with respect to trust. It has to do with the intrepid

mountain climber who lost his footing -- I will not tell you what

shoes he was wearing -- slipped, and was tumbling head over foot to

73
his certain death at the bottom of an enormous chasm. At the

very last moment he managed to seize the last remaining limb

of the last remaining tree. Clinging to it for dear life, he

turned his face heavenward and implored, "Is there anyone up

there?" A deep, sepulchral voice boomed through that canyon,

"I am here, my son. Let go of that branch, and I will take care

of you." Then, the climber said, "Is there anyone else up there?"

I suspect that fourteen months ago many of you were asking

the same question as you approached government. As I reflect on what we together have done, that word trust keeps coming to mind.

It is my recollection that the shoe industry of fourteen months

ago held a rather strong conviction that nothing except import

relief was going to help. There was also serious skepticism that

there would be genuine support for that point of view at the Department of Commerce, or that the Department would produce anything worthwhile in terms of revitalization of the shoe industry. We had

our difficult beginnings, we forged through these difficult beginnings a relationship which I believe is still growing and which

will, in the end, give us precisely that vital self -nourishing

,

self-sustaining, growing shoe industry.

Let me tell you something about that by referring to the

Orderly Marketing Agreements (OMA's). Fourteen months ago I was not a vigorous supporter of any form of import relief for the

shoe industry, and I never deceived anyone with respect to my

point of view. Indeed, in my very first conversations with

Ron Ansin and others, I asked whether the time being sought would

be used in a sufficiently constructive way so that at the end of

that spell, an industry would exist which could be self-sustaining.

I did not think that a program that provided only protection would

do anything except delay the inevitable, and as a businessman, I saw no sense in that at all. OMA's are, however, one of the tools

available to the Department of Commerce as we work with you. If.

I am not now the great poet of OMA's, I am quite likely its most

earnest advocate because it is an instrument that can be used

effectively while we are working together.

As an example of this, my associates and I are regularly in

communication with the President's Special Trade Representative,

Robert Straus. He is a very important component of our program,

as are the OMA's. Due to the close working relationship between

the Department of Commerce and the Special Trade Representative,

we are ever alert to new efforts to escape the meaning of OMA's,

wherever that may occur. The situation in Hong Kong is one example.

Mr. Straus has assured me that should the evidence indicate that

the spirit of OMA's is being circumvented in Hong Kong, OMA's will

be pursued there. The same will be true for other places, such as

74
the Philippines if the need for vigorous action is determined.

I am no less convinced, however, of the importance of a program

designed ultimately to strengthen the industry domestically so that it can stand on its own. The whole meaning, purpose, and

spirit of this symposium, is directed to innovation. However,

innovation is not limited exclusively to technology and its

application. Frankly, I am disappointed that the attendance

at this symposium is essentailly limited to officers and production or technical people of the shoe manufacturing companies.

If I were running a shoe business today and I knew that there

was a symposium on new technology taking place, I would send my

marketing people to that symposium. Indeed, if I knew that there

were a significant merchandising symposium taking place, I would

send my design and manufacturing people to that marketing symposium.

One of the difficulties in industry, whatever the product,

has been this curious separation of operations. In every company

that I know that is truly vibrant and growing, there is integration of styling and design with production procedure, personnel

relationships, and costing processing. For example, every one of

those successful companies has always had for its controller a person who became very interested in how the product was made.

Every successful company that I know has done that interesting

job of integration at every level.

In my pre-government days, I was actively involved in developing new forms of worker-management collaboration and participation.

I learned a great deal in the seven years of that program. This

evening I was talking to Mrs. Haynes, herself an industrial engineer, and the wife of Fred Haynes who spoke today. I commented

that in the Harmon companies no industrial engineer would go down

to a production line without talking to the people on the job.

Their knowledge could then be used to revise the way in which the

work was being done. In the early days of our efforts I would

talk to somebody on the line in one of our plants. The colloquy

would go something like this: Hi, how long have you been with us?

Twelve years. How \ong have you been on this job? Ten years.

Do you do the job any differently now from the way you did it

five, six, or ten years ago? No. Do you know a better way to do

it? Yes. Why haven't you spoken of that better way? Nobody ever asked me. There is something so fundamental in that experience

which was repeated every time I went to one of our plants. It

did not take me terribly long to realize that we were passing up

one of the profoundly important resources in our company. Much of

my later efforts were a consequence of that experience.

That realization that the people who do the work, especially

in labor-intensive manufacturing concerns, carry with them such a

75
valuable store of information and experience demands that when

we look to the most effective application of new technology we should talk to them. When we think in terms of how better to use

our present machinery, we must talk to them. I offer you that

because it seems to me that in the shoe industry there is room

for that kind of innovative address to the people who. do the work.

It is innovative in terms of setting an atmosphere which encourages their participation in the decision making process that designs their lives at work. If this then is a symposium on innovation, there is one that I would identify.

If this is a symposium on innovation, I need not talk long

about the opportunities in technology. If it is a symposium

on innovation, I urge that the experience I have had with the

shoe industry has taught me that there are many companies which

really do not need money, technological assistance, or new com- puterized equipment at all. There is many a company that knows

perfectly well how to turn out a superb product and nothing about

how to market it. If there is to be innovation, we ought to see

it in that same integrated fashion I was talking about before.

Learning how to market that product should be part of that innovative process.

Altogether then, as I reflect on my total experience in this

shoe effort, I conclude that the good things that we have been

doing are to recognize that we must use every tool available to us. The Department of Commerce is no one's automatic advocate.

We serve industry poorly if we are their messenger boys. I think

that what we have to do is to bring to all industry a sense of our own competence, our own professionalism, and our dedication.

We should work with a particular industry about their problem and

ultimately synthesize a point of view between us of which we can then become the full, unqualified competent advocates. That is

what we are doing in the shoe industry.

While I was not the great OMA advocate at the beginning -- and

I am really changing my mind about that - - I am more to be trusted

in terms of how forcefully I will use those OMA's and how hard I will work for their extension as we work together. I am more to

be trusted in that respect than if I had not from the very beginning set myself before the industry in terms of what I am, what

my experience has been, what I believe in, and what I know can be

done. Thus, (a) we use the tools that are available to us and

we use them to the very maximum., (b) we explore in every way possible the differences that exist from one shoe firm to another, and

we deal almost in a cultural sense with the managers of those shoe

firms entirely in the role of a facilitator. The government should

play no role beyond that; the ultimate responsibility for the shoe

76
industry jrs the shoe industry. We can be very useful in that

role as facilitator. We can also be very useful in recognizing

the instruments of government and their applicability and in re- tooling them where necessary. We might speed up the process of

certification or the step that follows the diagnostic studies, in

fact, speed up every activity in which we engage with you. All

this is aimed at the ultimate consequence of a truly vital,

vigorous, self-sustaining shoe industry. We want very much for

that to happen, and we want very much to do that job well. We

have devoted ourselves with enthusiasm and professionalism to

doing it, and we intend to continue to do that.

Let me close by suggesting that somehow through my observation

tonight there has been a implicit theme. It is that this world is an infinitely more complex one than the one we came into and that

this industry is an infinitely more complex one than the one you

first encountered. Some years ago, H. L. Mencken observed that for

every inordin tely complex problem there is one single simple solution, and it is wrong. I think that you can agree with me as you

reflect on your own times in this industry that never was a wiser

aphorism offered about the shoe industry than that. I add to it the

thought that the time has come to end that curious separation that I was talking about before. In more general terms it is those people

who are concerned only with the technical and mechanical aspects of

things as distinguished from those who are concerned with the human

aspect of things. It is the way industry and, in many respects,

government and other institutions have operated for far too long.

I argue that the day has come when there has to be a merger of

the mind and heart in industry and that that merging brings with

it ultimately the best results -- the best spirit, the best marketing,

the best sales, the best productivity, the best profitability, the

best return on investment. Probably this view was never better ex- pressed than it was 3,000 years ago by Mencius who, as I remember,

put it something like this: The men of old wishing to clarify and

diffuse throughout the empire, that light which comes from looking

straight into the heart and acting first set up good government in

their own states. Desiring good government in their own states,

they first organized their families. Wishing., to reorganize their

families, they first disciplined themselves, and desiring to discipline themselves, they rectified their hearts. Thank you very much.

77

INDUSTRY RESPONSE

Ronald M. Ansin

Chairman, Anwelt Corporation

It is my pleasurable task to respond to Dr. Harman's presentation on behalf of the American footwear industry. I also had

the earlier pleasure of working with Dr. Harman in the development

of this original program on behalf of the American footwear industry.

First, on behalf of the American footwear industry, "Thank you."

Thank you, very, very much. Thank you for the help you have personally given to this industry and the dedication you have brought to

it. You've personally been accessible. You have personally been

a friend to this industry: a friend when this industry needed a friend. This industry deeply appreciates that help. In the past, we have not had that sort of help any place in government. It's

been much like the story - "Is there anybody else up there?" I think

today we have somebody else up there.

We don't always agree on things. We sometimes see things in

different lights. Some of those disagreements are real and some of

them are imagined, and, I suppose it will always continue that way.

Personally, I've always been hopeful that if we could just increase

communications through these sort of discussions, we could get even greater cooperation in the doing of the task which we all adovcate.

I particularly appreciate your remarks today with respect to

the OMA's. I too was not an original advocate of the OMA's. I changed my position about a year ago, after I studied the statistics

and realized that the problem we faced three years ago was not the same problem we faced a year and a half ago. And so I became an enthusiastic supporter for the OMA's. Today, I think these agreements are vital to the continuation and growth of the American

footwear industry.

I think a specific action with respect to Hong Kong is most

significant. Hong Kong represents an undercutting of the Orderly

Marketing Agreements for which we worked for so diligently. If

the cutback from Taiwan is simply to move across the straits

to Hong Kong, obviously we did not accomplish a thing. Thus, I think this action is significant in its own right. I think it is

also significant as an indicator of the teeth in our verbal under79
standing that there would be a "cap" on the rest of the world.

For all these reasons, I deeply appreciate the support which

you conveyed to us tonight, Dr. Harman. While you have previously

indicated to me and leaders of the industry the kind of reservations

you have very forthrightly described tonight, you have also told me

to consider you and the Department of Commerce a champion of this

industry

.

I have no doubt about that! I've worked with Dr. Harman. I trust him. I assure you of that. I think our industry can trust

this man. I think he means exactly what he says.

Two things Dr. Harman referred to in his comments this evening

rang a bell with me. First is the need to integrate production and

marketing, which we, along with many other industries, too often

keep separate. Marketing is the ability to sell the product, therefore the ability to design a product that people are going to want.

We must keep in mind the integration of marketing and production,

not jus-t marketing in the sense of selling, but marketing in the sense of developing the products people are going to want.

Second, I personally have had some experience in the footwear

industry, similar to that of Dr. Harman, in terms of the participation of the people who do the jobs. I could not agree with him more. There is no one ever who knows more about how to do a job or know

how to do that job better than the guy who does it. The greatest

untapped natural resource I know, the greatest energy source I know,

are the people in the factory who do the jobs. That's the secret

weapon of the labor intensive industries. I hope we will take that

to heart and will begin to tap that resource to an even greater ex- tent than we ever have.

In conclusion, and on behalf of the industry, I convey to you,

Dr. Harman, our deep appreciation, our continuing trust, and

our thanks.

80
OPENING REMARKS, FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1978

Dr. Frank Wolek

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

Department of Commerce

At this point, I would like to talk briefly about something

which I know concerns many of you -the establishment of a footwear

center. It also concerns the Department of Commerce because we,

like you, believe that we need not only specific new technology,

but also a permanent institutional structure within the industry

for generating and implementing that new technology. This structure should also be capable of providing the assistance you need

for utilizing existing technology, as well as developing new

processes and products.

Those beliefs were incorporated in the AFIA proposal to the

Department of Commerce for a Footwear Technology Center, to provide

technical and managerial assistance to the industry. We in the

Department of Commerce agree on the need for such a center and the

value that a properly established center would have. We are now actively working with the industry to determine what the specifics

of "properly established" means. Both the industry and the Department agrees that a properly established center will be one that

represents a sound business investment for the membership fees that

will be required. It will provide benefits in terms of the returns

on the funds that you in the industry provide for the continuing

operation of such a center. Everyone involved is looking forward

to a date early next year when we can announce a commitment to a specific location and structure for such an organization.

When that organization is established, it will fit nicely

into some plans that we are also working on in the Department of

Commerce to provide research and devlopment support on an ongoing

basis to industries like the footwear industry. This would include

support on the kinds of projects discussed during this symposium.

A research board representing the retailing, manufacturing, and

supplier communities will hopefully be in operation by fall of this

year. It will process the reports of the contractors and other

ideas that will be canvassed from the industry and present a project priority list for support by the Department of Commerce.

81
Therefore, I think with the structure of research and develop

ment activity on a project specific basis, coupled with an ongoing

Footwear Technology Center, we will be able to provide the kind of

assistance that you in the industry are asking for and that we in

the Department are committed to providing.

8 2
INDUSTRY VIEW

Frederick A. Meister

President, American Footwear Industries Association

It is a pleasure to be here this morning. I have been in

the footwear industry for only the past four months. Before

that I was in the airline industry, which is supposed to be

technologically advanced. Let me tell you that the same debate

is going on within that industry as the one I have heard during

my brief time in the footwear industry. Before that I was associated with railroads and mass transit. From my experience

dealing with these kinds of things, I think the footwear industry is advanced. The people in this room are progressive, intelligent, capable people.

For the Department of Commerce, as well as for the footwear

industry, this particular type of session takes a lot of courage.

It was very difficult because there is a fine line between suggesting and demanding on all of our parts and between negative

versus constructive criticism. It is also difficult for government and industry to relate and to deal with one another; I think

it can be done on the basis of an equal partnership with the

government. We are well along toward establishing that with the

Department of Commerce.

It will not work as a boss - subordinate relationship or without advocacy for the viewpoints of both sides. Some comments

yesterday suggested that advocacy on either side is inappropriate. I do not think that is true. The industry has every right

to ask, to push, to shove, to argue, and to advocate our positions, and the government has a responsibility and obligation

to do the same with us. Good, open debate is useful for finding

some solutions and some new ways of doing business. I have not

met anyone in the industry who is not willing to adapt themselves

and to adopt new technologies in order to do the job better.

The presence of so many people at this conference is a tribute to

that fact. So, as a representative of AFIA I would like to thank

all those in the Department of Commerce who have worked very hard

with us.

My topic this morning, is "Industry Review," but first I would like to provide a few facts regarding imports. One reason for this industry's problems is that import penetration for

the past five years has been between 46 and 52%, mainly from

83
Korea and Taiwan. We were quite successful in working with the

Department of Commerce and special trade representatives in the

Congress to get some form of import relief. Import Controls are

the critical framework within which these new industry programs

can develop and be successful. Without continued strong enforcement of the orderly marketing agreements and import controls by

the government, we will not have the opportunity to adopt many

of the things that will come out of this conference and subsequent work with the Department of Commerce. This is an important

framework for us to operate in.

Turning to the issue of technology, I would like to present

the ideas that the industry has submitted to the Department of

Commerce. There are five areas- -the Footwear Center for Education and Technical Service, improved market information and market research, special applied research projects, technical assistance projects for individual companies, and increased exporting

assistance

.

In the first area, educational courses for top management

in marketing and manufacturing would increase the educational

base needed to keep our industry up to date. Training courses

for supervisors, technicians, and designers are a way to get more design capability into our industry. The evaluation of new technologies and their potential application to our industry, as well as the dissemination of technical information

touches on a' problem mentioned several times here. A facility

for developing product reliability and manufacturing standards

should also be considered. The main idea again, however, is to

establish a center that can contribute educational and technical

services to the U.S. footwear industry and that would be oriented

to our problems, not the problems of other countries. Firms

would pay dues and would receive benefits in excess of the costs.

In the marketing area, our specific proposals included

an assessment of government -collected data to make it more useful

to the footwear industry. The second proposal, the development

of market research models, recognizes both the importance and the

cost of market research. We have asked the Department of Commerce

to help us develop some software packages for different sized

companies that could do much of the basic work and eliminate much of

the high costs of market research methodologies for the industry.

Consumer research is needed to understand the needs of the

American consumer better.

Special applied research projects mean the evaluation of ideas

that have not been pursued by suppliers or have been pursued at one point in time and then dropped for one reason or another. Some

examples include the role of the computer in our industry, fitting
room productivity, development of inexpensive molds for injection molding, and the development of non-rough upper leather.

This last area relates to problems on the part of the consumer

which yield costs additional to the direct costs in the factory.

The return of footwear by the consumer is not the way we increase

profitability. Those are four areas where we think something could

be done and cost efficiencies achieved.

In the next category of technical assistance to individual

companies, the Department of Commerce was asked to disseminate

to the entire industry information that comes from the Footwear

Industry Team. I understand they have done this. A number of

individual companies are receiving benefits from the so-called

"FIT Diagnostic Program" and the subsequent adjustment plan, but

we felt there would probably be a wealth of information in these

particular efforts. First, it must be desensitized to remove

individual company data and proprietary secrets and then summarized

to provide a useful document. Thus, the industry could benefit

from the examination of different types of companies and operations

by many experts. The Department of Commerce has taken the first

step with the consultants to do that.

Another effort under this category is audit for the noncertificated companies. Many, if not all, companies have been injured

by imports. Thus, Department of Commerce-funded audits should be

the means by which companies not certificated under the Trade

Adjustment Assistance Program could receive some share of the

government program. There would be cost-sharing on a 25/75 basis

for those firms who were not certificated and yet wanted to avail

themselves of assistance.

Grants for improving manufacturing methods would allow individual companies to apply for technical and economic assistance

from the Department of Commerce. This could involve the purchase

'and modification of existing manufacturing of equipment. These

grants would be made to companies having ideas for improving

productivity. Funding would allow them to implement those proposals.

Investment incentive provisions would supplement limited

technical assistance programs. The government should explore the

possibility of providing accelerated depreciation, more substantial capital investment tax credits, and dispensing of various

regulatory expenses, such as OSHA, for the industry. This longer

term process is important if our industry is to achieve fundamental and long-term stability. That the short-term technical

assistance is insufficient for this purpose and that we need some assistance in this area, is not unique; other industries such as airline and housing have it.

85
We are working actively in our industry to promote the

fifth area, exports. The Department of Commerce has been most

cooperative in setting up an export program with us and this

September a number of firms will go to Dusseldorf to show their

products to try to get into the European market. This will be

followed by trade missions to other countries, such as Sweden,

where there may be a substantial market potential.

This five-part program, submitted to the Department of

Commerce in February, tries to reflect the thinking of some

if not all of the members of our industry. We hope that all

of these in some form will survive the government - industry pro- cess and that in sum they will be useful to all of us. Thank you.

86
RELATING TECHNOLOGIES TO THE MARKETPLACE*

Beth Levine

Footwear Designer

Relating technology to the marketplace. I do like the subject given to me for making any contribution I can to the symposium. To me, it means that a designer is constructive, practical,

aware of the facts of marketing life, does not work in a vacuum,

and even possesses common sense. I am really thankful for that

profound understanding.

Let me define, as I see it, the problem and then the planned

strategy. The U.S. gave the world the idea of mass production; the

idea of shoes in pairs; and the idea that more sizes means more

satisfaction and greater sales. Stimulating desire by more variety

in style and design opened new avenues of appropriate use and function. We encouraged freedom of choice as part of our democratic v blessing. We gave the world corn, tobacco, potatoes, and the

American native moccasin, patent leather and the cowboy boot.

We brought with us from the Old World the respect and the love

of the well-crafted shoe, and we developed a remarkable industry

that made us the best shod nation in the world. We had leather,

wood, cotton and steel, among other things. In addition, we had

technologists for developing rubber, new concepts in weaving and

fabrication, and tanning developed to a fine art. We employed a lot of people. Do you know that, only a few short years ago, the

shoe industry in our country was the 12th largest employer? At

that time, it was a matter of great concern to President Kennedy

that we needed young people to become valuable workers in a muchrespected trade. He knew then what we are facing now, and saw

that more jobs might lead to less crime in the streets, too.

History may be defined as the art of trying to understand

and control the future. Whether the past stays alive depends

largely upon the lessons we draw from it and utilize in the present. So, we were great, smart, and fat in the pocket, and we could be nice people and enjoy playing Lady Bountiful. Don't

mistake me; I am glad I am on this side of the Marshall Plan.

*Beth Levine started her presentation by showing a 5-minute

film which chronicled new fashion trends and materials in

footwear she pioneered during her many years as a footwear

designer, all still current in fashion and the industry today.

87
Yes, it was cheap labor we were seeking, but while this was happening, we were cheapening ourselves. We were cheapening

our goals, our abilities, and our integrity to the consumer.

We forgot that we were supposed to be ingenious, pioneering,

daring and decent, with taste and judgment. We forgot that

productivity combined with creative design and technology

countered cheap labor.

Before the tanners had the excuse of protecting our environment, by and large they gave up trying to develop quality

leathers. A lessening of standards, having nothing to do with

price, permeated the market. We had a Hubschman, a Lowenstein,

an Agoos, and Davis to the north in Canada. They still refer

to Davis in Paris for nobody made colors and finishes as well.

Incidentally, does anybody use leather insoles in your shoes?

The inside of the shoe is what touches you; the insole is the

foundation of the shoe, but I know of no shoes left in this

country with leather insoles, except for some men's shoes. The

outsole is one thing, and there are things we can do about it

with leather and good synthetics, but I suggest the tanners do

something about the insole. Forgive me for emphasizing that

so strongly, but it is a very important point.

Blending technology and design is a must! This story

illustrates another point about leather. We wanted leather some years back that was noncrack for soft boots. That was asking

too much, so we found it in France. After that, I wanted to make

a leg-fitting boot. Vamos had something that almost worked, but

the company that made it would not even try to make it workable.

I found stretch vinyl from Cohn-Hall -Marx . We struggled with

it, and found that within their own company they had another

type used for upholstery. I wanted the two wedded to get the

desired result, and that was not easy either. I wanted colors

for our business, and they would not make brown. They had

discontinued it. I found some at a jobbers.

Things changed when the stretch boot became a resounding

success, of course. Still, I wanted it smoother to slide more easily over the stockinged leg. The original vinyl had a fuzzy back. I found stretch urethane, made with nylon, in

Italy. The maker tried to dissuade us from using it, because

it was not strong-enough and scuff -proof - enough for shoes. We

asked him to make it better, and the whole world enjoyed

those results.

8 8
Let me mention one other example. I thought it would be

nice if we had the comfort in our leather dress shoes that was enjoyed in sneakers. So we put crepe soles on patent leather,

kid and calf. We did it first on a wedge pump and a moccasin,

then a sandal, and then a boot. To ask for something special

and finished was fruitless for us. We cut plantation crepe and

then experimented with making chemical mixtures and adhesives,

so that the soles would not peel like a banana. At one time,

it was an innovation just to put a crepe sole on a leather

shoe, but they thought you were trying to save money. Once

a tough, conservative and important retailer said to me: "I

don't understand you, Beth. You fight harder for one pair

than anybody else would for a 100,000 pairs. Why do you do

it?" I answered "if one pair of the new idea gets on the feet

of the right person at the right time and place, it could mean millions of pairs." It has happened. I can prove it.

Thinking big often means starting small.

Once we got through the buyer to the consumer, both the

stretch boot and the crepe sole wedge spread like a grass fire.

The stretch boot was difficult, and I remember trying to get

some in one important Store in New York. They finally allowed

me to send a few trial pairs up; but they sent them back. One

pair got lost. A lady found them, put them on, and would not

take them off. That pair spread the news like wildfire through

the city. The other day I said to Herb, "I have an idea that

I think would be as big as the boot for the shoe industry."

He asked me quietly, "Are you sure you want to go through that

again?" That is the way it still is in the U.S. Ask any designer about cooperation from the industry before an idea becomes

an accepted fact, I asked a few before I came, and it seems

it is even worse. They all say, "We just have to work around

it. We do not even bother asking for the development of materials

we need any more."

I have cited a few illustrations of the way a designer works.

A designer cannot work in the abstract. The designer must anticipate the future needs of the consumer, of society itself, and

of the marketplace. The designer needs the technician for the

implementation of an idea to make it practical and workable.

Let us uncover our Achilles' heel and learn how to work

together. We must face facts. Some of our shoes are marvelous,

and some are terrible. We should adjust our standards, and stop

the excuses. How can our technologists help? As you sow, so shall you reap. In the timing of style and design changes for

manufacturing and delivery, you will have to adjust your thinking

to modern times and be able to change directions quickly. If

89
open shoes are desirable, make them good and stop complaining.

Establish a factory attitude that flexes with the times. It

is just as easy and takes the same time to do something well

as half well. Isn't it a shame that our country practically

gave up on the sneaker just when it was becoming the greatest?

The jogging shoe, the basketball shoe, the working dentist

shoe, and the shoe cutter's shoe are some examples. To be

big is fine; to become obese so you cannot move is another

thing

.

I keep thinking of the brilliant shoe engineer working for

one of the machine companies who told me, "A manufacturer calls

me and asks 'What's new?' I say, 'I have something.' They say,

'Come right over.' I do, and they say, 'Who are you making it

for?' I say, 'No one yet. That is why I am showing it to you'.

They say, 'Come back when you are making it for somebody else.'"

That's a true story.

The United States is really the biggest common market in

the world. We are the biggest exporter of shoe ideas in the

world because we have the capacity of our voracious market to

buy the pairs. Don't all shoes, except sports and athletic

shoes, look outmoded to you? In this nation of the Moon Walk,

Edison, the Wright Brothers, the computer, and the automobile,

don't our shoes look like the 1940's and 50's?

Computer stitching is brilliant and exciting, but the needle

must still be threaded in the old-fashioned way. Flow molding

can make soles and uppers, but our thinking is only to put the

process into the cheapest form of footwear without developing

it as a superior technology. Do you remember when cemented

shoes were considered the bottom of the barrel, and not to be

used by anyone except the cheapest? Now it is the method.

I would also like to remind you that there are fine leathers

that technologists could be working with in conjunction with new processes and molds. If you are trying to do something that has

the feel and look of leather, why not have a frame of reference

of good leather so that your technicians can understand what it

is. Why not have a frame of reference of anything good? Quiana

was great because they tried to make it the best way, not the

cheapest way. Do you remember when cotton was supposed to be

cheap, and now pure cotton is as expensive as silk and more desirable

.

A classic current case is the injection-molded fisherman

sandal. It can be produced profitably for $2.00, and can

shod the world. But we did not respect it, until it was copied

90
as a high fashion sandal from Paris. You wear the shoes in our mobile world; you do not wear the machine or the label. But our industry is so slow to react.

New products and new habits make new markets. The time is now for a new beginning, before it is too late. The manufacturer

and the technologist must close ranks. Where injection molding

or flow molding machinery is too costly for one, perhaps there

can be some kind of contracting. Where the idea is new and

the retailer is wary, there must be some ingenious method devised

to reach the consumer to test the new idea. The little guy who

thinks and acts creatively must know where to go for technological

knowledge. He is the one who introduced the automatic transmission and bakelite for example, the accepted advances in our society today. The successful creation of a Footwear Technology

and Education Center in the United States is of the highest priority,

and I am glad to see this being pursued as an important ingredient

in the revitalization of the domestic footwear industry.

We must learn to give the consumer shoes for a myriad of

activities; shoes at prices the consumer can afford to pay; and

shoes that ai e comfortable, so that even Los Angeles may learn

to walk again, and save energy, too. We must give the American

manufacturer trained workers. We must give the workers trained

foremen who can teach them to make it better.

For the technologists, I would like to leave you with this

story. You know there is a glass that is stronger than steel.

A Corning Glass scientist was called in by the company head who

said, "You know we make glass?" Bewildered, the scientist

responded "Yes." The head man said, "Glass has certain properties.

It is inert, it is translucent, it can be colored, shaped, textured, and now it even withstands thermal shock." "Yes." "But,

there is one thing wrong with it. It breaks. Now fix that."

Questions And Answers

Q: You say that the industry is not very receptive to your ideas.

Can you tell us why this is so?

Levine: A new idea shakes everyone up. Some people get nervous,

and some love the idea. As a country we are so fat, and we think that because we made it, they have to buy it. Others

have proved that while we were sitting saying how smart we

are, they could do it better. I know some of those markets.

I was there, I helped. I sent patent leather to custom makers

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in Europe, American patent leather was the best. They did not even make it any place else. They finally made it well in

Mexico too, because they would not even make the colors here

if you wanted a color. They brought the machinery to clean

the air in Mexico City to make it good.

Comment: You talk about the industry being fat. Domestic industry has not been fat for some time, and it has been very upset

by imports and other problems. I am the only independent shoe

retailer in this room, and I think more should have been here.

It is our fault. I also think there are a lot of manufacturers

who should have been here. I am proud of the people who are

here. I know what a great service you and your husband have

done to the industry, and I only wish that there were more of

you. However I do not think that the problem now is fatness.

Levine: I am sorry if I made that point upside down. I said

we were fat. Right now our industry is a little better in

certain parts but only because of the tremendous inflation

in Europe; that has become the factory filler here. I am here only to face facts. I am not asking for signs of the

closing of business, as you know, but I ask you, as an American retailer, would you accept newness easily? I hope

so. Well, I think we here in America owe it to the world

to do something new in shoes.

Q: What new ideas do you see on the horizon?

Levine: If we're interested in real, real newness, and something

that has not yet been tried and proven, why don't we do

this - develop a shoe that we can just step into and have

lock around the foot? I think there is much yet to be done,

especially with the flexibility of soles and with body movement. Why not try?

Q: Would you care to comment on how we might train young people

who come into the shoe industry to be more fashion conscious?

Levine: If you want them in the shoe business, then make it

attractive and self-respecting. A lot of people love the

shoe business. A lot of young people are attracted to it,

and if you make it available to them, they will be there.

Also, shoe companies should take advantage of the natural

resource in women's shoes by employing women someplace.

That would be a very practical beginning. When I was hammering on the business of the leather insole, I think

that most of you did not know what I was talking about,

but a women would.

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Q: Is there a danger that some of the new fashions only cater

to a whim, that are very extreme fads, and are extremely

unfunctional?

Levine: Although there are some extreme fashions today, they

won't always be considered that way. Some of the shoes that

are accepted weren't accepted 30 years ago. Open-toed shoes

used to be called hooker shoes in the 1940' s. Open- toed

shoes were a revolution. They were in bad taste, but today

they are top fashion. There have been more revolutions in

shoes than any other part of apparel. Diana Vreeland, the

head of the Costume Institute of New York and the high

priestess of fashion, says that the two most important

fashion innovations in this generation are the blue jean

and the boot. But you asked about function. To me function

is comfort. The shoe is what the foot is most sensitive to.

To the industry, that's a blind spot, but not to the con- sumer. The shoe can cause discomfort and unexplained distress. Shoes should feel beautiful on the inside as well

as the outside. This point has been proven by the success

of the boot.

The boot is interesting, not because of the fashion, but

because of the feeling. The first time I did a high-heeled

leather boot, I had this beautiful leather I could not stand

to cut, so I made it into a seamless boot. It was comfortable, even though you had to pull the boot on. The last

boots I made had the lightness of weight and the comfort

of a nylon stocking. I believe that the boot in some form

will always be in style because it is comfortable and a bad leg can look good in it.

Q: What is your personal thought of the possibilities of computers in designing? Do you think in the future that it might

be of great help in inventiveness?

Levine: If you can get something done faster and you can see

it faster, that would be a help, particularly if it can give

you this tri-dimensional perspective that we need in shoes.

As you know, we work upside down. Sometimes a designer can

do something in a flash and sometimes it takes months to

develop. Anything that can speed up the process and keep

the creative activity going would be marvelous.

93
Dr. Wolek" Thank you, Beth for a delightful presentation. It

confirms one of the basic philosophies that has underlined our whole approach to technology. Technology is not a machine we can

just install in the factory, press a button, and get reduced costs

and the increased sales. There is going to have to be some very

hard work to couple the technology with the market strategy for

each product line. We may need to change the way we work with

retailers, with consumers, and with each other to provide the

value that justifies the cost of and the commitment to American

manufactured products. I am pleased to see that there is a spirit in this group to move forward and examine various technologies as they tie into the whole corporate picture. In con- clusion, we must define some specific steps for our future well

being

.

9 4
SYMPOSIUM INTEGRATION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Dr. Jordan Baruch

Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology,

U.S. Department of Commerce

My purpose in this wrap-up session is to integrate the important aspects of our discussions yesterday and today as well as to

chart the course of our future actions. To help in this task, I have just spent a couple of hours being briefed by the working

group leaders on your discussions in all ten parallel groups. Let me share some of my own feelings, then I want to hear your questions

and comments on our two days of discussions.

One of my biggest concerns is the natural slowness with which

the Federal Government moves; I know many of you share this con- cern. But there are things we can do about that. One example is

in the development of a footwear center. I know uppermost in your

mind is the establishment of a footwear center to focus upon the

development of the basic technologies and services on which your

business depends. Dr. Wolek already told you this morning that we agree with this goal. Moreover, we will remain alert to actions

we can take to make the process of establishing the center move as fast as feasible. Although the necessary and detailed planning will

take some time, we in the Department will do everything we can to

make sure the timely availability of needed resources acts as a stimulus rather than as an impediment to the process. This may take

the form of earmarking parts of existing funds or, if necessary, to

request a supplement to our budget authority. The point is that we want to minimize the effects of artificial fiscal calendars. I have

already spoken to the Under Secretary on this matter and I have his

full support.

We are going to need help from you in the form of substantive

thinking. We will need the advice and review of knowledgeable foot- wear industry people in making the planning and allocation decisions

that we are required to make. We will need advice on the functions

and structure of the footwear center as well as on the technology

needs of the industry. We will need the ideas of the most resourceful and innovative representatives of all parts of the industry - shoe manufacturers, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, retailers,

and organized labor. These will be working groups, not study groups.

Therefore, I make an urgent request of you today, to send nominations

of such industry representatives to me directly. Let me give you

further examples of what I believe has to be considered and the role

of the industry in this process.

95
At lunch today the working group leaders told me their members

said: "We need help in the fitting room, we need to consider the

questions of three dimensional stitching, we need people to address

the flexibility of set up and change in the fitting room. We are particularly concerned about transferring goods from one machine

to another and handling goods as they pass through a machine. We

want help in the whole CAD-CAM area".

One of the characteristics of computer-aided design is that

once the basic information is in the computer, there is no end to

what you can do with it- from inventory management to factory loading.

However, each of those applications takes a lot of effort and money.

It also takes education of the people who will use it. Clearly,

a center such as the one we are talking about has to not only be

concerned with research and development, but also the actual transfer of the new capabilities that it generates. Technology transfer

will be a critical part of the center responsibilities.

In reviewing research centers and collaborative programs in

Europe and Japan, we learned that there has to be not only an interest on the part of industry, but also an active involvement on their

part in selecting and evaluating the projects in such centers.

Otherwise, you will have a new research institute doing all sorts of

interesting things, but without having much actual impact. That would

not be a good place for the footwear industry to be right now. You

need help on directly applicable things. We also need industry partic

ipation because the government is going to be cautious about spending

other people's money for helping a specific industry. What they are going to need is a demonstration that if we do "A", the potential

payoff looks like this, and the impact will be thus and so on our balance of trade and on the small companies, and the medium companies,

and the large companies.

This only people who can generate that kind of knowledge come from the industry. Therefore, unlike most government activities, we are going to insist that the individual projects be guided by industry people. There is some difficulty with that when you start getting

industry people on a CAD-CAM project; although they can visualize the use of it to a limited extent, they also need the opportunity to inter

act with well-trained technical people. That we will provide. We

will contract for it where it is appropriate or provide you with

Department staff when that is necessary. We will also get you the

equivalent of a technology marketing person, somebody who can explain

the meaning of the technologists' ideas to you, the users. The best

development organizations in industry work like that. They have

transfer people to work between the management and technical people.

96
When I say I want a nomination of candidates from you, I want

very special kinds of people. I am not particularly looking for manu- facturing engineers or industrial engineers, but rather people who

have to make decisions in the company. The major decision makers

must be involved and that includes chief executive officers and vice

presidents of marketing from all sizes of companies. I would like some input from the retailers and from the equipment manufacturers.

From those nominations we will then try to form a representative

committee. Normally in something like this, the center would engage

in this process with you. My hope is that once we have got a center

established, most of the development activities you are interested

in will be performed there.

In the meantime, I do not think we should wait for the Footwear

Center to get established and operational before starting some of

these projects. As soon as these committees can get formed and

interacting, we can then seek standby technical research and development assistance. If we need CAD-CAM help, the shoe industry may end

up contracting with General Motors or MIT or other specialists. We

want to get research activities started. I would like to briefly

discuss a list of projects that the discussion leaders spoke to me about at lunch and get your reactions. I would also like to get

your reactions to the scheme that I have proposed to organize. And

I would like to get your reactions to the whole approach that we are taking

.

I mentioned the need for help in the fitting room, CAD-CAM,

and computer aids for management information. These three are inseparable. Computer-aided design leads to things like rational inventory

control, material requirements, inventory control systems, shipping

schedules, procurement schedules and preplanning. They could go

together into a computer-aided shoe manufacturing project. One

thing that did not come up was OSHA. For example, the industry is

going to require help in the noise control of its equipment. Adjusting to any such regulatory requirements are one reasonable place

for us to participate with you. The last item that came up at that

meeting was bonding and adhesive systems, which is of perpetual con- cern to the industry.

This is a good point to respond to your questions and comments.

Questions and Answer s

Q (Norman Germeny, AFIA) : The computer-aided design conversation

did not appear to me to go quite far enough into the method of

last making, which has the special problem of still being primarily

an artisan approach.

Baruch: I agree we should look more into last making. If you are going to get into shoe design, the sorts of things that you put

97
into the computer first are constraints. For example, if you

have an assortment of lasts, you can store them in computer

memory and move the shoe design to any last and the computer can test the fit. However, there is another step. If you have a shoe design that does not fit an existing last, it becomes important to be able to use that same digitized information as an input

to the process of last patterning and last molding. If we look

at this production process as a whole system from beginning to end,

we, especially the committee, will recognize where the bottlenecks

are

Q (Narminder, Kapany, Kaptron, Inc.): The concept of the Footwear

Center is a very exciting one. The industry is in trouble; therefore, the need for an agency for solving problems is realistic.

However, when the going gets rough, will the first thing to go be

research?

Baruch: That is just the sort of thing that our studies and the center

advisory committee will have to address. In our studies of productive laboratories in industry, we find the discretionary or bootleg

fund of a laboratory ranges from 15 to 17 percent. A bootleg fund

Is money given to someone who has an unusual idea. That kind of

bootleg money turns out to be among the most productive money spent

in an industrial laboratory. Many companies have a fixed figure in

their budgets for this. Hopefully, the center would have the same kind of flexibility.

Q (Tom Bleasdale ,USM) : I am going to ask a more fundamental question.

Dr. Wolek described the center in terms of research and development.

Fred Meister emphasized education and other similar responsibilities

for this center in addition to helping in technology and research.

I represent the supply sector for the footwear industry, which like

the shoe manufactureres , has suffered due to shoe imports. This

afternoon, you spoke about this center more as a research and development center. Can you find a balance between an educational center

a capability to use high technology, and a fully fledged R§D center?

This is a small industry. If we are eventually to fund this center

and it gets into expensive research and development programs without sharp marketing input, then the industry will not be able to

afford to support it.

Baruch: Absolutely. If I did not mention the supplier industry, it

is because I lumped them with machinery people, and that was a mistake. Clearly, there are many suppliers in the industry.

Paul Olsen's study of innovation in the textile industry showed that over 90 percent of the innovation in those businesses came from the

suppliers of those businesses. A major thing that such a center

can do is to prepare the firms to absorb the technology. One of

the major difficulties in this is education. The center committee

will investigate what kind of a center is appropriate for the shoe

industry. Perhaps you will ensure that suppliers are represented

in that slate of nominations I requested.

98
Wolek: I can understand your confusion. A footwear technology

center would provide the education and services you want. With

that type of capability established, there will be a technical

know-how available for doing research and development. That

research and development can be supported on a project basis by

the government. There is no difference then between what we are talking about. There is still an important issue, however, of

the kind of research and development that will be done. The R§D we contemplate is in an area Dr. Baruch calls infratechnology

,

and it is the type that supports suppliers, rather than sets up

a government-assisted competitive network to the supplier.

Baruch: If we look at the technology structure in the United States,

we find that basic research is generally very well done by universities. Development of new products and processes is well done by

industry. Government has a role in the research area where no industry can support it alone. Government has essentially no role

in the development area, except when it is the development of some- thing the government wants to procure. There is an area between

these two that I call infratechnology . By infratechnology development, I mean the basic technologies on which industry builds its

new products and processes. When I said a center like this might

work on adhesive systems, they will not compete with manufacturers

because they will not provide adhesives to the shoe industry. They

could work on projects such as investigating those kinds of adhesives

or adhesive combinations that would eliminate pre-roughing . That

information then becomes available to the members of that center,

those supporting it on a regular basis. Presumably it will be incorporated into the new products of the suppliers, if it is useful.

To me a technology center should provide the kinds of services that were provided by the most successful ones I saw in Europe.

The best ones I have seen in Europe are organized as follows. They

have a governing board made up primarily of industrial representatives, along with some government representatives. The main purpose of this board is to define project areas with the help of the

technical members on the board and technical staff. They select

the set of projects that will have significant impact on that industry. Money and guidance flow from the industry to that center. The

government also provides funding, but generally to support specific

projects in a customer-buyer relationship. The government's choice

of a project is different from industry's. The industry may pick

a product on one set of criteria, while the government in general

will ask what social benefits accrue from that. Does it increase

employment, does it increase our balance of payments, is it antiinflationary? The projects the government does not choose to support are supported primarily by the funds that flow from industry.

Generally there is a flow of funds on some matching level. You

might, for example, start the Federal share at a 75 percent level

the first year and drop to nothing in five years. We found a wide

range of that kind of thing.

99
What does this type of institute generate? The best ones we have

seen generate three benefits. One is planning for the industry.

It looks at where the competition to the industry as a whole is

growing and plans activities to benefit the industry over a longer

range time horizon than is usually used by planning executives in

individual firms. This effort represents typically about 10 percent

of their total funding. Another thing it does is research and

development. It actually works on the development of that infratechnology we discussed. This represents 45 percent of their

funding

.

The last and most important activity that most of these institutes

engage in, using about 45 percent of their funding, is a combination of consulting, education, and technology transfer. The con- sulting activity is not done for the whole industry, but for an individual firm. That work is paid for by fee by the firm. The

firm specifies the problem and hires the people, generally those

who have been working directly on this inf ratechnology development.

They help in consulting. In technology transfer, there is a simi-1 lar process, usually directly with the suppliers to the industry.

They do a market analysis of their own industry for a new technology and then go to the suppliers and get them started on the

product development needed for the technology. The education

activity, also paid for by the firms, is a general ongoing activity

that includes collecting the best technology available to the industry, providing it to the users, and teaching them how to use it.

It is essentially the function that a library and educational group

play together in a good industry.

Some of these have both extensive publication systems and a below

threshold consulting system, where so many hours are available to

any member free for consulting activity. Incidentally, probably

not all the firms in the industry will be supporting members of

this center, because it takes money and it may take people. In

England and in Sweden they charge a differential price to members

and nonmembers for consulting and transfer activities. Also in

England the new infratechnologies become available to the members

continuously. They get progress reports; nonmembers get only a final report. The reason that nonmembers get any information what- soever is because part of the funding comes from the government.

One of the things you will find as we work together on the design

of a U.S. footwear industry center is that the big concern of the

antitrust division is who cannot participate and receive the benefits of such a center. This is the kind of paradigm we see in

other industries and nations. I have no idea whether it is appropriate for the shoe industry. But if it is not, I would like to

hear about it.

100
Q (Tom Bleasdale) : As a supplier, we have spent more than 4 percent of our volume on research and development. We have a lot of

the technology to do some of the things that are required, but the

expense of the development costs for a relatively small industry

did not justify us continuing beyond the model stage. I believe new technologies are not necessarily absent from the suppliers; the

fact is that we are dealing with a relatively small industry.

There should be some way this center could assist the suppliers

in applying the technology they have developed.

Baruch: The problem is that each group has their own view or solution to a problem and each has its place. Government bureaucrats

should not decide which is the appropriate route for the shoe

industry. My hope is that each group or their representative on that board would push for their idea until a decision is made.

Another approach you might take, however, is to go to the government and say, "Look, this is too much for us to tackle, and yet

we see this as a useful approach in many areas. Does the government want to participate in funding us directly?" When you do that,

you lose part of your exclusive patent protection. That is the kind

of management decision you have to make.

Let me go one step further with the supplier question, if I may.

This is only one center. One of my current dreams about this approach we are taking is that there will be many such centers serving

other industries. When I testified to Senator Stevenson, I pointed

out that the work we are doing with the shoe industry is a paradigm

for the work we may be doing with the computer industry five years

from now. In Japan the government and industry together are investing $300 million in large-scale integrated circuits, $100 million

in flat-screen television display, and $40 million in fiber optics.

Those things pay off.

Over the next few years we must realize that this country will be

engaged in a different kind of war than ever before - an economic

war. Unfortunately, the people we have to look out for are our friends

.

One thing I would like to see in these American industrial technology centers is an effective communication link. If we can get

these centers working together, we could get an additional function in this footwear center, that is to coordinate with the other

centers so that needs can flow across industries. That sort of

interaction between industries needs to be institutionalized in our society. Thus, I see the shoe center as vitally important to you,

but also to other parts of the economy. For one thing, if we develop demand for a product that is too large for the shoe industry to

work on, it may well not be too large for a wider range of other

industries. Knowing USM, I know they do their marketing homework

101
in the textile business as well as the shoe business, but this

should be institutionalized at a level where others besides

United Shoe Machinery can have this breadth of vision.

Q (Graham Butlin, SATRA) : I would like to comment on the British

research associations. The potential danger is that if you hire

a research association that has a high proportion of its income

coming from membership fees, you will find that that research

association normally offers virtually nothing to nonmembers.

Research organizations that are highly contract research oriented,

and who have a lower proportion of their total income coming from

membership fees, do in fact have a two-tier system of charging.

There will be fundamental problems of attracting members who want

to know what they will get back for their dollar. If they are expected to contribute to fairly large central services covering

a wide spectrum, they are not going to do it, if they can get the answers without joining.

Baruch : The problem will be how do we balance what goes to the

members, versus the nonmembers? If it turns out that everything

has tc go to everybody at the same time, then it is going to be

a government institution. If it turns out that only the members

can get the benefits, it may be a pure membership institute. The

Monopolies Inquiry Board is much more relaxed about the RA's in

Great Britain, but ours has not had that same 32 years of experience. We have a different problem in the U.S. We have to make

something available to nonmembers, and we have to provide differential availability to members that warrants them taking the investment step. That is part of the planning process that this committee

will have to work on, and that is why both industry and government

should be represented on the committee.

Let's not ignore the antitrust issue. It is legal under the antitrust laws in this country for any group of companies to get

together to do research, provided they do not suppress the results.

However, no legal counsel of any company will tell his president

that it is alright to do it. Companies are very sensitive about

this in this country. It is not just the law that is involved, but

also the perception of the law. We want the antitrust division to

join us in the creative stage, help design the system, and give us

a "no present intention to prosecute" letter, that says the design

fits our antitrust laws, before we get the companies involved.

That is part of what is going to take time in getting such a center

set up.

Q (Jacob Rabinow, NBS) : In your model what is the amount of funding

needed, both from industry and the government?

102
Baruch: Well, that is also going to depend on the industry a lot.

The RA's in England and Sweden are funded roughly 50/50, if you

look across the whole spectrum of them. Some of them are heavily

funded by industry and lightly funded by government and viceversa. Dr. Wolek talked about an initial government involvement

of 75 percent in the first year, dropping to 0 percent in the fifth

year. That is also 50/50 integrated over five years. I worry,

however, that in that system the center might change when it became

entirely industry. It might start working on things that are not

socially interesting or start excluding members and get in trouble

with the antitrust division.

The total funding varies greatly, but you want a budget that matches

the task. One reason we will have these committees is to look into

the task to determine the payoff and its cost and to determine the

interest of the industry.

Comment: I think there is a danger in what we are doing. You might

get a large board of people contributing enough time and money,

but when it comes to a supporting situation, they might sit back

and just watch the people who are paying money for a structure that

might not buit them. That is a danger in the formation of a center

based on people that are not committing themselves to supporting it.

Baruch: Absolutely. We will also not take the results of the committee

as the final structure of the center, but rather as a starting point.

The RA's in Sweden had the industry form the foundation, get the

members, and put money into it, and then they neogtiated with the

government. My only concern about the initial structure is to pin

down government- type problems, like antitrust. The actual organization of the center, I'm sure, will be largely left to the members

of the board, who are in fact the representatives of the contributing

corporations

.

103

APPENDICES

Contractors' Reports and Participant List

List of Contractors' Reports Page

Manufacturing Technologies

A. Innovative Approaches in Technology and Processes to

Aid the Shoe Industry Through the Transfer of

Technology from Other Industries

Arthur D. Little, Incorporated 107

B . Candidate Innovative Manufacturing Technologies for the

U.S. Nonrubber Footwear Industry

Battel le - Columbus Laboratories 123

C . The Custom-Fit Concept- - Innovation in the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Denver Research Institute 161

D. Manufacturing Technologies for the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute. . 169

E . Manufacturing Technologies for the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 205

Business Strategies

F . A Study of Competitive Business Strategies and

Technological Advancement in the U.S. Nonrubber

Footwear Industry

Charles W. O'Connor and Associates 283

G . A Business Strategy to Enhance the Competitive

Position of the U.S. Nonrubber Footwear Industry

Zinder Energy Management, Incorporated 309

List of Participants . . .

H. Participants at the Footwear Technology Symposium . . . 339

105

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES TO AID

THE SHOE INDUSTRY THROUGH THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY

FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES

Report to

NBS Shoe Team

U.S. Department of Commerce

May 15, 1978

C-81706

Arthur D Little, Inc

107
TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

II. NONWOVEN TECHNOLOGY

III. PAPERMAKING TECHNOLOGY

IV. ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

V. PLASTIC MOLDING AND FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY

VI. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO SHOEMAKING

VII. BENEFIT COST ANALYSES OF THE IMPACT

OF A MOLDED POROUS SHOE UPPER

VIII. BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY

BULK PROCESSED MATERIAL TO NEAR FINISHED SHOE

IX. COOPERATIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN

GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY

108
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

This report covers the work conducted by Arthur D. Little, Inc., under the

direction of the NBS Shoe Team, U. S. Department of Commerce on Purchase

Order No. 808207. It presents the results of our findings with respect to innovative manufacturing technologies applicable to footwear production

considering the potential transfer of technology from such diverse industries as nonwovens, pulp and paper, electronic circuit board, and plastics.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives as stated by the NBS Shoe Team for the studies

involve innovative approaches in technology and processes to aid the shoe

industry were stated as follows:

"To identify current and /or advanced (within five year spectrum)

manufacturing technologies which singularly and/or in concert

could impact the production process of the U. S. nonrubber foot- wear industry;

To quantitatively evaluate the benefit these technologies could

provide domestic manufacturers of nonrubber footwear relative

to foreign footwear producers; and

To identify areas where cooperative efforts between government

and industry are appropriate for developing needed manufacturing

technology or facilitating the use of existing manufacturing

technology.

APPROACH

In carrying out this work internal meetings were held among our staff who

consult in these industries. The team consisted of five core members and

15 industry oriented members. Following the initial transfer of technology sessions, the core team evaluated the suggested concepts for developing a more cost effective footwear industry. As a means of attesting the

practicality of our concepts, we contacted and held in-depth interviews

with shoe and shoe machinery manufacturers.

Our findings indicated that significant advances in technology could be

made utilizing transfer of technology with respect to:

• Shoe upper manufacturing techniques

• Shoe upper materials

• Mold design and manufacture

CONCLUSION

Our conclusion is that the U. S. shoe industry to be viable as a manufacturing entity that can compete worldwide will have to develop technology

to go directly from raw or processed bulk materials to finished or near finished footwear. The industry has demonstrated the capability of manufacturing shoe bottoms successfully but not shoe uppers using this principle

109
FINDINGS

We believe there is potential for the transfer of technology to the shoe

industry for the following processes and principles from the industries

presented below:

1. Nonwovens and pulp and paper industries.

• Hydraulic needling

• Vacuum deposition and forming

• Electrostatic t graying

• Dipping

2. Electronic circuit board manufacturing.

• Electroforming

• Vacuum plating

• Masking

3. Plastics industries.

0 Reaction injection molding of poromeric materials

G Liquid injection molding

O Dielectric and high frequency joining techniques

• Electron beam holing

o Laser holing

0 Fibrillation through the use of blowing agents

u Shrink wrapping

4. Other

• Dilatency principle applied to mold making

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I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Our program with the National Bureau of Standards Shoe Team, U. S. Department of Commerce under NBS, DOC Purchase Order No. 808207, was

to carry out a series of in-house technical meetings using Arthur D.

Little, Inc., experts in the areas of nonwovens, paper and pulp processes, electronics circuit board fabrication and plastics fabrication

processes, to determine if it was possible to develop innovative

approaches from these technologies and processes which could be transferred to the manufacture of shoes. An additional requirement was

that the cost effectiveness of such techniques should be investigated

and that any recommended technologies and approaches be such that they

could be adopted by the shoe industry within a 3-5 year time frame.

This report, in conjunction with our attendance and participation in

a seminar to be held on June 1 and 2, will conclude our participation

in this phase of the program.

Our work in the program began with a briefing at the National Bureau

of Standards on March 23, 1978. Arthur D. Little, Inc., was one of seven firms selected for this program. At the briefing information

and background data gathered by the NBS Shoe Team under the direction

of Ms. Margery King was presented. These data consisted of trip

reports on interviews held with shoe and shoe machinery manufacturers

and the American Footwear Industries Association (AFIA) . Some significant aspects of these data with respect to our program were the

percentage distribution of costs for an average shoe. Seventy-five

percent of the shoe cost is materials and labor with the ratio of

costs of materials to labor being 2:1. Of the labor costs, approximately 75% is expended in cutting, fitting, stock-fitting and lasting

of the upper. As a result of these observations, we focussed our attention on ways to effect innovative techniques and materials pro- cesses for reducing both materials costs and labor in forming the

shoe upper.

Ill
II. NONWOVEN TECHNOLOGY

In the nonwoven technology area, our internal meetings resulted in

suggestions for several opportunities for innovating shoe manufacturing

techniques based upon the utilization of nonwoven manufacturing processes and/or materials. An advantage of nonwoven technology is its

relatively low material production cost compared to textiles. There

is also considerable variety in the types of finished goods which can

be obtained. For example, webs with various degrees of fiber orientation, controlled porosity, and low bulk density can be built up by

appropriate fiber deposition methods. The webs may be subsequently

matted, bonded, and formed into shoe components or substrates for

further finishing.

The processes used to produce nonwoven roll goods are as follows:

• Dry processes in which the fibers are carded or air-laid

to form webs which are then bonded with polymeric binders

or needled t° impart strength.

• Wet processes in which webs are formed from aqueous

dispersions of fibers by papermaking techniques.

Binders are incorporated during or after web formation.

• Composite processes in which scrim, fibers, or foams are laminated with tissue, film, or nonwoven webs.

• Spunbonded processes in which webs are formed by in-line

melt spinning and deposition of fibers.

• Spunlaced processes in which fabrics are produced by

hydraulic needling of deposited fibers.

Most nonwoven fabrics are produced by dry processes, especially carding.

Spunbonded fabrics are the second most important type of nonwoven. Presently, nonwovens are used in the manufacture of coated, impregnated,

and laminated fabrics for shoe uppers, inner components for shoes and

boots, etc. Pellon Corporation in Lowell, Mass., for example, manufactures nonwoven interlinings for the shoe industry. Almost all manmade poromeric products have been based on a needled nonwoven substrate

layer of one type or another. Some of these, such as Corfam, have also

had a woven polyester/cotton or cotton fabric layer. Generally, the

types of fibers used are polyester, nylon, rayon, or polypropylene

either alone or as blends.

Most poromeric materials utilizing a nonwoven substrate follow a typical

manufacturing process:

1. Nonwoven web formation (specialty fibers may be used);

112
2. Impregnate with a binder to form a structural web;

3. Coat the bonded web;

4. Treat under conditions which, in conjunction with

specially formulated binder and coating used in

steps 2 and 3, develop porous structure; and

5. Apply color and surface finishes.

From our internal meetings, several suggestions were made for using

nonwoven technology or materials for making shoe uppers:

• Deposit staple fibers suspended in air on a porous last,

consolidate and impart integrity to the preform by

hydraulic needling, then treat by steps analagous to

1-5 above to produce poromeric upper.

• Deposit staple fibers suspended in air on a porous

last, consolidate and spray with binder, then dip

coat with vinyl plastisol.

• Develop or use synthetic leather in roll goods form

which can be bonded by ultrasonic energy or dielectric

heating techniques to form uppers. This type of bonding

would replace the labor intensive stitching operations

currently used.

• Injection mold an upper and apply flock to develop

desirable aesthetics.

113
III. PAPERMAKING TECHNOLOGY

Papermaking technology is used to produce a number of shoe components.

A good example is "Texon" inner sole material produced by Texon, Inc.

"Texon" is made by impregnating a heavy paper or board with polymeric

binder to impart the desired performance properties. Wet-laid nonwovens

are produced on paper machines using blends of wood pulp and longer

synthetic fibers. Technology is also available for dry forming paper

and related products by depositing the fibers from an air suspension.

Papermaking technology also encompasses pulp molding, an operation in

which the water suspension of fibers is deposited on a porous mold

to produce preformed shapes. Egg cartons and a variety of protective

shipping containers are examples of pulp molded items.

A concept proposed during our internal meetings was to form the shoe

upper by an adaptation of the pulp molding technique. A blend of

wood pulp and synthetic fiber would be deposited from a water or air

suspension onto a porous shoe last. The last might be made, for

example, from metal or plastic screen. The deposited fiber mat could

then be impregnated with a binder, and subsequently cured, or dipped

in a vinyl plastisol, or sprayed with a urethane coating.

Another way of forming the finish would be to use a shrink wrap such

as a vinyl chloride or pigmented polyethylene on top of a pulp which

was molded with an adhesive binder.

An example of a product formed using pulp and paper process techniques

is one which we developed using ground leather fiber with an elastomeric

binder that was dry-formed into a poromeric sheet. This dry process

could be adapted to three dimensional upper formation.

114
IV. ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

The manufacture of electronic circuit boards utilizes a variety of wet

and dry processing steps such as coating, chemical etching, photo

lithography, silk screening, plating, etc., to develop the electronic

circuitry. The objective was to identify techniques which could be

used in the creation of various designs for shoe uppers resulting in

improved productivity and styling. We found that the processing

techniques used in this industry, although potentially applicable in

obtaining the detail necessary in the design of shoe uppers, would not

be cost effective in the shoe industry. Other suggestions which came

from this technology involved the use of electroforming to obtain

minute detail on mold surfaces. Electroforming is used extensively

for production molds at this time. Vacuum plating and masking techniques as practiced in the electronics industry may also be applicable

in the manufacture of molds with special surfaces or effects.

115
V. PLASTIC MOLDING AND FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY

The various types of plastic molding and fabrication technologies which

were considered include:

• Sandwich molding;

• Two-shot moldxng;

• Hot stamping and warm forging technologies;

• Blow-molding combined with injection molding;

• Reaction injection molding (RIM);

o Low pressure liquid injection molding; and

• Non-sewing joining techniques such as ultrasonic,

dielectric and high frequency heating methods.

Many concepts were proposed for making shoes and/or shoe uppers using

non-conventional plastic molding techniques including sandwich molding,

two-shot molding, stamping technologies, and/or blow-molding followed

by injection molding. However, the problems associated with mold

design and fabrication and mold costs using such techniques indicated

that they would not be economically feasible for shoe manufacture.

The possibilities of using the emerging RIM technology and/or low

pressure liquid injection molding, however, were intriguing, and the

approach was therefore explored more fully. It was determined that

the RIM process might be adapted to shoe manufacture in several ways.

One approach would be to utilize the so-called RIM process for molding

a complete shoe upper (with or without a fibrous substitute) from a relatively low-density polyurethane composition. Another approach

would be to use the same RIM process for the liquid injection molding

of the upper section of shoes as two separate components which would

be subsequently joined by non-sewing thermal techniques. A very

flexible lightweight urethane could be used in the process and porosity

might be obtained by needle punching which would produce a continuous

path through the structure for breathability . Electrobeam holemaking

or laser holemaking are two other methods that could be used for

producing pores in the molded upper. The RIM molding technique could

also be used to apply a molded coating over an integral nonwoven

inner lining and other fibrous reinforcing parts located in the heel

and toe areas as required for stiffness and other properties.

Other techniques were suggested for making fibrous substrates which

would be less expensive than through the weaving process, and in some

cases, even cheaper than knitting. The first of these involves the use of plastic sheets such as expanded polypropylene which when

116
stretched and fibrillated forms a nonwoven substrate. The second

process utilizes slit fibers which, if appropriately done using

appropriate geometric patterns, can be formed into wovenlike structures

Another process, which was suggested for making shoe uppers, utilized

an adaptation of the process used to manufacture porous fabric reinforced vinyl gloves. In this process porous vinyl coatings can be

produced utilizing extractable media or air in the plastisol. In

adapting this process to shoe manufacture, one would first use a substrate consisting of a knitted sock which would slip on a conventional last or deposit a nonwoven substrate on a screen or porous

last. The lasted substrate would be dipped in the vinyl plastisol

formulation to build up the desired coating thickness. Subsequent

fusing and extraction of the formed piece would result in a porous,

breathable structure. To obtain an embossed three-dimensional

surface, however, one would have to use a female mold around the

coated last prior to and during the fusing of the plastisol. A RIM

type of system could also be utilized with the vinyl plastisol injected around the knitted sock on the last (male mold half). This

would be a low pressure system where the major adaptation of the RIM

process would be in the high speed injection techniques.

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VI. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO SHOEMAKING

Two significant approaches to the making of shoe uppers going directly

from bulk processed materials to the near finished shoe have resulted

from the amalgamation of several technologies; namely, nonwoven, pulp

and paper, and plastic.

A. Dip/Spray, Gel, and Fuse Approach

This process would require a last (male mold) over which a substrate

can be applied if a lining is desired; namely, a knitted lining which

can be easily pulled over the last. Other techniques to provide a textile substrate would involve the deposition of a nonwoven fiber

built up by a vacuum or electrostatic deposition on a special last.

If a textile lining is not required, the bare last would be used for

the depositing of the porous shoe upper material. A vinyl plastisol

would be deposited on the bare last or textile covered last by either

spraying or dipping, or a combination of both techniques. The vinyl

plastisol would be made porous utilizing known technologies involving

extractable additives. Thickness would be controlled by the amount

of dip or spray. If desired, preformed counters and box toes could

be placed on the coated textile lining material prior to dipping or spraying. Once the required thickness is built, a female mold would

be used to provide the outer surface finish in the final plastisol

fusing process.

B. Direct Molding Approach

Utilizing either RIM or low pressure liquid injection, this second

approach is the preferred method of going from bulk processed materials

to the near finished shoe. The last (male mold) can either be bare

or have a textile liner cover as described in the first approach. The

molding technique would be to use RIM or low pressure liquid injection

molding with either polyurethane or a vinyl plastisol resin system.

Either of these systems require relatively inexpensive male and female

molds since the pressures are low. In the case of polyurethane, the

technology already exists for the molding of porous urethane shoe

uppers and samples are available from the USM experimental program.

This process is covered by United States Patent 3,668,056 dated

June 6, 1972, entitled "Integral Microporous Article and Process of

Making." The abstract of this patent follows:

"A one-piece microporous clothing article such as a shoe

upper or glove is formed by molding a solidifiable liquid

emulsion of fine droplets of an organic liquid in a con- tinuous phase comprising reactive material convertible

through reaction to solidified resilient condition. The

emulsion is caused to gel and solidify with said droplets

held in the solidified material. The solidified material

118
in the form of a shoe upper or glove is removed from

engagement with the molding surface and the liquid is

removed without expanding the solidified material leaving

pores and discontinuities in the solidified material to

constitute passageways for air and vapor."

A porous upper could also be made by a low pressure injection molding

system using a liquid vinyl plastisol containing extractable additives.

The industry practice for making inexpensive low pressure molds involves the making of a rubber production master on which can be

deposited a metal shell by spraying a liquid metal or by spraying

using an electric arc gun or more conventionally by forming the shell

using electroforming techniques. These shells are backed up and

supported by a filled epoxy resin compound.

Another approach to a low cost mold for the manufacture of shoe uppers

would be applying the principle of dilatancy. Dilatancy could be used

in the production of the rubber master depending upon the level of

detail that can be achieved. The dilatancy principle involves the use of a flexible elastomeric bag which contains fine shot.

The bag is formed about the master male pattern which would be the

last and is made to conform to it. Then a vacuum is drawn on the bag

freezing the shape and detail of the master. Through an applied

research program this mold concept may evolve into a highly mechanized,

inexpensive method of making the female experimental and production

molds. Since the dilatant elastomeric mold can be readily formed to

mold a variety of sizes, the number and cost of female molds required

can be kept to a minimum.

119
VII. BENEFIT COST ANALYSES OF THE IMPACT OF A MOLDED POROUS SHOE UPPER

Each shoe process, whether it be Goodyear welt, stitchdown, cement,

injection molded, sandal construction, etc., finds its own niche.

The U. S. shoe industry being a marketing and sales oriented industry

uses the world as its procurement playground. We are recommending

a new manufacturing technology be developed for porous synthetic

uppers eliminating the need for the cutting room, the fitting room,

the lasting room and the need for pattern making. Soling and heeling

would be replaced by evolutionary equipment resulting from the present

technology used in the manufacture of unit soles and injection molded

bottoms. Finishing of the shoe upper would be done on a finishing

rink. The rink could be mechanized, automated or a combination of

mechanized and manual operations depending upon the style of the

shoe. • By employing this capital intensive approach to shoemaking

and by reducing dramatically the cost of materials and by the inherent

vast improvement in productivity, we would expect that the cost of

the molded porous upper and molded bottom would be less than half

of the manufacturing cost of conventional footwear of either the

cement welt, stitchdown, slip lasted, or other current processes.

With the development of this low-pressure liquid molding technology,

we would expect that the U. S. footwear industry could again become

an exporter of this type of footwear to developed nations as well as developing nations. At a later time the technology could be licensed

to other developed nations and developing nations without the risk

of a cost advantage on the part of the developing nations since the

labor content of the process is so very low and the capital intensity

is so very high. We would expect that the development program re- quired to arrive at a production prototype system for both the molding

operation of the shoe uppers and a more cost effective manufacturing

operation for the low-pressure molds and for a semi-automated finishing

rink is well within the 3 to 5 year limit and the cost and time for

the development are being studied at this time.

120
VIII. BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY

BULK PROCESSED MATERIAL TO NEAR FINISHED SHOE

In discussion with shoe manufacturers, their principal question to this

recommended new process of upper manufacturing was the expected limitation to styling. Their fear was that everyone would have the same

process, and hence all shoes manufactured utilizing porous synthetic

uppers would be so similar that there would not be a brand identity.

We believe that this new process of manufacturing uppers will offer

a freedom of styles and a uniqueness that is only limited by the

imagination of the stylist and the manufacturer.

Our concern with the development, because of its capital intensity,

is that the process will be available only to the manufacturers who

have sufficient capital to purchase the equipment and provide the

necessary capital for mold development and mold changes as the market

dictates

121
IX. COOPERATIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY

We concur with members of the industry that a research institute in

the U.S. supported by both the industry and by the Federal government

is highly desirable. The institute could act as a depository and

disseminator of a data base for all aspects of the shoe industry

including marketing, manufacturing, research and development. Programs

could be sponsored solely by supporting members of the industry as universal activities as well as groups of individual members. Longer

range development activities and, in particular, applied research

activities could be supported jointly by the industry and the Federal

government.

In the planning of a shoe industry institute, the benefit/support

parameters will have to be explored thoroughly, in particular, in the

light of previous activities on the part of the government such as the implementation of the Apparel Research Foundation. This particular

foundation flourished in its first three years of existence, but then

the support from the industry dried up.

122
FINAL REPORT

on

CANDIDATE INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE

U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

for

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

May 12, 1978

by

Herbert S. Kleiman

Gordon E. Pickett

Sponsored by

Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards

Purchase Order No. 808205

BATTELLE

Columbus Laboratories

505 King Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43201

123
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 125

Specific 125

General 126

INTRODUCTION 12}

OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE 127

BACKGROUND ..... 128

METHODOLOGY 129

ANALYSIS 131

Initial Review 131

Specific Technology/Application Review 139

Introduction 139

Technical Discussion 141

Recycling Leather Wastes .... 141

Leather Finishing by Shoe Manufacturer 147

Improved Adhesive Bonding . 150

TENTATIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ROLE 154

APPENDIX A

DISCARDED OUTPUTS FROM CREATIVE SESSIONS 158

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. First Cut of Technology/Application Candidates 132

124
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The major findings of this program are divided into two categories,

becific and general

pecif ic

1. Three basic technology/application areas are suggested for

rdustry consideration. They are recycling leather wastes, leather finishing

y shoe manufacturer, and improved adhesive bonding. Since the first two

irectly involve leather, they are heavily biased toward men's shoes. The

fiird item for bonding could apply across the board wherever synthetics

nd leather are used.

2. The men's footwear segment is an ideal candidate for technology

and indeed for nontechnical) consideration due to its size and relative abilty to withstand import penetration. Demand for leather in men's shoes should

emain at the present level, and quite possibly increase, while the available

upply will be more avidly sought by U.S. and foreign buyers. Greater leather

vail ability and more control over materials used would greatly assist the

.S. men's shoe manufacturer.

3. The bonding process greatly impacts production for a wide specrum of footwear products. Any review of a shoe production sequence clearly

oints out the number of bonding operations, their labor-intensive character,

xtensive space and materials needs, as for lasts, and the steps required to

aintain adhesion quality. Significant improvements in the bonding process

ould offer benefits across a wide front.

4. For improved adhesion bonding an innovative technique is sugested utilizing magnetic induction bonding. This method, selectively used

lsewhere, offers the potential benefit of essentially "instantaneous" bonding

l nd, perhaps, improved performance. Two other more traditional techniques are

Iso noted.

5. Specifically, recycling leather wastes considers the potential

pplication of cryogenic techniques. Waste may be ground into a form that

an be more easily applied to a variety of applications ranging from integraion with polymers to formation of a web form of leather.

125
6. For leather finishing by shoe manufacturer, new /different

techniques are suggested that might facilitate and improve this process.

By so doing the shoe manufacturer might have greater materials control

either by vertical integration downward or via a change in the material

used during the work-in-process sequence.

General

1. At the conclusion of this program more questions than answers persist. Although much has been written about the U.S. shoe

industry, it is difficult to obtain a clear, consistent perspective of

exactly what is happening and, more importantly, what are the forces

driving the associated changes. Part of the difficulty is attributable

to the wide variety of products offered by the industry. Part also seems

to derive from sincere differences of opinion by nominally equally knowledgeable observers. Typically the reasons for the extent and pervasiveness of import penetration brings forth a wide variety of responses, some conflicting. Many of the opinions offered are difficult to substantiate,

one way or the other. Given this situation, the -danger of suggesting cor- rective programs to address perceived problems raises many questions -- wit

resultant hesitation. To the extent possible this Battel le effort has attempted to address only those problems that are not vulnerable to the probl

described above.

2. The recurring theme of style change continues to plague the

industry. Where the consumer indulges in capricious demand behavior, the

manufacturer attempting to satisfy this demand must be extremely adept at

anticipating the changing winds (if possible), quickly reacting to new fads

(and attempting to define and capitalize on the market "window"), and ultimately marketing a competitive product that usually calls for some trade-of

between price and style.

Basically the demands for style responsiveness do not fall within

the manufacturing/production domain. The suggested areas of technology/

application do not pivot upon the style dimension: their implementation

should be impervious to style variability.

126
FINAL REPORT

on

CANDIDATE INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE

U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

for

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

from

BATTELLE

Columbus Laboratories

May 12, 1978

INTRODUCTION

In late 1977 a dialogue was initiated by Ms. Margery H. King,

Manager, NBS Shoe Team, with staff of Battelle's Columbus Laboratories (BCL).

-The objective was to consider means by which technology might address some

of the problems currently being experienced by the U.S. nonrubber footwear

-industry (subsequently called the U.S. shoe industry). A formal request

for proposal (RFP) was issued in mid-January, 1978 and a contract was let

: soon after in mid-March.

i This report comprises BCL 1 s analysis and recommendations.

OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

Specifically the study would seek to identify technologies that

- might be applicable with advantage to the U.S. shoe industry. The analysis

would provide substantiation based on qualitative and quantitative inputs,

with the quantitative input probably more limited in both breadth and depth.

As appropriate, a potential role for the U.S. government would be suggested

to achieve the desired goals.

127
The program was bounded in two ways, as follows:

o Only technologies addressing the manufacturing/production

segments would be considered, with nontechnical factors included only as they impact on the technical considerations.

o Any technologies suggested should offer a high probability

of acceptance and implementation within a 5-year time period.

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BACKGROUND * ^

flit Over the past decade the U.S. shoe industry's competitive position

has been seriously eroded within the U.S. domestic marketplace. Although

some of the associated problems are unique to the industry, many are simply

another variation of recent adverse trends experienced by companion U.S.

industries, including consumer electronics, textiles, and steel -- to name only a few.

Particularly where total market demand is fairly stable, as it has

been for U.S. consumption of shoes, the loss of market share has inevitably

led to reduced sales for U.S. manufacturers with a subsequent train of events

including company closings and bankruptcies, mergers, shifting of manufactur-l

ing facilities both within the U.S. and offshore, and loss of jobs. The latt

may be the most sensitive and unpalatable of the lot, and is certainly the

dominant "gut" issue. Such events incur heavy pressure both upon the industry and the U.S. government to seek means of redress to reverse, stop, or slow down the negative effects described above. In some ways the U.S. shoe

industry has responded most vigorously on its own, without support from the

Federal government. In other ways it is seeking assistance from Federal

agencies arguing that other governments bolster their own shoe companies

in a manner that places counterpart U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage. The nature of such support by other governments ranges widely but

all instances reflect a government/industry working relationship quite different from the sometime adversary U.S. situation. One desired output of

this study is a better understanding of how the U.S. government might be able

to better work with industry.

128

lei
The industry is most complex, characterized by a very heterogeneous

roduct line catering to men, women, and children. In some parts of the mar- etplace style is critical, as for most women's footwear and the so-called

fast" shoes. In other segments, such as much of the footwear offered in

he high-volume, discount stores, price dominates. In some segments of the ore stable men's market, both style and price must be considered. The

resence of these manifold factors, sometimes conflicting, raises fundamental

uestions on two levels: first, what is actually happening (implying a strong

eed to obtain good information) and, second, why is it happening (suggesting

hat, even if we have "perfect" information, can we understand the basic

riving forces leading to the events identified).

Although this program only considers the technical innovations in

.he manufacturing process, obviously the ultimate concern must be more far-

-eaching. Experience within other industries often indicates that fundamen-

.al and deep-rooted changes affecting a given industry, for better and worse,

lay embrace decades to bring about basic structural change. Sometimes techiology is a major dirving force, as in the semiconductor industry, while for

•thers structural transformations may entail other factors, for instance,

is a shift in manufacturing a product to overseas locations to incur labor

.avings. Technology may, indeed, make a major contribution to address some pf the industry's problems; more likely, it is a necessary but insufficient

nput.

METHODOLOGY

The timing and budgetary constraints on the program dictated that

:his effort should be highly focused. Therefore it was divided into three

segments: obtaining and digesting a large variety of source material inputs

generated by others; holding internal BCL creative (brainstorming) sessions

to generate candidate ideas; and structuring, evaluating, and distilling the

:andidate ideas to a limited few worthy of further analysis.

At the outset a great deal of material was obtained from the NBS

shoe team drawing upon information they had gathered, and from a wide range of

Dther inputs from government and private industry sources, such as AFIA.

129
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During the program itself subsequent information has been obtained from NBS.

Independently we have gathered material from other, although similar, sources

and have also visited two industrial sites including a last manufacturer and

two locations of a major shoe manufacturer. As an overview we read through

a 1966 BCL report prepared for the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, "Opportunities for Increasing Markets and Employment

in the Shoe Industry (Nonrubber)"

.

With this basic background in hand, the two-man BCL core team then ;t

solicited inputs from various BCL staff during a number of creative sessions.

The persons participating in these sessions offer capabilities in a range of

disciplines: familiarity with aspects of the shoe-making process itself,

technologies drawn from contiguous industries that might apply to the shoe

industry, basic technologies that cannot specifically be coupled with given

industries or applications, industrial practices generally, and industrial

technology transfer. A purposeful bias in choosing the participants was their strong orientation in materials and related areas. In these fields,

it was believed, BCL enjoys especially strong capabilities and could most

likely offer its most innovative thinking.

The format for these sessions generally followed a sequence in

which the substantive discussion was preceded by a briefing to the group to

familiarize them with (a) the general background for the program, including

why the U.S. government was interested in the subject, (b) a brief description of the actual manufacture of a shoe, and (c) the mandate for the BCL

program. The subsequent discussion was essentially open-ended with no attempt made to squelch ideas regardless how audacious or outlandish they might

seem. The intent was to elicit creative thinking while imposing a minimum

of boundaries. Questions sought to clarify and perhaps suggest how an idea

might be applied, without attempting to judge its feasibility.

It should be pointed out here that the intent of this technique is

not to even attempt to obtain every possible good idea nor to spend a great

deal of time toward this end. Consistent with the spirit of the program, we endeavored to identify at least a few good ideas -- potential "nuggets" -- the

would prove worthy of further analysis. Generally this methodology encounter?

two types of error as the process continually seeks to obtain smaller subsets

t 130

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om larger populations. One error entails dropping a worthwhile candidate

more knowledge were available or subsequent investigation were performed,

e other type of error involves pursuing a candidate that ultimately turns

t to be fruitless, and therefore time and funds are consumed that might

t least with hindsight) have been better expended elsewhere. No means

e available to reduce these errors completely. However, as noted above,

e objective is to generate a viable subset at the conclusion, and therere disproportionate attention cannot be given to insuring that the subset

entually chosen is necessarily the best of all possibilities from a wide

pulation.

The two-man core team reviewed all the outputs from the creative

ssions and made a first cut to drop those that appeared to offer no atactiveness at all. The criteria for this distillation were several, inuding those basic constraints laid down by NBS at the outset, but initably judgments by the core team weighed heavily in the analysis. A

oup of 11 was ultimately selected from the larger population. As this

•oup was further evaluated and reduced, selected interviews were held with

few BCL staff to obtain more detailed information. These discussions

ffered greatly from the earlier sessions described since these were highly

cused on specific technologies/applications. With such inputs and various

ckground material, the 11 were reduced to 3 candidates (to be described).

1 subsequent analysis was based on these 3 and no further consideration

s given to the others that had been discarded.

ANALYSIS

Initial Review

As noted, the raw outputs from the creative sessions were reviewed

the two-man core team to generate the subset listed in Table 1. Essentially

e criteria described in Table 1 were applied to the larger group but in a

ss structured manner. Those candidates that did not survive this first cut

e listed in Appendix A. Again, the intent was to very quickly and effiently obtain a smaller group of perhaps 5-15 candidates that we would then

view more intensively.

131
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132
In Table 1 the 11 candidate areas of technology/application are

isted in Column (A), along with the six criteria [Columns (B)-(G)] imposed

;o reduce these 11 to the ultimate 3. A brief description of each of these

:olumns follows.

Technol ogy/Appl ication [Column (A)].

1. Recycling leather wastes. Within the shoe-manufacturing

process leather wastes are comprised of two groups: at the input material

discarded due to blemishes, scars, etc., and good material set aside during

Dattern cutting. Recycling might use this waste, and possibly waste from

the tanning process, for several useful purposes.

2. Leather finishing by shoe manufacturer. The manufacturer might

:uy the leather from the tanner in an unfinished state, probably at the crust

stage, and then finish the leather either at the material stage before any

*/ork is done on it or at the end of the shoe-making process.

3. Pliable leather on last. A pliable leather might allow for

easier fitting and shaping on the last with any cutting of the leather done

at this point.

4. Leather irradiation on last. This involves impregnating the

leather with monomeric type materials, forming on the last, and then irradiating to form a polymeric reinforcement. Properly done this technique might

eliminate finishing the leather at a later stage of manufacture.

5. Shrink plastic on last. With a shrink plastic the material

could conform to the last and take its shape. This would possibly lead to

m more efficient fitting operation for shoe uppers.

6. Wood substitutes. Where wood is called for, perhaps various

synthetics having a natural wood appearance, may be used to facilitate the

manufacturing process.

7. Improved adhesive bonding. The desirability of faster and/or

better bonding is apparent, especially as more synthetics are used. The

possibility of leather-to-leather or leather-to-synthetic bonding may also

be achievable.

133
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ries

tyre

8. Automated defect recognition. Both for leather and synthetics,

automated defect recognition could minimize or replace a major labor-intensiv

process. Quite possibly the output from this process might be linked to the

production cutting to provide a totally automated system.

9. Lasers for production. Although selectively lasers are used

for pattern cutting, lasers are not used in production-cutting operations

perhaps because basic problems exist in applying lasers to the actual production process.

10. Laser formation of lasts. Possibly lasts can be formed by

the intersection of two laser beams, with guidance provided by preprogrammed

computer inputs. The focused laser beam would cause a monomeric material to cure in the form of the last.

11. Parts marking. Individual parts and work-in-process can be

marked and identified for a real-time information system. This might also

facilitate the entire data information system for the employee's piece

rate system.

isti Criteria [Columns (B)-(G)].

(B) Use by non-shoe industries. For any given technology/application, the technology in question may be totally new for any application or it

might draw heavily from use in non-shoe industries. Wood substitutes, parts

marking, and automated defect recognition are all applied in various forms in*

other industries for a spectrum of uses. None of the three mentioned, for

instance, appear to enjoy any application -- certainly not widespread -- within the U.S. shoe industry. At the other extreme, laser formation of

lasts and pliable leather on last -- both unique to the shoe application —

appear to have no counterparts in other industries.

Use in non-shoe industries suggests that where application has been

successful elsewhere, a technology-transfer process might be appropriate.

Although the transposition may not be 1:1, that is, the non-shoe application

may differ significantly from the shoe situation, there is still some ex- perience reservoir from which the shoe manufacturer may gain beneficial insights. Numerous examples can be cited of such transfer and borrowed ex- perience; for instance, regardless of the ultimate result, the shoe industry

134
!S1

' lined much knowledge from the vast amount of R&D and related expenditures

lat Du Pont put into Corfam poromeric materials.

Conversely where a technology is wholly new and untried, such as iser formation of lasts, the questions are many, the risks are high, and the

-obability of success relatively low. Quite possibly, however, the payoff

ight be very substantial should success occur. From the practical standDint -- all other things being equal -- related experience elsewhere proides a major advantage to the shoe industry.

(C) Breadth of potential impact. A recurring theme in the literture and from the interviews is the concern with the volatility and capriiousness of the style ingredient within the industry, particularly for

omen's shoes. It was emphasized frequently that today's hot sellers may

ecome tomorrow's relics. Although there appear to be a number of breadnd-butter lines, the industry is driven now by -the consumer's wishes and as become style conscious -- again, with the women's sector leading the way.

he danger persists that some technologies that would advantageously address

.urrent needs might obsolesce quickly.

Therefore, one criterion of concern was the breadth of diversity

• f applicaton and, where possible, its indifference or imperviousness to

•r he style fad. Optimally, a technology that could be used for men's, women's,

nd children's shoes is more attractive than one only applicable to, let's

ay, children's athletic shoes. In similar fashion, a production process

ised by many lines for basic functions also serves as an ideal. For in-

.tance, adhesive bonding is a basic process that will become more critical in

:he future. Improvements here, even selectively, would have broad application

rith only nominal danger to obsolescence due to style fashion.

(D) Magnitude of potential impact. This criterion addresses the

extent of the beneficial impact attributable to the technology in question.

It specifically seeks to avoid undue concern for the potential impact of the

technology upon the entire shoe manufacturing process. Most likely any technology suggested would have relatively little impact since the manufacturing

135
sequence comprises many steps, each contributing only a small amount to the

totality. The scenario here assumes that the technology will be applied,

and then attempts to assess the extent of the benefits that might accrue. Implicitly this line of reasoning requires that the present state of the

art and related factors be known to then provide a point of reference. For

instance if lasers for production is considered then the traditional means

of cutting, as well as the newer water-jet techniques, must be included as part of the baseline for comparison. Any evaluation of this item assumes

that the technology can be applied -- for the time being, regardless of the

initial cost -- and then questions the depth of its impact.

Perhaps a simplistic means to regard this criterion is to consider

a "so what" question. Here we assume that the technology can do "everything"

its proponents contend, and we raise the question "so what?". Optimally that

impact should be great (again, without considering the cost of reaching that

point)

.

(E) Universality of application. The U.S. shoe industry is populated by a large number of smal.l companies, although the concentration ratio

is quite high with dominance by a few major firms. If a given technology/

application can only be adapted by a large company, then an inherent bias is

introduced to any associated recommendation. Hopefully any candidate tech-

-nology should be available with equal ease to both small and large manufacturers. This ease of use is a function of several variables, including

front-end cost, needed personnel for operation, extent and diversity of the

product line, size of manufacturing plant, length of runs, and similarity

with already-existing processes that the new technology/application either

replaces or modifies. Obviously where front-end costs are high, the

smaller firms -- perhaps those under $10 million annual sales volume -- are probably excluded from its use. At the other extreme, the possibility

exists that certain techniques for improved adhesive bonding may be relatively easy and inexpensive to apply, thereby providing a technique that

all can easily adapt.

The pooling of resources brings a different question into play.

For instance, the technology/application of recycling leather waste might

136
le most persuasive when many companies provide their waste to a common

)oint; for a larger company this constraint may not be necessary. The

question of pooling is not directly addressed 1n this criterion. Quite

jossibly it is appropriate at the conclusion of the analysis when governnent participation is considered.

(F) Ease of adaptation/applicability. The candidates range

widely in their potential applicability to the shoe industry. For some

:he technology in question is not used anywhere and therefore a major R&D

ind/or design and development (D&D) activity is required. Under such conditions the eventual benefits are questionable, both to whether they may

eventuate at all and, if they do, their nature and extent. For the more

"far-out" suggestions, such as laser formation of lasts, a major gap exists between present status and ultimate application to the shoe manufacturing process. This realization in no way belittles the idea but it

recognizes that a major bridge has yet to be traversed.

On the other hand, the category on improved adhesive bonding

Duilds upon ongoing processes both within the shoe industry and elsewhere.

Admittedly some revolutionary techniques might be introduced with considerable benefits, but the base already exists -- certainly for the more probable

evolutionary improvements. As a generalization the greater the extant ex- perience base, the greater our confidence in applying a new technology and,-

most likely, the easier it will be.

There is ample precedent to suggest that the adaptation process

is often very complex and convoluted. Success in a given industry for a specific technology does not necessarily ensure success in a contiguous

industry. The shoe industry presents a number of extremely demanding con- ditions that are either unique or nearly so, such as the requirements to

accommodate the 3D configuration of the human foot, the overriding need for

comfort, and the volatility brought about by style sensitivity.

(G) Speed of adaptation/applicability. In many ways this criterion

is closely related to the previous one. Where a change takes many years, perhaps 5-10, then most likely it must address a generic function that will not

137
obsolesce. As previously noted the desirability of identifying and

addressing those factors that appear relatively impervious to change

is a major goal. Also, the longer the period of adaptation the greater

the confidence the potential user must have that the technology in question

will provide the anticipated benefits. Generally, the shorter the adaptation period, the better. Typically change of a revolutionary nature entails

longer periods because it requires numerous and significant changes on the

part of the user and often an associated infrastructure.

*****

•The six criteria just noted were applied to the 11 categories of

technology/application. This evaluation was not a finely tuned exercise

but one more directed to obtaining usable outputs. The technique deemed

best under the circumstances was the application of a High, Medium, and

Low categorization for each cell. Therefore each line item of Column (A) was evaluated with respect to the six criteria and a judgment made. In a few places a hybrid judgment seemed best, as Low-Medium. Each of the designations was given a numerical value, and the cells in any given row were

totaled, Column (H), to obtain a numerical ranking as shown in Table 1.

The evaluation of the 11 candidates using the criteria noted

above allows us to efficiently choose a subset from a larger population. We

would be hard pressed to justify small differences, such as the relative

attractiveness of a candidate with a total of 18 compared with one of 19;

the method simply does not allow for such precision. Conversely it is

generally quite good at clustering the various candidates into broad families at either pole. For instance, a candidate receiving a total of 10 is

considered much less attractive than one with a 23. Here we believe that the

justification to retain the candidate with the higher ranking and drop the

lower is soundly based.

Inevitably much qualitative interpretation is called for, requiring inputs that are difficult to categorize for various criteria and also

difficult to quantify. If any overriding criteria provided the major driving forces to the final selection, they would be the following:

138
o The desirability of seeking a technology/application that

11 not be easily buffeted by the winds of style change and other short-

;rm volatilities within the industry

o The need to obtain improvements that may be applicable for

wide spectrum of shoe manufacturers without a prohibitively high or fficult threshold of entry

o A high probability of success should the industry enthuastically and aggressively support the technology

o A reasonable confidence that beneficial application might

; achieved within a few years -- given adequate support.

With these thoughts in mind, and the review noted in Table 1,

iree candidates were chosen for subsequent analysis. They are recycling

father wastes, leather finishing by shoe manufacturers, and improved ad-

?sive bonding. The subsequent discussion relates only to this group.

itroduction

Two of the candidates chosen pertain directly to leather utilizaion and consumption by the U.S. shoe industry. This subject is especially

Dpropriate to address for two reasons. First, the men's group is the second

irgest footwear consumption item in the U.S. In 1977 about 172 million

airs were sold (domestic production plus imports), second only to the

Dmen's 334 million. The next largest item was "slippers and other" cate-

:ry at about 67 million. As contrasted to the women's group U.S. consumpion of men's footwear has grown over the past 12 years by about 20 percent,

."lile women's has dropped over the same period by about 4 percent. These

vo groups combine for 2/3 of the total unit market and a much higher per-

.S. shoe marketplace has been much more pronounced in the women's sector

nan the men's. In 1966 import penetration in the men's sector was about

1 percent and by 1977 it had risen to 40 percent; generally this has been

Specific Technology/Application Review

of the dollar sales volume.

Over the same 12-year period, the penetration of imports into the

139
a monotonic increase with a break in that pattern in only 2 years. The

analogous women's figures are about 18 percent and 58 percent, with a roughly similar pattern of increasing import penetration except for 1 year.

For whatever the reasons, the capacity of foreign makers to effectively

penetrate the U.S. market is much more potent in the women's than the men's

sector. Indeed, this strength is almost 1-1/2 times as great based on pairs sold.

The combination of these two factors implies a focus for our

attention, especially if we make the bold assumption that these past trends

can be extrapolated. We have no conflicting information to argue otherwise

over the next few years, namely that imports will continue to gain an increasing portion of a decreasing product demand ("pie"). The largest and

most import-resistant segment of the industry is men's shoes, a major user of leather.

Of the finished leather produced by U.S. tanners about 2/3 is

bought by the shoe industry and most of that leather is used for uppers

in men's shoes. In all the other sectors the penetration of synthetics is

either great or total, as the nonexistence of leather in athletic shoes.

Recent trends suggest that the demand for leather will stay about the same

or possibly increase. Admittedly some persons argue that leather will con- tinue to give way to synthetics even in men's shoes, but it appears the

desirability of leather for much of the men's product line is fairly secure. From the supply side problems abound. Leather delivery intervals

may typically range from 3-4 weeks, with an extreme of 9-11 weeks (as noted

by one source). Foreign sources are being sought, Chile, for instance. The

U.S. tanners are hurting due to new equipment needed for pollution control,

high labor costs, and more intense competition from non-U. S. tanners (sometimes allegedly subsidized by their respective governments). Also the U.S.

tanners input obtained from the raw hide producers may be in jeopardy: in

1976, more than half of these hides went overseas. Leather availability is a concern; so is its price. Finished

leather costs range from $1 to $1.50 per square foot thereby contributing

greatly to unit costs, typically about 40-50 percent. If the price can be

reduced -- assuming availability -- the leverage potential is great.

140

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Given all the factors cited, two of the categories chosen -- ^cycling leather wastes and leather finishing by shoe manufacturer --

ddress the general leather area. The third category, improved adhesive bonding, reflects on a ifferent concern. With the increased acceptance of synthetics, bonding

- rather than stitching -- in many variations has become an integral part

f the production process. As synthetics become even more pervasive, bondng will be even more critical -- perhaps even for leather. Several

spects should be considered.

To varying degrees, bonding takes time. Sometimes the drying

eriod is quite short, such as hours, but in other instances it may be long,

erhaps as much as a day. For certain types of shoes the bonding together

f components occurs several times during the manufacturing sequence. Durng the drying periods, the work in process, be it on a last or joining of

Lit patterns, requires time and space. While the drying process takes place,

ypically no other work is being performed on the work-in-process item, i.e.,

D value added occurs. Therefore the production process is protracted,

dding to the total unit cost.

Perhaps to a lesser extent but still of importance, the fidelity

f the bond sometimes comes into question. The observation is often made that

etter quality shoes are made by the West Europeans (catering to the

igher priced market) and the poorer quality products emanate from Southeast

sia (footwear catering to a less expensive taste). There are many variaions of these themes, some in direct contradiction. Whatever the true

ircumstances any technology offering enhanced bonding performance should

e welcome. As a paragon it would be highly desirable to introduce improved

onding processes that offer both faster drying times and better bonds.

echnical Discussion

Recycling Leather Wastes .

Recycling today is a particularly attractive subject given the keen

nterest in conserving resources, especially energy. A number of options for

sing leather wastes have been suggested, including the following variations:

141
reconstitution into a continuous web to produce a leather suitable for men's

uppers; reconstitution into a leather-like material that could be used on the inside of uppers, thereby requiring less esthetically; production of a material that can flow directly on the last without pattern cutting; and

integration of waste fibers into polymers to make the synthetics more leather-like. The options range from the speculative, such as forming the

leather directly on the last, to others that can probably be achieved with

relative ease, as integrating leather waste with polymers. These options

will be discussed subsequently.

Based upon a number of inputs the men's shoe manufacturer only

utilizes about 70 percent of the leather material that he buys from the

tanner. Of the remaining 30 percent, 1/3 is discarded due to initial material imperfections, such as blemishes, scars, tic marks, etc., and the

other 2/3 results from the waste incurred during the pattern-cutting process

wherein 100 percent of even "perfect" material cannot be used. Experienced

pattern cutters are among the most highly paid piece workers in the factory,

and even the possible advent of automated pattern cutting in the production

sequence would not totally eliminate this waste (or even significantly reduc

it). Given the irregular shapes of component patterns, there is simply no way to use 100 percent of the material. One knowledgeable source stated

that men's shoes are most flagrant in this respect due to the nesting con- straints of their larger sizes (relative to women's and children's).

The technology to be suggested here considers how this waste may

be used not only for the sake of recycling but, perhaps more importantly, to

help ease what appears to be a tightening supply situation for U.S. manufacturers seeking leather material.

Some recycling of leather wastes is now being carried out by processing the materials using pulping and paper-making-type techniques.

Leather wastes are ground into semifibrous or particulate forms dispersed in

wastes. These methods are generally not very efficient with respect to time

and energy considerations. However they may still offer some advantages for

the basic recycling concepts depending upon specific end usages and desired

characteristics

.

142
Another technique for producing fibrous materials from the leather

stes utilizes cryogenic processing. One variation uses semicommercial

uipment available from at least two companies. The basic technique, re- rred to here as cryogenic hammermill ing, involves cooling dampened

ather wastes to cryogenic temperatures and then striking the cold materials

th high-speed "hammers". This action causes the brittle materials to

atter and break apart. As the materials are struck repeatedly by the hamrs, fibrous forms of the wastes are produced; these fibers are channeled

t of the system once they have achieved certain fiber geometries.

If smaller fibers or particles, including leather "powders", are sired, recent experimental techniques developed at BCL can produce them

rough further cryogenic processing operations, utilizing regular grinding

dispersion methods. These experimental techniques have also been used

produce powders from various virgin polymeric materials, as well as from

her waste materials such as rubber. These other types of powder materials

ght be appropriate in further developing the "use" options for the fibrous

powder leather products (as discussed later in this section of the report).

The potential advantages for using cryogenic processing rather

an more traditional techniques are twofold. It is estimated that the cryenic method will produce the desired fibrous material from the wastes in

ss time and with less total energy input. Secondly, cryogenic processing

11 produce fibrous or powder leather materials not readily attainable by

her processing techniques.

Once the leather wastes have been processed into a reasonable form,

veral "use" options can be considered for the materials in the shoe. Seval of these options are listed and discussed subsequently but the listing

by no means all-inclusive. The options suggested are based on fairly funmental technologies and the materials produced might be usable in shoe

pers or in less demanding and less visible areas such as inner liner or

le materials, depending upon the characteristics obtainable from the re- eled materials. In addition, whether the materials formed from the recyed wastes would be usable in high fashion, stylish women's shoes, or be

mited to men's, children's, or athletic shoes will also depend on the

143
characteristics that can be built into the recycled materials and systems, his The possibility of marketing new product lines of more utilization-type

shoes should also be considered, if necessary, as a means of reusing the Jjre

valuable leather base materials.

Several of the basic technologies or use options follow:

o Dispersion of leather fibers in water or a similar carrier

can be followed by deposition on to screen-type forms to produce desired

shapes. If a screen last were to be used, for example, a shoe upper could

be formed using vacuum techniques to aid in depositing the fibers. Latexes jjnei sizing materials, powdered resins, and other systems might also be mixed

into the fibrous slurry and deposited on the screens at the same time for

reinforcement and strengthening of the final shape.

o The basic concept of forming the fibrous wastes on to screens hb$ can also be carried into a paper-making type of operation to produce a con- | tinuous web from the leather wastes. Such a web can then be reprocessed

similar to virgin leather to produce shoe uppers, inner liners, shoe trim

items, etc. The continuous web of fibrous leather might also be used as a base for producing the polymeric synthetic leather materials now used in

high-fashion shoes. The fibrous leather could offer advantages of better

moisture absorptivity, breatheabil ity, and comfort than the textile base

materials now used.

o It is also possible to deposit the dry leather fibers electro-:

statically on to forms such as lasts, to produce shoe uppers or formed

liner materials. The dry leather fiber form would, of course, have to be

reinforced with polymers, resins, or other materials to hold the fibers

intact. The resins and polymers might be applied (1) electrostatically as powders, either during or after deposition of the leather fibers, (2) spray

or dip- type of coating systems, or (3) ultraviolet or electron radiationcurable materials.

o The fibrous or powder leather wastes could be incorporated

into polymeric coatings used in finishing operations to make the coatings

more "breatheable" . These systems might also be used to finish the screen- formed shoe uppers, discussed above. The type of material or systems

144

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troeduced might also make a "plastic leather", similar to plastic wood,

lis plastic leather could be used to repair blemishes, holes, and other

efects in virgin leather materials, particularly if these repaired areas

2re to be coated, finished, or otherwise concealed from view. It is

Dubtful that the repaired area could ever completely emulate a grain

sather surface.

o It may also be possible to "spin" the leather fibers into a iread-like form which could then be used to make a leather "cloth". This

loth material could then be reused as for woven shoe uppers, woven inner

iners, or in similar applications.

Other options than those listed may be more attractive and one

F the initial tasks in exploring this recycling concept should be directed

Dward (1) characterizing the waste "streams" available and the reusable

:rms of wastes that can be obtained, and (2) identifying the new product

id use possibilities for the recycled leather wastes. These new product

id use opportunity investigations should also not be limited only to the

ioe industry but could include any industry that might be a candidate to

le the recycled materials.

Further research efforts would then be directed toward exploring

ie alternatives and options available. While the concept of cryogenically

-ocessing leather wastes has been tested experimentally, further investigaion of the alternatives and potential product forms, as well as defining

ie overall costs and economic benefits of the process, are needed. Most

f the R&D efforts would be directed toward exploring the use options of the

"oducts obtained from the cryogenic processing.

It should be obvious from these discussions that most of the opions described are only in the concept stage and will require a considerole amount of R&D expenditure to investigate their feasibility and to

/entually bring the more promising candidates to commercial fruition. The

derail concept therefore is relatively risky but it also appears to offer

Dnsiderable economic benefits to the shoe industry. The concept also

tresses the recycling of valuable virgin leather feedstock wastes which are

^coming more costly due to competition from foreign buyers of either raw

ides or crust leather (as previously described).

145
It is difficult to estimate the total costs of the R&D program

that would be necessary to define the variables in the concept and to

bring the concept and use options to a point of ready adaptation by the

shoe industry. Surely these costs will run into the several hundreds of

thousands of dollars depending upon the breadth and depth of the re- search efforts.

Similarly it is also difficult to estimate what equipment will

eventually be necessary for adaptation of the concepts by the shoe industry, as well as what costs will be incurred for this equipment. Once the

research efforts begin to narrow and select the more promising approaches

for the basic concepts, equipment requirements will be better defined and

cost estimates can then be made. Clearly, this concept and its adaptation

are revolutionary in nature, rather than evolutionary and, consequently,

the shoe industry win undoubtedly be required to consider new methods and

materials, and to invest capital in new equipment. These capital investments could be considerable since essentially none of the equipment presently projected as necessary is available today in the shoe industry.

In addition to the high costs estimated for concept development

and capital investment for equipment, potential technical impediments

primarily relate to the actual ability to economically accomplish many of

the alternatives and options described in these discussions. While the

concept of cryogenically processing leather wastes has been experimentally

tested, most of the use options have not yet been explored. Therefore the

risk of actually being able to accomplish the desired results and products

is high.

If concept feasibility and adaptation can be shown, only the

larger shoe manufacturers may be able to capitalize the equipment necessary

to utilize the concept and use options. This does not imply that the smal-' iys

ler shoe manufacturer would not realize some economic benefits since he

could probably sell his leather wastes to the larger companies. In this waj

he could recover some of his materials costs which he may not economically

do today.

146

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Leather Finishing by Shoe Manufacturer .

Any finishing operations considered are limited to only leather

ubstrates, since it is impractical for the shoe manufacturer to finish

ynthetics on his own. Two variations for leather are addressed here,

irst, there is the possibility that the shoe manufacturer may purchase

eather from the tanner, probably at the "crust" or similar unfinished

tage, and perform the finishing himself using techniques to be suggested

ere. Essentially this would simply be a transposition of the finishing

rocess, with the possibility that the shoe manufacturer could apply newer

nd better techniques to both raise the efficiency of the process and prouce a higher quality material. It also represents a downward vertical

ntegration by the shoe manufacturer as he reaches into an area tradiionally controlled by one of his suppliers. In this sense such a change

ould address some of the problems discussed previously concerning leather

upplies. Difficulties would still persist if U.S. tanners cannot obtain

heir needed inputs from U.S. hide suppliers if the latter are shipping

uch of their raw hides overseas. Possibly this change might also ease some of the problems cur- ently being experienced by U.S. tanners. Various sources suggest that

.S. tanners will continue to diminish in number for reasons already

Dted. Perhaps large shoe manufacturers or pooled facilities drawing

rom several smaller companies might be better able to withstand some of

ne pressures that have forced many U.S. tanners to close.

The second variation considers the advisability of the shoe man- facturer to still buy unfinished leather from the tanner but now the

inishing would be performed after the shoe is made, rather than at the

iput to the manufacturing process. The advantages to be gained include

le use of unfinished material throughout the process suggesting that any

iste incurred -- as discussed above -- would be less expensive, even if not

?cycled, since the manufacturer now works with a lower cost material. Also

f the finishing is performed on the shoe the manufacturer may be less conjrned with scuffing, scratches, etc., during the work-in-process stages,

147
since these often troublesome drawbacks can be compensated for with the

final leather finishing. Perhaps a higher quality product may also be

obtained.

The primary advantages of finishing the crust leather as an initial operation in the shoe manufacturing plant are the benefits to be

gained from working with lower cost starting materials, eliminating

damages to the leather finishes caused by shipping the finished leather

from the tannery, and tailoring the shoe finishes to particular styles and

colors of shoes. The magnitude of these potential advantages is extremely

difficult to ascertain due to the inability to obtain meaningful data on

the relative breakdown of finishing costs and other factors in the overall

picture. If it is assumed , however, that the finishing operations are relatively "high-cost" (as our skimpy evidence implies), they may contribute

up to 15 or 20 percent of the finished leather costs. These percentages

would probably then translate to 20 or 25 cents per square foot (on average^

and could offer an attractive potential when combined with the other

advantages

.

With the second option (shoe manufacturer uses crust or unfinishe<

leather throughout), the shoes once manufactured would be finished as a final operation. Shoe manufacturers now do some finishing operations by

repairing damages to the leather finishes that occurred during shipment of

the leather or during the shoe manufacturing operations. Adaptation of

this concept would therefore primarily be an extension of present operation;

rather than starting up a completely new one. This option, in addition to offering the advantages of the first

one cited, also offers the potential for materials savings since trim losse:

and wastes from the cutting operations would not include the coating and

finishing materials. By minimizing these losses it may be possible to con- sider usage of higher cost, high technology materials, such as polymeric

systems that contain no solvents or liquid carriers and cure by radiation

exposure to ultraviolet (for thin clear coatings) or electron beam (for

thick or pigmented coatings). These materials could also possibly be con- sidered for the first option although their attractiveness would be enhance*

if they could offer improved finishes to offset the trim losses. In either
r the finishing options, of course, conventional solvent- and waterMutable finishing systems can also be considered.

For either option the first efforts in considering adaptation

r the concept should be directed toward determining the order-ofignitude economic gains that can be achieved. Once these are determined,

id if they are attractive, the research efforts required can be very

nimal if the present finishing systems are to be used. Primary efforts

uld be directed toward transferring the technology of finishing leather

*om the tanneries to the shoe manufacturers.

If the high technology radiation-curable finishing systems are

i be considered, research efforts to develop prototypes or optimize

;:E irrently available materials would be necessary. Depending upon the

laracteristic desired in the final finishes, these efforts could be fairly

•• .^aightforward to be carried out by the finish system suppliers or potenal suppliers -- if there is sufficient interest by the shoe industry.

Equipment necessary for finishing the leather in the shoe man- ufacturing plant will vary depending upon the type of finishing materials

lected. Obviously the finishes must be applied to either the side

ather or the formed shoe by some technique, such as spraying as is now done

: " ri ability in required equipment will be more evident in the operations

cessary to dry or cure the finishes. Hot-air or similar dryers would be

: - quired for conventional finishes and would be less expensive (under

0,000) in terms of capital investment than the equipment required for the

ectron-beam radiation curing which could range up to $250,000. UV equipnt cost lies somewhere in between. This larger investment would not be

tractive to the small shoe manufacturer but he would have the option of

;: ' ing the more conventional finishes with a lower capital investment.

Many of the technical considerations involved in adapting this

ncept to the shoe industry are minimal since much of the technology inlved is already in use today. Potential impediments relate more to

'• rategic factors, as whether the tanning industry would welcome being

- vorced from the finishing of leather for shoes. Potential economic adther ntages that would be gained through the purchase of crust rather than

149
finished leather also need resolution. Since the tanning industry would

still need some leather-finishing operations for non-shoe usages, re- sistance by the tanning industry may be encountered in attempting to

carry out the finishing at the shoe manufacturing plant.

Another consideration involves the economics of scale usually

encountered in mass production processing. Whether economic attractiveness is reduced by each shoe manufacturing plant doing the finishing

rather than the operation being carried out at a central location, like a tannery, is questionable. As one alternative finishing the leather could

be carried out at a central location, such as the home office of a shoe

manufacturer, and then the finished leather could be shipped to satellite

manufacturing plants. This option, of course, potentially benefits the

larger shoe companies rather than the smaller ones. Similarly if smaller

manufacturers could somehow pool their crust leather inputs -- if they

choose to go this route -- that option might offer an attractive alternativ

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Improved Adhesive Bonding .

The technologies in this category can reduce the setting time for

adhesive bonding. Two of the technologies described have found large-seal eienl

use' elsewhere in non-shoe industries, while the third is relatively new andiiterr would clearly represent a major innovation.

Data consistently indicate that the fitting operation consumes

most of the labor cost, about 40-50 percent of the total. The fitting se- quence also requires the most time, ranging from 4 hours to several days

for a given shoe. Significant reductions in the fitting operation cycle

would lower unit cost and, more indirectly, speed up the manufacturing

operation thereby offering a number of other advantages more difficult to

quantify.

For the technologies suggested, experience ranges widely on their;;

applicability to synthetics. However, little has been done on adhesive

bonding of leather- to-leather or leather- to-synthetic. This application

represents a more speculative task yet might yield even more benefits if

substitute means could be found to join the leather rather than the

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raditional stitching. From the outset it is recognized that such stitching

s the accepted technique since it not only joins the leather but also coneys the image of quality. Any progress in this field would tie in nicely

ith the two other candidates already suggested.

The technologies to improve the bonding or cementing together

f shoe parts can be divided into two main categories. The first involves

he use of a patented magnetic induction heating process and offers not

nly the potential of speeding up the bonding of various shoe parts but

lso of developing "super" bonds not obtainable with currently used materials

ne second technology relates primarily to the use of microwave or dielectric

eating techniques to accelerate the drying of present or modified adhesive

/stems. Each technology area is now discussed in more detail.

With magnetic induction bonding, patented under the name

D ellerbond , a process of "heat sealing from the inside out" occurs. Heat

ititll 5 developed in the desired joint area by a high frequency magnetic field

°oduced by commercially-available induction-generating equipment. The magBtic field energizes submicron iron oxide pigment particles that are disused in a special bonding agent tailored to the materials being joined,

sullen the particles are energized they produce the heat needed to effect the

i and Internal heat seal. The special bonding agent can be a water- or solventMutable liquid system, a tape or gasket form, or incorporated into one of

ie parts to be joined. In addition to joining the parts, the process could

I so be used to aid in drying the water- or sol vent-di 1 utabl e adhesives.

Applying this basic technology to the manufacture of shoes could

; directed in several paths. The special bonding agent, designed for

;ather- to-leather, leather- to-synthetic, or synthetic-to-synthetic mateials could be applied to the joint areas of the shoes at some stage prior

) the actual bonding operation or at the initiation of the bonding step.

ie shoe would be assembled and then exposed to the magnetic field by means

: specially designed coil fixtures. Pressure could be applied either dur-

>g the activation step or immediately afterward to bring the pieces to be

tined into intimate contact. The bonding operation is very brief as comired to present adhesive air-drying and reactivation methods, requiring

151

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only a fraction of a second in the magnetic field. It, therefore, has the

potential for greatly increasing production rates, shortening the turnaround time involved in the shoe manufacturing operation, and minimizing

the investment in lasts for specific styles.

This process may also be used to develop high strength bonds,

not obtainable with present materials, for cementing high-stress areas,

including the replacement of sewing or stitching. Since heat is generated

internally in the bonding agent (500° or 600°F, if desired), the use of

reactive adhesive materials can be considered. If an adhesive system,

based on polyurethanes for example, is formulated using "blocked" polymers,

the system will have good stability for application but will react at the

elevated temperatures to form thermoset-type bond material. These types of

materials are characteristically strong, as compared to bond strengths obtained with conventional solvent dilutable, rubber-based adhesives.

R&D efforts needed to implement this technology into the shoemanufacturing process primarily call for the development of the specialized | erj bonding agents that would be tailored to bonding the various natural and

synthetic materials used in shoes. Included in the development efforts

could be an audit of the shoe manufacturing sequence and a selection of the areas of operation and shoe styles that might best benefit from the adaptation of this technology. Additional development work will also be necessary

in designing the coils used to apply the magnetic fields, once the basic

shoe manufacturing operations and the adaptation engineering have been workec

out. Cost for this development work would probably total about $100,000.

Equipment used in this technology to develop the high-frequency

magnetic fields is the conventional commercially available induction generators. Therefore it is not anticipated that development efforts will be

necessary in the equipment area other than the specialized coil designs

noted above. Capital investment for the inductor generators is about $50,00(

and the generators would be capable of operating at least two production lin<; or activation stations.

Potential technical impediments to implement the technology into

the shoe industry include the following:

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(1) Since the special bonding agents are normally

brown in color, it will probably be desirable

for the bonding joints to be hidden from view.

(2) The necessity of designing specialized coils

for generating the magnetic fields may limit

the ways in which the bonding can be achieved

since effective application of the magnetic

fields has certain space limitations.

With the microwave or dielectric drying technique, the specialized

ating equipment is used to speed up the drying of the adhesives for cementg shoe parts together. This accelerated drying, as with the induction

ating, offers the potential of quicker turnaround time for bonding parts

gether, with many resulting benefits such as a reduced investment in lasts

r each style of shoe. This basic technology is now used in other indusies for selective heating since quite often the adhesives can be designed

that they are very receptive to the high frequency radiation while the

terials being joined are relatively inactive. This phenomenon causes heat

be generated only in the bonding areas and prevents the joined materials

did drying out, as might occur with the gas-fired heating process typically

w used in the shoe industry. In addition, the equipment needed for the crowave or dielectric processes is generally more space efficient than

e present drying ovens. Since the natural rubber adhesives or the solvents used therein

|e generally not very receptive to the microwave or dielectric frequencies,

D efforts would be required to modify present adhesives or to develop new rsions to be used with these drying processes. It may also be possible to

rely select from available adhesives to obtain variations that will selecvely heat with these processes. It is anticipated that research efforts

uld range from $50,000-$200,000 to develop a family of adhesives suitable

r use with the microwave or dielectric processes in the shoe manufacturing

dustry.

Equipment costs can be highly variable depending upon the size of

e shoe manufacturing operations. Small shoe manufacturers could purchase

latively small processing chambers while larger manufacturers would probably

153
need bigger chambers or a multiplicity of smaller units. Microwave or dielectric processing equipment for drying the adhesives would probably

cost about $25,000 for the smaller units while costs for the larger

units may jump to $100,000 or more. One advantage of this type of processing is that it can be fairly well tailored to the size of the man- ufacturing operation thereby minimizing capital investments for the

process improvements.

Potential technical impediments may arise primarily in the

need for the shoe lasts and other materials going into the microwave or dielectric heating process to contain no items that will heat preferential!

The polyolefin polymers or wood used in present shoe lasts would be relatively inactive in the energy fields and would not be affected directly.

However items such as the metal pins and various other parts used in

present shoe lasts will be most receptive to the high-frequency energy

and will cause the polyolefin material around the pins to melt, thereby

destroying the lasts. Modern-day polymeric pins and parts could probably

be used to replace the metal parts of the lasts but somewhat higher costs

for the lasts may result. These increased costs should be minimal, however, relative to the overall potential savings in time, labor, and capita"

investments for the lasts.

TENTATIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ROLE

As previously noted, a role for Federal government participation

is fraught with several difficulties:

(1) As a baseline reference, we assume that the Federal government will only assist the U.S. shoe industry -- or any other domestic industry for that matter -- if the industry cannot harness the resources or

the means to help itself. As a separate matter, the question can also be

raised whether the industry can fund its own programs, but chooses not to

(for whatever the reasons). Our inputs, both personal and otherwise, con- sistently indicate that the industry does not speak with one voice. It is

difficult to discern a majority opinion, a "party line".

154
(2) The question of Federal support for private industry touches

on some very basic, and even sensitive, issues. Some of the suggestions

for Federal support would, if implemented, depart from long-held traditions.

Whether the government should or even can move in these new directions is

clearly beyond the scope of this program. Suffice to say that the appropriate Federal role in supporting a consumer-based U.S. industry is a point

for major policy consideration.

(3) Most critical we believe that the question of what the

Federal government can do well to support a truly consumer industry, such

as shoes, must be confronted. In some way the more traditional marketplace

mechanisms might be replaced or modified. Any rational program involving

government participation must be premised on the assumption that there is a clear perception of the problems that should be addressed and a means to help remedy them. Both tasks are most demanding, and cannot be taken lightly.

Any government-sponsored program implies that both factors are in hand.

With these background comments set down we suggest the following

initiatives for NBS/Department of Commerce consideration:

Selected R&D Program Support

From a purely technical standpoint, two major technical programs

seem worthy of Federal support based on the associated risks, the benefits

that might accrue to a wide range of shoe manufacturers, the projected size

of one of the R&D programs, and the nature of the work involved.

Recycling of leather wastes, along the lines described, moves

into some areas that have not been previously investigated. The use of

cryogenic techniques seems to offer some attractive possibilities but it

is still wholly unproved -- particularly with respect to its economic dimensions. Others have attempted to produce reconstituted leather with limited

success. It is anticipated that the dual challenge of first proving technical

feasibility and then translating technical progress into a cost-effective mode

must be confronted. Most appropriately this work would be funded by the govern

ment and performed by companies knowledgeable in the related basic technologies

As a somewhat less ambitious task, bonding of leather-to-leather

or leather-to-synthetic will call for major advances beyond today's present

155
capabilities. The experience base with synthetics using a number of the

technologies described is quite extensive. For magnetic induction bonding, much has yet to be learned. It is felt that this work would be more straightforward, with higher probability of success than the first program

noted above -- but it is not a sure bet. Developmental experimentation is

called for rather than breakthrough advances. Most likely, this work can probably best be performed by an organization within the supplier group.

By implication we feel the third technology, leather finishing by

shoe manufacturer using conventional materials, can be pursued by industry

on its own. If new high-technology materials and processes are considered,

government support in this area may then be justified due to the anticipated

high costs and associated high risks.

Information Dissemination

Even within the limited scope of this program it is apparent that

a great deal of interest has been created in the Department of Commerce's

initiative for the U.S. shoe industry. As implied elsewhere this interest

comes in many shapes but clearly attention has been focused upon the overall

program, and probably many persons perceive the initiative as a constructive

activity and a reaching out where none existed before. Therefore it is suggested that the wide dissemination of this report and its companions would

help further this cause.

A broad airing of the program's results would allow interested

parties to review the findings -- and then critique, modify, and add to

them as they saw fit. Typically at the conclusion of a short program, such

as this one, we are not overly confident in the rightness of our arguments.

The vagaries of the shoe industry only add to our feeling that perhaps

there is much more out there that we should know about. Allowing many other

persons with different backgrounds to become involved in this process can only serve a useful purpose.

Secondly, and on a much broader plane, the U.S. shoe industry is

only one of several U.S. industries that the Department may seek to assist,

perhaps in the cooperative technology mode. If similar studies were to be

performed in, let's say the steel industry, some overlap would probably occur on an interindustry basis. As a first assumption, others in the non- shoe industries probably share the same interest -- hopes and skepticism -- 156
oncerning the government's role in consumer- type industries where tradiionally the government has not been very active.

jrther Shoe-Related Studies

The findings from our program do not result from lengthy analyses

jsed upon gathering extensive data, considering tradeoffs, and ultimately

aerating well -reasoned conclusions and recommendations. Consistent with

le mandate set at the outset, we strove to identify a few key technologies

lat might address pertinent programs. The technical results obtained are

Dre solid than their economic counterparts. Many questions are basically

lanswered:

o How large a research program is required to accomplish at

Bast some of the goals suggested in the leather waste recycling category?

o Would such a program come up with results that make economic

Bnse?

o Can and will the shoe manufacturer move toward doing his own

Bather finishing?

o Can an effective means of bonding leather to leather or

iather to synthetic be found? Can a "super" bond to replace stitching

b developed?

o Can the bonding process be accelerated in a cost-effective

inner?

It would probably be possible to gain much better answers to some

r these questions with a focused program on any of the technology/application

"eas suggested here. To varying degrees we have the impression that at least

ome shoe manufacturers and their suppliers would be most cooperative in con- futing ideas, information, opinions, etc., toward these ends.

157
APPENDIX A

DISCARDED OUTPUTS FROM CREATIVE SESSIONS

158
APPENDIX A

DISCARDED OUTPUTS FROM CREATIVE SESSIONS

The following technology/application areas were suggested during

the creative sessions but were not considered appropriate for subsequent

analysis (others that cl early did not relate in any manner to the program

are not even listed here):

o Treatment of leather to facilitate cementing

o Automated leather repair

o Charged fluid droplet technique for pattern cutting

o Customized shoe manufacturing using no last (as with

some ski boots)

o Use of nonwovens for uppers

o Heel production using injection molding

o Standards for shoes for quality control and

better consumer acceptance

o Thermoplastic rubber for uppers

o Water jet cutting

o Incorporation of materials which are reactive to

nuclear exposure and will generate heat internally

in the leather

o Finishing of leather with shrink films

o Injection molding or rotoforming techniques to

product shoe uppers.

159

A Preliminary Report:

THE CUSTOM-FIT CONCEPT—INNOVATION IN THE

U.S. NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

Prepared for the NBS Shoe Team

by James P. Kottenstette

Denver Research Institute

May 15, 1978

161
A ' SUMMARY OF THE CUSTOM-FIT CONCEPT

lllsl

iti m

teli

This report promotes the broad outlines of an idea that could

change the U.S. Footwear Industry. The idea is an outgrowth of an

attempt £o couple potential technological developments in footwear

manufacturing with innovation in the footwear industry. The idea is

actually a strategy for innovation that links new materials technology

and manufacturing methods with changes in shoe retailing.

We call the idea the Custom-Fit Concept for shoe manufacturing

and retailing. The concept involves the notion of custom-fitting shoes

at the retail level from a limited inventory of size-width tariffs

carried by the retailer. In essence, the retailer would offer customers

the opportunity to select a shoe style with the promise that he or she

would be custom-fitted. This notion is clearly a departure from the

retailers' current reliance on a multi-tariff shoe stock to produce

satisfactory consumer shoe fittings.

The notion of custom-fitting has been borrowed from the ski

boot industry. Ski boots are ordinarily manufactured in a limited

number of sizes and widths and they are made to conform to the skier's

foot by adjustments in the boot's lining and insole, including adding

or removing insert material. The intent to maximize the number of feet

that can be successfully fit using a single size-width tariff is implici

in the strategy of manufacturing and retailing ski boots.

Custom-fitting is thought to increase the manufacturers "length Jill of style run" (volume of production of a particular item without changing \\ u size or style) . It is the promise of increased "length of style runs"

that suggests cost-savings and greater productivity for U.S. footwear

manufacturers if this concept can be adopted. 3 ^

The technological components of such an innovation include the

development of suitable insert materials to effect the custom-fitting

objective, the development of manufacturing methods to facilitate incorj

poration of insert (fitting) materials, and, the development of practical

fitting techniques for use by the retailer. From an innovation perspective, however, the strategy also calls for an industry-government effort

to improve basic information about shoe fit, to preserve the results of

the material development effort for the benefit of the U.S. footwear

industry, and to assist in the training of personnel engaged in manufac- i\k[{

ture, retailing and supply of shoes and shoe components.

162
INTRODUCTION

The thrust of the Custom-Fit Concept presented here is to estab-

, lish a basis for the retailing of shoes in multi-width tariffs based on single tariff shoe production schedules. Under this concept, the final

fitting of a shoe would take place at the retail point-of-sale, using

techniques adapted from the manufacture and retailing of ski boots.

The potential of this concept may be seen in Figure I where the

relative number of men's shoes sold by retail outlets is tabulated by

size and width.* If, for example, the "D" width tariff could also be

: fitted to persons with a "C" width—without a change in shoe size

: (length) —then the production of shoes manufactured in a "D" width

tariff could be increased by approximately 1.5 times. Less dramatic " ::;; but equally important, an "A" width tariff that also fits "AA" foot

sizes represents a 1.25 times increase in "A" width production. It

should be noted that while the footwear industry produces each shoe to

fit a range of foot sizes (recall the familiar "ellipse" of fits for

any particular size-width combination), the table indicates that significant differences in fit are associated with as little as one-fourth of an inch change in foot girth even when the range of foot sizes is taken into

account

The argument being developed here is that increasing production

in a particular size tariff between 1.25 and 1.5 times could redefine

.:^the "length of a style run" for the individual shoe manufacturer.

Lengthening the style run suggests economies in pattern grading,

machine-setup time, last making, inventory, inventory control, etc.,

all areas of cost-savings for a constant production volume. While

-'; these savings can be significant, the Custom-Fit Concept also focuses

on marketing American-made footwear. While the concept offers con- sumers custom-fit footwear derived from largely conventional production

technology, the mature concept attempts to answer the question "Why buy

domestic footwear?"

It is our belief that to revitalize the domestic industry,

:- manufacturing cost-savings and increased consumer preference for U.S .

licaJ produced shoes must both be attended to—hence the emphasis given here

to an innovation in footwear rather than manufacturing technology per se.

fort In fact, the technologies required to implement a mature Custom-Fit

: Concept are materials-related, manufacturing-related and retailing-related

i (i.e., to routinely provide for custom-fit); the technologies are broadly

;;- defined by the nature of the footwear innovation sought. On the other

hand, defining a strategy for implementing the innovation is not nearly

*This table was taken from Application of the Proportional Grade

to Footwear Manufacturing: Workshop Manual , prepared by the American

Footwear Industries Association, Arlington, VA (p. 72).

163
SHOE DISTRIBUTION

The following sales data from shoe stores in the U.S.A.

demonstrates a similar distribution.

WIDTHS AAAA AAA AA A B C D E EE EE

5 A

a

5% 1fi

6 J/

6% O 1 Q Q c

1 ——13 loo 20 1 /

1 c It

r% ———

A4 2o 1UJ 202 4 J 29 7C2C

8 y

CA "5(11 2U1 C 1 c 010 CO00 40 3t

V) 8% 3 14 ii inn 1UU 381 /UO / 1 4y 4J

1 1

1

N

CO

*m

Z

UJ

9 2 5 23 1 /in All 431 /Uo /y A A 42

9% 3 8 32 loo 402 0o7 OA 3o 34

10

_____ o I z

1 7_l "loo SO- 74 -.u 10% 4 14 53 153 264 432 60 18 1S

1

1

4 14 49 110 174 328 41 10 14

11% 3 11 32 60 95 155 21 6 8

n 2 . 6 16 31 44 77 12 3 6

2 2 6 15 13 31 7 2 4

13 1 3 5 12 4 1 13% 2 4 2 2

14 1 2 1 1

FIGURE I

164
so clear-cut because there are alternative pathways. Selection of one pathway depends on involvement and commitment by the several interests

or segments of the footwear industry. These segments include shoe manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. It is

obvious that a shared vision of the innovation strategy will be difficult

to establish given the different interests. One vision is presented in

this report in the hope that it might serve as a point-of-departure for

the selection and development of an innovation strategy.

The Technology

In 1964, a small ski boot manufacturer introduced a new boot

that began a revolution in the business. The Lange Company (Broomfield,

Colorado) produced a single-piece, molded boot in only four size-width

combinations. Each boot was custom-fit by the retailer by filling a bladder-like liner with polyurethane foam. The ski enthusiast had the

benefit of a well-fitting, well-insulated boot that set the standard — for many years. Although other innovations have followed, such as the

flow liner and memory foam , each development involves custom-fitting by

pi the retailer.

S

The experience of the ski boot industry prompted the question:

"What might the advantages be if shoe-retailers could actually promise

custom-fitting of shoes on a routine basis?" Several advantages were

apparent in addition to the potential increase in the length of style

runs. For the consumer, custom-fitting might increase the desirability

of U.S. footwear.* For the retailer, custom-fitting could provide an additional basis for competition by increasing the number of styles

available for consumer selection (fewer size-width tariffs promotes a larger style inventory) and increasing consumer loyalty based on satisfaction with the fit obtained. For an import-damaged industry,

the advantage might be that . the materials and techniques needed for

delivery of custom-fitted footwear could be restricted to use by U.S.

firms through patent and license agreements. Finally, from a Department of Commerce perspective, participation in the development of new

materials and techniques avoids the threat of distorting the existing

domestic industry structure because the "technologies" are not capital

intensive nor do they particularly favor one shoe manufacturer or equipment manufacturer over another.

These advantages can be seen by considering how custom-fitting

might be routinely achieved. Imagine that for a man's closed shoe style,

provision has been made for the injection of an insert material between

\\ the lasted upper and its liner. The material to be inserted (and yet

4>

31

*Custom-f itting may or may not be perceived by consumers as. being

of value. This will presumably depend on the relative levels of foot

comfort with and without custom-fitting and on whether the custom- fitting

process is viewed as an inconvenience.

165
to be developed) must have proven wear characteristics including flexibility, porosity and stability. Stability, for example, might be obtained

by triggering polymerization of a matrix-like component in the insert

after the fit is assured.

The fit itself might be gauged by the retail clerk through the use of "fitting socks." These socks would be available to the retailer

in graded sizes and weights, and would be designed to simulate various

amounts of insert material. For example, to simulate the fit of a perfect "C" in a "D" tariff, the upper portion of the fitting sock would

need to be approximately 1 millimeter thick. (The sole area of the fitting

sock would be made of light weight material, and the sole's thickness would

be ignored when compared to that of the upper portion of the fitting sock.)

The grade and weight of the fitting sock found comfortable to the customer

would also be used to gauge the amount of insert material needed to provide

the same feeling of fit simulated with the fitting sock.

A slightly different scenario can be drawn for custom-fitting a lady's open, high heeled shoe. Assume that the shoe upper has been made

with a "flow liner" as an integral part. This material (a siliconebased composite for ski boots) redistributes itself to conform to the

shape of the foot. The fitting socks used in this situation would be

made so that the gauged thickness appears in the sole of the fitting sock

rather than in the upper portion (as indicated in the closed-shoe example)

„

This fitting sock is designed to simulate increased insole thickness in

the platform area of the shoe. After fit is assured by conformance of

the flow liner in the forepart of the shoe, insert material would be

added to the shoes' insole in the platform area, to establish the same lift as was provided by the fitting sock. The liner and insert material

would then be stablized perhaps by exposure to microwave radiation.

1. Development of the technology . The technology effort needed

for this concept is basically one of materials development. The effort

should be organized to produce flexible, porous and stable inserts that

facilitate their use by retailers. This development effort should proceed

hand-in-hand with the development of techniques to aid the retailer in the

delivery of custom-fitting. These techniques include packaging and handling

of materials as well as simulating the fit as suggested by the use of the

"fitting sock."

The development of manufacturing techniques to provide for the

introduction of insert material is, of course, strongly related to

materials development program. The objective, in this case however, is

to minimize the impact on shoe manufacturing methods rather than to

introduce change. In the best of all worlds, at least initially, the

impact should be limited to the assembly of the shoe liner and/or the

insole, and the use of new liner materials.

2. Barriers to implementation of the concept . The barriers con- sidered here are primarily those associated with designing and articulating an overall commercialization strategy that can be endorsed by the foot- wear industry and supported, in part, by commitment of public resources.

166
It is presupposed here that a family of insert materials can be developed

and proven through consumer trials. It is also assumed that the techniques

for incorporating the insert materials can be refined to the point where

increased costs of manufacture can be offset by the economies of longer

runs. Similarly, the potential of increased retail sales costs due to

custom-fitting requirements may be offset to a large extent by reducing

the average time now spent in consumer fitting trials and/or by reduced

inventory costs associated with stocking fewer size-width tariffs. It is

in the area of retailing, however, that the principal barriers to this

innovation are thought to be present. This is one reason that emphasis

is given to the innovation strategy.

The innovation strategy must be the product of a process that

defines the respective roles for the various components of the shoe

industry and the government. At this stage of concept development

these roles are hard to define because the objectives and prerogatives

of the public and private sector are different in a fundamental sense.

If, however, it can be agreed that an innovation like the Custom-Fit

Concept has merit and leadership for its development emerges in the

various trade associations that link the industry, then the problem of

role definition can be engaged head-on.

If the innovation sought here was based on the development of

a particular item of production equipment, it is easier to see that

government-industry arrangements could be made to complete development,

dispose of attendant property right questions, and have the commercial

introduction of the equipment to one or two firms in the sector. The

Custom Fit Concept must finally be introduced by retailers, by the thousands if the concept is to have any impact. It is apparent that the

innovation strategy must be formulated so as to lead to this scale of

retailer involvement. This cannot happen in the short-run without the use of federal funds outside the traditional areas of R&D. The discovery

of how to shape federal involvement beyond the traditional R&D stages is

the reason for defining the respective public and private roles in the

innovation. The barrier to innovation so addressed in such a role

definition effort is that of ensuring coupling between technology development and the technology delivery system.

3. Cooperative technology development . Given that a strategy

for innovation is developed and the respective roles of industry and

government are defined, the areas for cooperative technology development

appear to fall into two main categories. The first category is concerned

with the materials and techniques for delivery of custom-fitting, and the

second category is concerned with building the infrastructure necessary

within the manufacturing, retail and supply components of the industry.

The principal advantage in government participation in the

technology development is to assure that the development of insert

materials achieves the greatest possible patent protection. This protection will help ensure that the technology is licensed to domestic

167
manufacturers to the exclusion of foreign manufacturers. The development of insert materials would .involve extensive programs for formulation and evaluation of materials to establish characteristic and practical performance limitations. Such a program is beyond the resources of

the industry. In a related sense, government participation in the development of manufacturing techniques will also help ensure that the methods

developed to incorporate insert materials are standardized from the

retailers' perspective.

One joint study area that is thought to be an essential part of

building infrastructure concerns the conduct of a comprehensive fitting

study. This study would determine, among other factors, the extent to

which the Custom-Fit Concept is significant to consumers because of

their fitting problems. The study should be patterned after the Fort

Knox investigation and should be designed to help the industry recognize

where in the spectrum of footwear manufacture and retailing the concept

should be first introduced to maximize the chances of successful introduction .

Other areas for cooperative development of infrastructure include

personnel training, field trials, design computations (to maximize the

potential impact of the concept), styling assessments, and, to the extent

feasible, marketing studies.

Sep

11

168
Work performed for

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

Purchase Order No. 808204

FINAL REPORT

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE

U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

IITRI Project No. J6440

May 15, 1978

Report prepared by:

/R. Kasparas, IIT Research Institute

G. Putnam, IIT Research Institute

J. Williams, IIT Research Institute

E. Young, IIT, School of Business

Approved

K. E. McKee

Director

Manufacturing Productivity Center

169
TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION 171

II. FACILITY VISITS 172

III. RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS 177

IV. PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS .......... 200

V. AREAS OF POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT- INDUSTRY COOPERATION. . 201

VI. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 203

VII. APPENDIX*

* Deleted from Proceedings

17Q
I. INTRODUCTION

The U.S. nonrubber footwear industry's current share of the

domestic market is less than 50 percent. It is possible that

many factors account for this situation, i.e., availability of

capital, marketing problems, government policy, manufacturing

technology utilized, etc.

It is the purpose of this investigation and report to explore

only the factor of manufacturing technology as it can be related

to the U.S. nonrubber footwear industry.

In response to a request by NBS (M. King to IITRI dated

January 16, 1978) IITRI submitted a proposal (78-244J) to the

U.S. Department of Commerce. The proposal was accepted and

Purchase Order No. 808204, dated March 8, 1978 was issued to

IITRI by the National Bureau of Standards to perform the effort

outlined in the proposal.

This report fulfills the first requirement listed under

Task IV of the purchase order.

171
II. FACILITY VISITS

A. Visits to Shoe Manufacturing Facilities

The following companies were selected to afford an opportunity to view several key dimensions for the shoe manufacturing

process: 1) size of plant; 2) type of shoe, i.e., men' s /women' s

,

style/work; 3) length of run; 4) single/multi store; 5) single/

multi plant 6) line/staff interview; 7) various levels of management and 8) various midwestern locations, i.e., Wisconsin, Ohio,

Illinois and Kentucky.

Throughout emphasis was on observing current operations from

the point of manufacturing process and systems technology. The

efficiency of current techniques, methods and technique was observed primarily by drawing on the skills, and concepts of mechanical, industrial, and systems engineering, computerization and

automation.

To complement the visits listed below, information was collected by mail from several equipment and component manufacturers.

1. Visit to Jung Shoe Manufacturing Company, Sheboygan , Wisconsin, April 10, 1978 - by E. C. Young, (IITRI)

.

On this visit, Henry Jung, President was interviewed. Mr.

Jung also toured his plant with Mr. Young and explained many of

the problems he currently faces.

This visit afforded an opportunity to observe a small scale

manufacturer of men's footwear marketing in a variety of markets,

i.e., industrial and farm workshoes, pull-on boots, sports-related

shoes, and forestery/logging shoes. These markets are not as hard

hit by imports as those in women's shoes, but they still involve

many of the typical problems which a small shoe manufacturer must

face. These include: 1) escalating costs of labor and materials,

especially labor, short production runs, frequent changes in

operations. Jung Shoe uses the Goodyear Welt construction which

to date has not been as trade impacted as cement lasted shoes.

172
2 . Visit to Levereng Shoe Company, Sheboygan, Wisconsin on April 10, 1978 by E. G. Young (IITRI) . An initial interview was held with Robert H. Levereng, Board

Chairman and Kenneth C. Balsing, Vice President, Manufacturing.

This allowed further exposure to the problems besetting a smaller

sized United States men's shoe manufacturer.

Levereng Shoe Company operates two plants outside Sheboygan.

Mr. Balsing conducted Mr. Young on a tour of the plant at New

Holstein. This is a modern one-story operation and served to

point up the efficiencies which a company is able to achieve by

emphasizing machine layout, work flow and material handling.

3 . Visit to Weyenberg Shoes, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, April 11 , 19 78 by E. C. Young and R. Kasparas (IITRI) . Weyenberg Shoe afforded an opportunity to visit a plant in a medium sized men's shoe company operating several plants. The

operation visited was larger than either Jung Shoe or Levereng and

thus provided another perspective on men's shoe manufacture.

Following an interview Terry A. Lee, General Superintendent

of Manufacturing, took the IITRI team on a detailed and very

thorough tour of all operations in the Beaver Dam plant. Operations of particular interest were the leather stock room and cutting, due to the high standards maintained for both leather and

the cutters. The potential loss in this area is especially great

due to the large amount and high cost of leather used in a pair

of Weyenberg shoes. Opoortunities for centralized administrative,

service, and warehouse functions in Milwaukee were of interest

(although not visited at this time)

4. Visit to Florsheim Shoe Company, Chicago, Illinois, April 20 , 1978, by E. C. Young and R. Kasparas .

This visit was arranged by George McDorman, Director of Men's

Shoe Manufacturing. It included a thorough tour of operations

with John Mirabelli, Plant Superintendent. Again, all operations

were observed in some detail. This was the largest men's shoe

17 3
plant visited, and is also operating in a high labor cost market

(Chicago) and this locational disadvantage serves to underscore

many of the labor problems besetting the United States shoe industry, i.e., wage and fringe escalation, turnover, lack of interest

in the shoe industry, etc.

5 . Visit to W. M Greiner Company, Chicago, Illinois on April 20 , 1978, by E. C. Young and R. Kasparas (IITRI) . This visit was _ncluded to get a better understanding of the

interface between the tanner and shoe manufacturer of one of the

chief materials in which the United States has a natural advantage

-- leather.

This visit included an interview with Dirk Anderson and subsequently, a tour of the facilities in Chicago. The larger potential savings in the' use of leather had initially prompted this

visit

.

It remains as an open challenge as to just how much this market interface can be standardized, or the tannery further included

in the grading and sorting process, but the escalating cost of

leather and the United States advantage in this commodity, point

to the need for further investigation into the problems and prospects for better leather grading and utilization.

6. Visit to Dr. Scholl Shoes, Falmouth, Kentucky, April 27 , 1978 , by E. C. Young and R. Kasparas (IITRI) . This visit was arranged by the Chicago Office, and consisted

of tour of facilities with Roy Bryant, Supervisor. Following the

tour interviews were held with David Hart, Industrial Engineer

and Jerome Gallenstein, Plant Superintendent.

This visit afforded an opportunity to visit a modern, airconditioned plant designed especially for women's shoe manufacture.

While there are limitations to the amount of re-arrangement and

combining that can be done due to present equipment design, the

material handling system of interest since it was designed to

integrate several manufacturing and warehouse operations.

174
Heretofore, the possibilities in applying such modern warehousing techniques had not been observed in any of the IITRI visits.

Due to the style, size, and width 1 variations in the shoe business,

coupled with the limited runs due to average company size and marketing practices in shoes, the opportunity for savings or other

forms remain a question. In the case of Dr. Scholl, ownership of

some retail outlets and stable shoe styles permits this modernized

warehouse

7. Visit to U.S. Shoe, Cincinnati, Ohio on April 26, 1978 - by

E. C. Young and R. Kasparas, (IITRI) .

This visit was arranged by Robert Stix, V.P. Manufacturing.

Three facilities were toured with Peter Bradford, Industrial Engineer. The large scale of U.S. shoe, the administratives , technical, and operations support center in Cincinnati makes possible

many advantages not possible to the smaller, single plant shoe

operations. For example, components manufacture, large scale purchasing, ' the critical size and grinding levels necessary for R&D,

testing, and new product development.

This visit allowed an opportunity to observe the cement last

construction which predominates in women's shoe manufacture,

multi-plant operations, and the industrial engineering perspective,

e.g., through Mr. Peter Bradford. Plants visited included those

at Flemingsburg and Maysville, Kentucky and Ripley, Ohio. The

visit to Maysville afforded an opportunity to observe women's

boot manufacture.

175
B, Other Visits

1 , Symposium on Footwear Industry Concepts

This symposium was organized by the U\S, Shoe Corp and held

in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 4 and 5, 1978, The theme of the

symposium involved general discussions of the problems facing the

footwear industry by

N. German y- Research & Development

American Footwear Industries Assn,

R. Stix - V. P. Manufacturing, U.S. Shoe

D. Ross - U.S. Shoe

D. Letch - Technical Director, U.S.M, Corp,

D'. Thayer - CAMS CO

F. Haynes - GAO

R. Messenger - Cincinnati Milacron

H. Winkler, President of the University of Cincinnati

outlined how the university would apply

its resources to establishing and operating

a footwear technology center.

The details of the symposium are recorded in an NBS memorandum

for file by M. King, dated April 11, 1978, A copy of this memorandum

is appended hereto.

2. Visit to United Shoe Machinery (USM) , Beverly Mass.,

May 9, 1978 - by G. Putnam (IITRI) . This visit involved reviewing

the technology USM has recently developed or is developing to

reduce the costs involved in shoe manufacturing. The applications

reviewed were:

o Numerical Control Stitching

o Numerical Control Bar Tacking

o Nesting and Cutting Shoe Bottoms

o Semiautomatic Lasting Machinery

o Shop Handling Systems

176
III. RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS

A. Marking (Stitch Marking and Printing)

1 . Current Method

After the various parts of an upper have been cut, it is

necessary (1) to mark, then to identify where parts are to be

joined; (2) to identify, when to stitch and; (3) to identify the

case number, size, width and match number. The match number is

placed close to the edge of the part in a position where it will

be hidden when assembled. The purpose of this number is to

insure that all the parts for a given shoe can be kept in the

correct sequence when the lot is stitched.

Marking of joining and stitched lines is usually done using

simple techniques. One method is to place a template slitted

according to the appropriate joining and stitched lines on the

component and to mark these lines using the slitted guides. A

second method requires that the component to be marked be placed

in fixture positioned in front of a marking die which can be

lowered by hand to mark the component and which retracts to an

inking pad while the componet is removed and new ones (at times

two pieces simultaneously) are positioned for marking.

Lastly, marking numbers on upper components and lines is

done using a stamping machine which is hand set, each time the

shoe size and width is changed. When each run is finished the

case number is also changed.

2 . Current Cost

Special costs of these operations in a plant employing 350

direct time workers and producing 4,000 pairs/day is calculated

as follows:

177
1. Marking joining and stitching lines averages

3-4 employees

2. Stamping case numbers, sizes, widths and

matching numbers on uppers averages 3-4

employees

3. Stamping liners 1-2 employees

4. Total employees on marking averages 7-10,

or between 2 percent and 2.8 percent of

total direct labor cost.

5. Since this will vary greatly depending

on the styles produced, an average of

2 percent is used.

6. Assuming $2.03/pair of direct labor cost,

total marking cost runs at least $.04/pair, or

7. For a plant averaging 4,000 pairs/day for

250 days/year or 1,000,000 pairs/year, the

marking cost/year is $40,000.

8. Based on a total annual production, U.S.

production of 416 , 566 , 000/pairs , this

amounts to a total labor cost of $16,662,640.

3 . Applicable Technology

The technology to be applied to these operations involves

• incorporating marking devices in the cutting die

® using impact matrix printing

® minicomputer technology

4. Cost to Develop Technology

All of this technology exists. Therefore, there is no cost

to develop it. Packaging the technology for this application

is estimated to be less than $40,000.

5 . Proposed Method

This application relates very closely to the

described recommendation for Parts Nesting and Die Cutting.

178
Referring to Figure 1 it can be seen that the table moves underneath a matrix type printing head which can be computer controlled.

Input to the system consists of order information in addition to

the nesting information which is required by the parts nesting and

die cutting operation. This can be entered via the cards which

are currently keypunched for each order.

The ink used would be the "ultra violet" type to eliminate

the need to apply the marking to areas which are hidden.

The printing head would be the "matrix" type to minimize cost.

6 . Cost Effectiveness

Based on current similar equipment the following are cost

estimates for the equipment required (in addition to the equipment

required for Parts Nesting and Die Cutting:

0 Printing Head (matrix type) and $15,000

Keyboard

e Added Software 10,000

Installation and Debugging 5,000

$30,000

Savings

50 percent of marking costs (.5 x 40,000) $20,000

Increases

Added cost for ink

Programming maintenance

$ 5,000

$ 2,000

$ 7,000

Net Annual Savings (20,000-7,000) $13,000

Payback Period Capital Costs

Annual Savings

30,000

T37000

= 2.31 years

179
I 1

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Station

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DIE STORAGE

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Die Cutting

Station

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180
7 . Implementation Barriers

• Lack of familiarity with computer technology

by shoe manufacturers

• Lack of service bureaus for manufacturers who

have no computer facilities

Shop Floor Reporting

1 . Current Method

Since shoe factories work on a piecework basis, it is

essary to maintain a record of all pieces completed on each

sured operation by each worker. Usually, this involves a

lection of individual work tickets by each operator for the

ts/operation he (or she) completes. These work tickets are

: ut 1/1" x 2" and each operator has a folder or booklet in which

3 y are assembled.

Typically at least in shoe factories visited, each worker

ords units completed at each piece price and extends these to

ain his (or her) daily pay. The payroll clerk must also detere individual pay rates using this same information to make a

al payroll calculation.

Since as many as 60 operations are performed in the fitting

m alone; since runs are typically short, and since many shoe

lies are run each day, it is necessary to make hundreds of these

culations to arrive at the daily payroll.

2 . Current Cost

Cost of collecting this information is calculated as follows:

1. Assume approximately 10 minutes per day, or

2 percent of total direct time, recording

work completed on each operation, placing

work tickets in a folder or booklet throughout

the day; and extending and totalling these

calculations at the end of the day.

181
2. Assume a direct labor cost of $2,03/pair,

2 percent total direct labor cost runs

about $.04 per pair,

3. For a shoe factory producing 1,000,000

pairs of shoes/year, this amounts to

$40,000 annually.

4. Based on a total U.S. shoe production

of 416,566,000 pairs/year (1977), this

amounts to a total cost of $16,622,640.

3. Applicable Technology

All of the data collection and recordkeeping activity going

on in the fitting, lasting and other departments can be eliminate

and replaced by a central computer which could accept the input,

classify it, perform associated operations and convey the information to the production control center, planning center, payroll

and other departments that could benefit from such data. All

this can be simply achieved by equipping , work areas with a miniature computer terminal capable of accepting a few numbers such

as the ID number of the operator, the code number of the task

performed, the number of lots, etc. Some operators could be

equipped with portable input devices to permit production flexibility in terms of available operators and tasks.

4. Cost to Develop Technology

There is no cost to develop this technology. It exists.

The problem involves applying the technology.

5 . Proposed Method

Each operator would go to a terminal, insert their identification badge (which is magnetically coded) and key in the

required information to indicate the jobs performed.

This information would be processed by a software program

and combined with information extracted from the time standards

182
data base to determine;

piece rate wages

job order status

6 . Cost Effectiveness

Initial Investment

Shop floor reporting hardware

15 terminals @ $3,000 $45,000

Minicomputer (similar to

PDP 11/04) $25,000

Software $ 10, 000

$80,000

Savings

50 percent of Direct Labor

(.5 x 40,000) $20,000

Payback Period = ? qqq

= ^ years

Implementation Barriers

Lack of investment capital

Lack of incentives for capital investment

183
Dim

len

C . Materials Joining

1 . Current Method

Pieces of the upper are joined together in the fitting room

primarily by stitching them together, (In the case of thermoplastic

materials, high frequency heating operations are well known although

apparently not widely applied.) In the case of leather, the only

method of forming observed or discussed with the IITRI team, was

stitching. This is accomplished by individual operators using

sewing machines. Parts to be stitched together are positioned

by hand or positioned in a fixture when numerical control stitching jhtei is employed.

2 . Current Cost

1. Assuming that fitting requires 38.2 percent of

total direct labor and that approximately

35 percent of the fitting room labor includes

some joining operations, the cost of joining

is calculated as follows:

(a) 38.2% x 35% = 13.4%

(b) at $2.03 direct labor cost per pair

of shoes, stitching which includes

joining = $2.03 x 13.4% = $.272/pair

2. Assuming that a plant which has 350 direct

labor employees produces 4,000 pairs/day

and works 250 days, the yearly cost of

stitching which includes joining is calculated

as follows:

(a) 4,000 pairs/day x 250 days = 1,000,000 pairs/year

(b) 1,000,000 x $.272 = $272,000

(annual cost of stitching including joining)

3. Total cost of joining in the U.S. shoe industry,

assuming a total production of 416,566,000 pairs/year

(1977) = $115,388,782.

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3 , Applicable Technology

The leather in the process of shoe production normally is

: .;

: ,oined by sewing in lock or chainstitch mode. Presently many other

perations, such as attaching of lining, insoles and soles are

one by means of adhesives and hotmelts. Besides stitching and

lueing, leather could be joined by other methods, provided

ertain developments take place. For example, ultrasonics is a ell understood and widely used technique to join thermoplastic

aterials in the apparel industry. Nylon and similar thermoplastics

oined by this method are common. Bathing suits, brassieres and

11 types of under and outerwear have been manufactured with this

echnology for the past 10 years. Fabrics and leather impregnated

ith thermoplastics could possibly be joined by this method. Methods

o impregnate leather for suitable joining could be a major breakhrough for the shoe industry. Since ultrasonic "sewing" eliminates

hread, needle, bobbins, thread sensing devices, etc., the method

o " thermoplasticize" leather, manmades and other materials could

ave a major impact on the shoe manufacturing process. Another

oining process that could be of significance is the process known

s liquid thread.

The success of hotmelt adhesives in. applications ranging from

eal-bonding of flexible film packages, structural bonding of

aminates and composites, and protective coating for plastic metal,

ood, paper, leather and other natural and synthetic materials is

ell documented. This success has been due primarily to the ingenuity of polymer chemists in developing adhesive formulations

ailored for cohesive and adhesive strength and elasticity in the

olid state while maintaining adequate viscosity, tack and wetting

bilities in the molten state. This process has resulted in a ide selection of hotmelt polymeric materials with inherent strength

roperties that can be employed in the design process as primary

tructural elements.

185
IITRI proposed to employ this technology and the materials

in a novel application for forming a basic textile seam. In applications useful in the shoe industry it could be useful in replacing

long straight seams such as are required in sewing uppers of boots,

boot zippers, etc. The method is to perforate the component

pieces of leather with needles and inject these perforations with

"thread" in liquid form. The material solidifies immediately and

assumes the function of regular thread in appearance and otherwise.

Only experimental work has been conducted so far. Thread material

and equipment must be developed. This is not a decorative stitch . Another approach to make joining of leather more efficient

is to improve or modify the presently used sewing. Presently, two

kinds of stitches are used: lockstitch and chainstitch. Lockstitch is preferably used because in case of thread rupture, the

stitch does not come apart as is in the case of the chainstitch

seam. Some time could be saved if instead of lockstitch, chainstitch could be used. Bobbin changing time could be used to sew

productively. To prevent the chainstitch from coming apart, a thread impregnated by thermoplastic material could be used. For

example, after sewing in usual manner, the chainstitch could be

heat treated to fuse the thread at points in contact thus making

the stitch impossible to "run" and come apart.

4. Cost to Develop Technology

While it is almost impossible to predict exactly what it will

cost to develop a process to impregnate leather, devise a method

and develop the liquid thread material or what it will cost to

develop thermoplastic impregnated thread, it is anticipated that

the three processes could cost about $100,000 to develop.

5 . Proposed Method

The actual savings employing impregnated leather, however,

could be significant because in addition to replacing the stitching

186
by thread, other areas could benefit also, For example, all liners

could be attached by ultrasonics thus eliminating hotmelts, glue

pots, etc. Ultrasonics could save up to 25 percent of time presently

required in the sewing and fitting rooms.

Less significant savings can be expected from the liquid thread,

since its application is strictly in sewing of uppers, preferably

straight portions. However, it is conceivable that the method

could evolve above presently envisioned applications such as "sewing" of the entire upper in one shot, that is, in about one

second of time or less. Normally, depending on the length of

seam, liquid thread could save as much as 50 percent of time. For

example, a zipper in a full length boot could be sewn in one second

against the present time of approximately 60 seconds.

The cost savings with impregnated thread are not so obvious.

First, the elimination of bobbins would probably save only a few

percentage points of time, however, the elimination of the second

thread can be very cost effective, since the danger to run out of

thread while halfway along a seam, is eliminated. Further, all

of the administrative procedures associated with bobbins are eliminated. All of these advantages combined could make the development of fuseable thread very cost effective, especially considering

that no new sewing equipment is necessary for the material.

6 . Cost Effectiveness

a. Boot Making Plant

(1) Initial Investment (liquid thread equipment)

5 units (operate 3 shifts) @ 18,000 90,000

*unit = injection molding machine

and supporting tooling

(2) Annual Costs

187
Savings

• time to sew zipper

present method = 150 seconds/pair

• time to attach zipper

proposed method = 90 seconds/pair

savings 60 seconds/pair

or

1 minute/pair

6 0 • percent time savings = = 40%

• current number of operators to sew in zippers in

plant making 4,000 pairs/day =

4,000 pairs/day x 150 seconds/pair = n operators

3,600 seconds/hour x 8 hours/day/operator ^

• proposed number of operators = 21 x (1.00 - .40) = 13 operators

• number of operators saved - 21-13 = 8

• value of savings = 8 operators x 2,080 hours x $3,50 per hour

year

(avg. wage) x 1.25 (fringe benefit factor) = $72,800

© added costs

maintenance $10,000

• net savings = 72,800 - 10,000 - $62,800

(3) Payback Period

?0,000 = I 43 vears 62,800 yeais

b. Other Plants (ultrasonic joining)

(1) Initial Investment

20 ultrasonic sewing machines

(multishift operation) @ 5,000 = $100,000

188
(2) Annual Costs

o save 7,5% of fitting room labor

.075 x $6.85 x ,296 (labor %) x ,382 (fitting0/,) x

4 000 P alr-S

' x 250 = 58,090 day year '

o added maintenance = 10,000

o added production control = 10,000

o Annual Net Savings = (58,090-10,000-10,000)

= 38,090

(3) Payback Period = ^g'g^- =2,63 years

7 . Implementation Barriers

o Research and Development Risk - the development

may not be feasible (impregnation of leather)

o Consumer acceptance of "no stitching" or

"psuedo-stick 1 marking

o Lack of investment capital

o Lack of investment incentives

8 . Miscellaneous

Contrary to impregnation of leather, much less technical

Lfficulties are anticipated with the liquid thread method. Some

reliminary research has already been done at IITRI and some aspects

5 the method are well known and understood. We anticipate no

roblems in the development of materials to meet the performance

Decif ications . Obstacles to be overcome are mainly in the design

id engineering of equipment.

Least difficulties are anticipated with the development of

impregnated thread. In the worst case, a monofilament synthetic

aterial could be used to satisfy the need for fuseable thread.

189
D. Grading, Nesting and Die Cutting

1, Current Method

(a) Grading leather and establishing grade boundaries

The current method of leather grading can be reviewed as a two-step process. First, in the leather room (aside from central

leather processing units for multiplant operations) hides are

inspected on a visual and tactile basis to determine if they have

the attributes, i.e., color, density, texture, and surface qualities

required for a given shoe production order. If so, the square

footage is tabulated and the hide assigned to the order.

A second aspect of grading occurs when the cutter positions

the dies for the various parts of a shoe upper on a given hide.

In this process of visually nesting the various dies on a given

hide, the cutter is attempting to do several things simultaneously

(1) match desired qualities in the part being cut with the appropriate portion of the hide, i.e., the vamp from the upper section

of the hide; (2) avoiding irregularities, scars, branding marks,

etc., and (3) minimizing leather losses in the process of attempting

to do (1) and (2)

.

These methods have the advantage of low labor costs, but the

material costs are likely to be high due to suboptimal leather

utilization. Since leather grading is usually accomplished simultaneously with the process of sorting and measuring hides for

appropriate shoe orders, grading time per se_ is not easily separated. Also, since most of the grading costs attributable to the

cutter are closely related to his (or her) ability to cut efficiently

material costs of grading are included under Nesting parts, die

location and selection, and N/C stamping . Grading costs in the

leather room are omitted from any calculations of current operating costs.

19 0
Cb) Nesting Parts, Die Location and Selection, N^C

Stamping

Currently, hides are cut individually into the various parts

of a shoe upper by cutters using dies and stamping out parts singly

at cutting press (Clicker Machine) . When an order is received with

a bundle of hides, the cutter will position a single hide on the

Clicker table, select the appropriate dies from nearby racks and

using the first die begins to cut the hide. This is done by

swinging the beam of the cutting press over the die. The machine

is then tripped to press the beam on the die. During the cutting

process the cutter is always engaged in applying his (or her) own

cutting algorithm. In theory two excellent cutters may vary somewhat in how they place individual dies on a given hide, but it is

felt that there will be little discrepancy in the loss per hide.

However, since there are no objectives grading standards on

nesting patterns designed for each hide, there is no way to

measure the extent of the current loss in material.

2. Current Cost

The cost of cutting varies greatly depending primarily on the

mix of leather and man-made materials and the extent to which the

latter process has been mechanized (e.g., cutting presses with

traveling heads) . Various estimates of cutting costs were

obtained both by the DOC teams as well as IITRI staff members.

These ranged from 5% to 127o. Costs of cutting are not directly

proportional to the number of employees, since the pay rate on

this job is one of the highest in the plant. With these qualifications current cutting costs are calculated as follows:

(1) Assuming a leather cutting cost of 8.7% of

total direct labor, and direct labor costs

of $2.03/pair, cutting costs/pair are

$.1766/pair.

191
In a plant employing 350 direct time employees

producing 4,000 pairs/day and operating 250

days/year (or 1,000,000 pairs/year) this results

in a total annual cutting cost of $176,600 per plant.

Assuming a U.S, leather shoe production of

100,000,000 pair (approximately 25% of an

annual production of 416,566,000 (1977) total

cutting costs using present methods are

$17,660,000 (100 x 176,600).

The cost of material lost using the current

method of cutting varies considerably depending

on the development and implementation of leather

specifications, nesting patterns, cutter

performance guidelines, type of patterns cut,

and leather "cutability" . Estimates of loss

varied from 5% as high as 1570 . This wide range

is due to the anticipation of the term

"recoverable leather ' due to improved cutter

performance in grading and nesting dies effectively

on each hide.

Assume the following:

a recoverable loss of 5% due to subopticnal

grading and nesting by the cutter

a cost of leather of $1.20/square foot

2 square feet of leather per pair of

women

1 s shoes

3 square feet of leather per pair of

men s shoes

207, of total production is in shoes

with leather uppers

757, of the shoe production is in

women's shoes

g 2570 of the shoe production is in

men's shoes

a plant operating with 350 direct employees

producing 4,000 pairs/day, operating

250 days, and producing 1,000,000 pairs/day

192
C6) Waste material in cutting uppers due to ineffective

grading and nesting:

Women

(a) $l,20/ft 2 x ,05 x 2 ft 2 /pr - $.12/pr

(b) 1,000,000 prs/yr x $.12 - $120, 000/plant/year

Men

(a) $1.20/ft 2 x .05 x 3 ft

2 /pr = $,18/pr

(b) 1,000,000 prs/yr x $.18 = $180 , 000/plant/year

(7) Based on an assumed U.S. shoe production with

leather uppers of 100,000,000 pairs/year, total

waste material costs due to ineffective grading

and nesting by the cutter are shown below:

Women

(a) .75 x 100,000,000 = 75 , 000 , 000/pairs

(or 75 plants with a capacity of 1,000,000 prs/year

(b) 75 x $120,000 = $9,0C0,000/year

Men

(a) .25 x 1,000,000 = 25 , 000 , 000/pairs

(or 25 plants with a capacity of 1,000,000 prs/year

Total lost material costs = $13 , 500 , 000/year

(8) Total costs of cutting labor and lost materials

due to suboptional grading and nesting by the

cutter, based on an annual U.S. production of

100,000,000 pairs shoes with leather uppers =

cutting labor =$17,660,000 (from (3) above)

leather loss =$13,500,000 (from (7) above)

$31,160,000

19 3
3. Applicable Technology

a. Grading

Automatic grading of leather is only necessary to enable the

cutting of leather by automatic computer controlled means,

The purpose of grading in automatic cutting is to identify

the areas of leather in a hide most suitable for vamps, side

quarter, tongues, etc. This can be accomplished by scanning the

hide for surface and texture imperfections with light emittingcollecting arrays and sound wave or infrared devices. A few of

these techniques are discussed here for clarification.

Any surface when illuminated by light rays will reflect a certain amount of these rays or light. The amount of light that

is reflected can be accurately measured by photosensitive cells

or light sensors. These sensors can be arranged in groups of rows

and are called light sensing arrays. Naturally, in order to

sense or collect reflected light, it must first be emitted from

some kind of source. Such light sources emitting infrared light

in the electronics industry are called light emitting diodes (LED)

and can be compared to miniature flashlights . The LED are also

arranged in arrays and placed at a required angle opposite to the

light sensing arrays. In this type of setup each light source is

matched with a light sensor to form many pairs placed next to each

other for a given distance, depending on the object being evaluated.

Sometimes the light emitting diode and the light sensor are assembled

in a single unit but the operating principle remains the same as in separate arrays.

Leather used in the manufacturing of shoes, especially for

the uppers, can be inspected by this method for surface imperfections. For example, the areas of branding, veins, scars and holes

Infrared is mentioned as an example only. The light does not

have to be infrared.

194
fan be easily detected because they will normally reflect less or

ore light than regular surfaces. This surface reflectivity inforation can be placed into a computer which in turn could either

ark these surfaces to enhance visibility by the human eye or use

his information to cut leather by computer controlled means.

Another simple technique to inspect the leather surface can

e simply illuminating it by ultraviolet or other rays that posibly could reveal surface information equivalent or superior to

isible light. It could even reveal important information about

he inner structure of the leather. At the present time, however,

reliminary research is necessary to assess the feasibility of

.his approach. In order to grade leather for cutting, texture

nformation is also necessary. To locate areas of different

:extures the leather can be scanned by air borne sound waves

'ABSW) . The method consists basically, of sending sound waves

igainst one side of hide and measuring the sound on the other side,

ligher density areas will suppress sound transmission more than

ireas of lesser density. These areas then can easily be identified

md the information stored in the computer memory.

It is possible that leather texture can be scanned by infrared rays of proper length. Presently this method of viewing or

Photographing is used in a wide variety of applications. For

Example, the U.S. Army employs infrared scopes on weapons used

Ln night time warfare. Geological resource surveys employing

r:his method via satellites are conducted to appraise numeral

deposits, crops and similar applications. The underlying principle

of the method is simple, since it amounts to "seeing" heat sources

rather than images illuminated by normal lights. One such application appears to be in leather grading. It is well known that

in a single piece of cowhide various areas of soft or hard leather

can be detected by touch. These areas, basically, differ from each

other in terms of leather density and thickness. A cowhide placed

on a plate and viewed or photographed by infrared could reveal all

195
of the necessary information on texture (in terms of density and

thickness) . The "image" or texture information then could be

stored in the computer memory for subsequent utilization in cutting

of leather.

In summary, then it can be stated, that combining a technique

to scan the surface and the inner structure, a piece of equipment

to grade . leather , essential in the automatic cutting of leather,

should be developed.

b . Nesting and Die Cutting

The key to material cutting is the ability to maximize the

utilization of leather. In a computer controlled operation, where

the nesting of dies would be done by numerically controlled machinery, the maximum utilization process requires specific information pertaining the leather about to be cut. This information

we propose to obtain by leather scanner capable of locating and

indicating the area of hide unfit for production. This information then would be used by the computer which by means of numerical controls would command a die handling system which would then

perform the cutting operation. Mathematical calculations would be

used to derive the most efficient nesting pattern. Vamps and

other frontal pieces would be cut from the high quality areas

while parts requiring lesser quality leather would be cut from

appropriate locations. The actual cutting of pieces could be

done by presses or similar equipment.

• Cost — < The significant part of the process described above is the die

handling . device which may be a machine, a mechanized fixture or

an industrial robot. This system or device must be coupled to a computer capable of accepting information from the scanner, capable

of performing necessary calculations, and capable of controlling

the die handling device.

19 6
4. Cost to Develop Technology

Since most of this technology exists, no major development

effort is required. To combine existing technology and develop

an application package is estimated to be $125,000 to $150,000.

5 . Proposed Method

The proposed method involves using a computer program to nest

parts in a given area of flat material (applies to both leather

and "man-made" material) . The nesting system would accept the

material area configuration and the outline of the parts to be

cut as inputs. The nesting algorithm would orient a group of

parts to be cut within the usable material area such that minimum

material waste would result. Nesting algorithms and corresponding

software have been developed for such industries as sheet metal

fabrication, clothing manufacturing and shipbuilding.

Individual part configurations would be generated by digitizing drawings of the parts.

A hardware system similar to that shown in Figure 1 would

have to be developed. The system would contain 4 stations.

a. Loading - the material would be fastened

to a pallet and placed on a table in a fixed orientation (recognized by the

minicomputer)

b. Die Cutting - the table would move under

the punch press. Based on a computer

software program a die would be selected

from the Die Storage Magazine and loaded

in a die holder in the punch press.

The die holder would rotate to the strike

position and the table would be properly

positioned in the "X-Y" plane such that

when the press actuates the die will cut

the proper part in the proper location.

As the press is actuating another die is being placed in a second die holder.

19 7
When the press actuation cycle is complete the "old" die is

returned to the die storage magazine as the "new" die is swung into

position and the press actuated. This is a standard numerical

control, tool changing procedure to maximize machine tool utilization.

Incorporated in each die would be characters to be punched

into the material that are associated with the die (i.e., size).

This identification would be placed on the material during the

punching cycle.

6 . Cost Effectiveness

a. Initial Investment (based on similar existing equipment)

o Minicomputer (similar to PDP 11/34)

and software $100,000

o Punch press, die storage magazine,

network of tables with 4 positions 250,000

o Grading equipment 25,000

o Installation, training 25 , 000

Total Initial Investment $400,000

b. Annual Costs

Savings

Material - 8% (based on USM studies)

08 x $6.85 av£- ?

ost

x .392 (material position) pair r x 4,000 §§p

x 250 |gf- - $214,816

Labor - 10% due to deskilling and faster operation

.10 x $6.85 av£- costx ,296 (labor portion)

P 3i XlT x .087 (cutting labor portion)

x 4,000 g^^- x 250

^s = $17,640 ' day year

198
Increases

Programming Labor

Maintenance Labor

$5,0Q0

$5,000

Net Savings = 214,816 + 17,640 - 5,000-5,000 = 222,456

c. Payback period

Initial Investment _ 400,000 _ ,

ft Annual Savings " 222,456 L ' b yeaTi

7 . Barriers to Implementing

1. Providing incentives to machine tool builders

to produce the required machinery

2. Availability of capital to shoe manufacturer

3. Lack of familiarity with numerical control

by the shoe manufacturer

4. Lack of service bureaus to supply the required

service to organizations who have no existing

data processing facilities

5. Resistance to automation by labor force

199
IV. PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS

Letting the payback period be the governing factor in determining the priority for implementing the technology recommendations

described in Section III, the rank order list in declining order

of priority is as follows:

Grading and Nesting

Marking

Materials Joining

Shop Floor Reporting

20 0
V. AREA OF POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY COOPERATIVE EFFORT

A. Technology Development Program

This program would be similar to the REAPS program for the

U.S. Shipbuilding Industry.

The program would develop new technology for or apply existing

technology to shoe manufacturing.

Shoe manufacturers and the U.S. government would jointly contribute funds and engage a contractor to administer the program.

The contractor would interact with the government and industry

representatives to:

• identify areas of interest common. to a set

of shoe manufacturers

• assist in defining project specifications

to fulfill these needs

© conduct or manage the development effort

to execute projects which would respond

to these needs according to the specifications

developed

• monitor progress of these projects

9 implement the developed technology in a production environment.

Such a program would permit the shoe manufacturing industry

to:

• help itself improve productivity

• share development costs while still maintaining

competitiveness in the application of this

technology

201
B . Technology Diffusion Center

This would involve a project comprised of:

1. government

2. shoe manufacturers

3. shoe manufacturing technology suppliers

Direct funds would be supplied by the government and shoe

manufacturers. The suppliers would participate in one of the

following ways:

o providing equipment to the center at reduced cost

e lending equipment to the center

• donating equipment to the center

A contractor would be hired to organize and manage the center

The center's functions would be as follows:

o Training - in maintaining and operating the equipment

and in conducting classes related to the

technology such as computer programming

systems management, equipment justifications,

etc. "Hands-on" training as well as class

room training would be conducted.

© Information Dissemination - shoe manufacturers would

be able to access a single source to determine

for a given subject area:

- the training available

- available suppliers

- technical literature available

© Technical Meetings - an annual (or more frequent)

gathering of educators, users, and suppliers

related to shoe manufacturing technology

for an interchange of ideas

202
I. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

The time and financial resources available to conduct this

roject were severely limited. Therefore, it was not possible to

.0 much "in depth" analysis of shoe manufacturing and the tech-

.ology that might be applicable to it. Consequently, the cost/

enefit analysis could only provide a rough indication of the

conomics involved.

It' is hoped that these preliminary efforts will prime the

:ffort to investigate the area of applying new and innovative

:echnology to shoe manufacturing through the medium of one of the

•uggested areas of government -industry cooperation.

203

Final Report

Submitted to

National Bureau of Standards

Department of Commerce

on

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE U.S.

NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

by

Dr. Frans Van Dyck, Principal Investigator

Assistant Director, Laboratory For

Manufacturing and Productivity

Dr. Nam P. Suh, Project Director

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Director, Laboratory For Manufacturing

and Productivity

School of Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

May 15, 1978

205
Table of Contents

Summary 209

Acknowledgement 213

Introduction 214

1. Criteria Used in Evaluating Footwear Manufacturing Technologies • . . 215

1.1 International Competition 215

1.1.1 Analysis of Statistical Data 215

1.1.2 Strength of the Italian Footwear Industry 222

1.1.3 Italy Compared with other Footwear Exporting Countries . . . 224

1.1.4 Economic Policies of U.S. Corporations 227

1.1.5 Conclusions 228

1.2 Techno-Economical Issues 230

1.2.1 Leather as the Most Important Raw Material 230

1.2.2 Micro-Economy of Footwear Manufacturing "... 232

1.2.3 Fashion Trends , 232

1.3 The Evaluation Criteria 235

2. Technologies for a Viable U.S. Footwear Industry 236

2.1 Methods for Improving Competitiveness on a Short Term Basis . . . 236

2.1.1 Materials Utilization 236

2.1.2 Testing of Materials 241

2.1.3 Reduction of Manufacturing Systems' Information Content . . 242

2.1.4 Computer Assisted Management 245

2.1.5 Training

.....

246

206
2.2 Development of Technologies with Long Term Benefits 249

2.2.1 Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing

(CAM) 250

2.2.1.1 Input of Last Shapes and 3D Patterns into CAD Systems. . , 251

2.2.1.2 Computer Aided Generation and Correction of Last Shapes. . 255

2.2.1.3 CAM of Lasts 256

2.2.1.4 Computer Aided Pattern Grading 256

2.2.1.5 CAM of Cutting Dies 257

2.2.1.6 Computer Controlled Cutting Systems 259

2.2.1.7 CAM Systems for the Fitting Room 259

2.2.1.8 Implementation of CAD/CAM in the Footwear Industry .... 260

2.2.2 New Assembly Techniques 260

2.2.3 Materials Research 263

2.2.3.1 Automatic Detection and Correction of Flaws in Leather . . 264

2.2.3.2 Recycling of Leather 264

2.2.3.3 New Technologies for Tanneries 265

2.2.3.4 Refitting of Lasts 265

Design of a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program 267

3.1 The MIT - Industry Polymer Processing Program 267

3.2 Goals of a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program 268

3.3 Mode of Operation 269

3.3.1 Research Personnel 269

3.3.2 Program Advisory Council 270

3.3.3 Solicitation of Industrial Participants 270

3.3.4 Mechanisms of Interactions Between Members 271

3.3.4.1 Quarterly Meetings 271

3.3.4.2 Program Advisory Council Meetings 272

3.3.4.3 Informal Meetings and Discussions 272

207
3.3.5 Patent Rights and Royalty Distribution 272

3.3.5.1 Patent Rights- ............. 272

3.3-5.2 Royalty Income 274

3.3.6 Selection of Specific Projects. . 274

3.3.6.1 Philosophical Aspects of Project Selection 274

3.3.6.2 Ideas for Projects 276

3.3.7 Dissemination of the Results of the Program 276

3.3.8 Evaluation of the Program's Effectiveness 277

Conclusions 1 278

References 280

Appendices *

Appendix I Optimization of Manufacturing Systems Through Axiomatics •

Appendix II Computer Aided Coding of Workpiece Shapes for Implementing Group Technology Systems • -

Appendix III List of Companies and Organizations Visited

* Deleted from Proceedings (available upon inquiry)

208
SUMMARY

Footwear manufacturing consists of a large number of operations performed on many different parts involving flexible and irregular materials.

Footwear is fashion dependent and therefore adaptive manufacturing methods are

required. The materials' characteristics, lot sizes and fashion dependence

have been barriers to increased mechanization. Thus, countries with inexpensive labor provide stiff competition, and they are aided by steady improvement

in transportation and communication. For several U.S. companies it became

more economical to import footwear from these countries than to produce domestically. The future existence of the domestic footwear manufacturing industry

is thereby threatened.

The Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity of the School of Engineering at MIT performed a survey of footwear manufacturing technologies for

the U.S. Department of Commerce. Footwear manufacturing plants, leather tanneries, retailers, trade organizations, a machine manufacturer, a die manufacturer and a last maker were visited in the U.S. and in Italy. The constraints imposed on the footwear industry by international competition and by

technical and economical factors were determined through these visits and an

analysis of statistical data. The following criteria for evaluating existing

or newly-innovated manufacturing technologies were derived:

I. Effect on the cost of U.S. Non-Rubber Footwear products

II. Effect on style adaptation time

III. Effect on final products' materials and assembly qualities

IV. Effect on in house style perception and style inventiveness

V. Time lag anticipated between decision of implementation and

effect on U.S. market.

209
Concepts and examples of productivity enhancing footwear manufacturing

technologies fall into two categores: technologies with short term goals

and technologies with long term goals.

1. Methods for improving the competitiveness of U.S. footwear manufacturing

plants on a short term basis are:

1.1 Materials Utilization: The materials cost component is so high that

materials have to be used optimally. Systems to improve materials

utilization in leather cutting include: cutting table improvements,

equipment for better pattern nesting and simultaneous cutting.

1.2 Testing of Materials: Lack of knowledge about material properties

can reduce productivity significantly and lengthen the time it takes

for introducing new styles. Some examples are given to demonstrate

the role of materials testing in increasing productivity.

1.3 Reduction of Manufacturing Systems' Information Content: Combining

operations into one operation increases productivity when functional

requirements are still satisfied independently. This and other axioms

for increasing manufacturing productivity are under development in

the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. They are explained

and demonstrated by examples such as an integration of skiving and

pinking and a combination of sole and heel trimming.

1.4 Computer Assisted Management: This is a must for every modern shoe

plant. Advantages of computer use are presented.

1.5 Training: Technology improvement is required but proper training of

new employees has to go along with it. The synergistic effect of

training and technology on productivity is discussed.

210
Over a longer time, productivity can be increased through the following:

2.1 Computer Aided Design (CAD) : Computer systems are proposed to

facilitate the design of shoes, lasts, dies and graded patterns.

2.2 Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) : Linking of these Computer

Aided Design systems with computer controlled manufacturing

processes results in significant reduction of style adaptation time.

Concepts of computer controlled machines for last making, die making

and cutting of materials are proposed.

2.3 New Assembly Techniques: manipulation of components in stitching

machines accounts for 75% of the labor costs in the fitting room.

Preliminary ideas for new concepts in assembling flexible parts

suggest that productivity may be increased significantly.

2.4 .Materials Research: The characteristics of leather have not been

equalled by any man-made material. There is a need for new and

recycled material. Recycling of leather and lasts are demonstrated

by examples

A Cooperative Footwear Technology Program

Advances in productivity could be made in a relatively short time if

a closer working relationship between several footwear manufacturing

companies and a competent manufacturing research organization is

established. This could be accomplished through a cooperative footwear

manufacturing program. The goals and organization of such a program

are presented.

Industries involved in a cooperative footwear manufacturing program

will provide problems continuously and the program's research center must

have the intellectual resources, financial support and motivation to

211
solve them through innovation and analysis. Government's role in such

a cooperative research program should be to evaluate its effectiveness

and provide the necessary initial funding. The program must become self

supporting by growth of the number of industrial members funding the

program.

A cooperative polymer processing research program was started at

MIT in 1973 with initial funding from the National Science Foundation

and financial support from three corporations. This program grew to a

large cooperative program completely funded by twelve corporations. A

continuous output of innovations with non-exlcusive patent rights to

the member companies results from the effort of more than twenty researchers at MIT. A footwear manufacturing technology program would be modeled

after the Polymer Processing Program and would benefit from experience

gained from it. Hopefully, such a program will help U.S. footwear manufacturing regain its competitive position.

212
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We want to express our gratitude to the following persons for their

help during our gathering of information about the footwear industry: Mr.

W. Abel, Mr. R. Ansin, Dr. G. Aquilina, Mr. D. Baletti, Mr. D. Bates, Mr. G.

Blandini, Mr. E. Bernier, Mr. T. Bleasdale, Mr. K. Cochrane, Mr. R. Dupuis,

Mr. M. Eisenberg, Mr. S. Friedman, Mr. N. Germany, Mr. J. Giblen, Mr.

G. Graham, Mr. G. Gushen, Mr. J. Hardy, Mr. J. Heffernan, Mr. R. Johnson,

Mr. E. Kilik, Mr. R. King, Mr. K. Klein, Mr. E. 0. Larson, Mr. R. A. Larson,

Mr. S. Leshne, Mr. R. Letch, Mr. G. Lissi, Dr. 0. Mercatanti, Mr. J. Meuse,

Prof. L. Moore, Mr. E. Neault, Mr. P. Salvia, Mr. W. Scanton, Mr. H. Smith,

Mr. C. Sourber, Mr. R. Wood and Ms. B. Young.

We also want to thank Prof. S. Baker, Prof. D. Gossard, Prof. M. Tribus

and Mr. D. Wilson for the stimulating discussions during the preparation of

this report.
INTRODUCTION

The technological issues involved in increasing the productivity of

the footwear industry have been examined by the MIT Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity for the Department of Commerce over a period

of two months, from March 15 to May 15, 1978. The goal of the study

was to evaluate modern manufacturing methods for application in the U.S.

non-rubber footwear industry.

The initial project effort consisted of gathering information about

the footwear manufacturing industry, footwear manufacturing machinery,

leather making and retailing of footwear. Statistical data were analyzed

in order to develop evidentiary background about problems identified by

the investigators. This work was essential in establishing criteria for

evaluation of new or modified technologies to be considered for the footwear industry.

The second phase of the project was concerned with conceptualizing

and evaluating new manufacturing methods for the U.S. footwear industry.

The third phase of the project considered the advisability of establishing a cooperative footwear manufacturing research program. Each of

the three phases is discussed in detail in a separate section of this report .

214
1. Criteria used in Evaluating Footwear Manufacturing Technologies

New technology can enhance the competitiveness of U.S. footwear manufacturers only when it is carefully selected and is designed to meet the

specific nature of the industry's problems. Imported footwear from low labor

rate countries is generally recognized as a major contributor to low industry

profits, to employee layoffs and closings of manufacturing plants. Accordingly

it was necessary to analyze the characteristics of' selected foreign footwear

industries so as to develop an insight into their major strengths.

On the domestic side, a determination was made of the technical and

economical factors imposed on footwear manufacturers. During visits to U.S.

companies and trade associations considerable data was gathered and analyzed.

As an outgrowth of the many visits, interviews and analyses, basic criteria

have been devised for evaluating the potential of new footwear manufacturing

technologies fir the U.S. industry.

1 . 1 International Competition

A clear picture of the constraints international competition imposes upon

the U.S. footwear industry can only be sketched after analysis of statistical data,

study of the foreign competitors' products and observation of the economical and

social environment of the foreign factory. Italy as the most important exporter

of footwear (dollar value) into the U.S. has been examined most closely.

1.1.1 Analysis of Statistical Data

Production figures for several branches of the U.S. footwear industry are

summarized for the period of 1966-1977 in Fig. 1. The downward trend for all

markets, except athletic footwear .underscores the reason for labor, management

and government concern about the future of footwear manufacturing for the

United States. The total U.S. production of non-rubber footwear decreased from

the annual production rate of 641.7 million pairs in 1966 to 395 million pairs

215
FIGURE 1 U.S. ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR

(FROM REF. 1)

216

in 1977, a decrease of 40% in ten years. What is even more alarming is that

there is no indication that this downward trend is going to change for the

better in the years ahead.

Fig. 1 illustrates that the reduction in U.S. production of Women's and

Misses' footwear which started more than ten years ago, accounts for the largest

loss of all sectors involved.

Since only 1.5% of footwear produced in the U.S. is exported [4], the

data in Fig. 1 in essence represents the consumption level of domestically

produced footwear. The remaining consumption is provided by overseas sources.

The sum of domestically produced and imported footwear (pairs) is reported

in Fig. 2. A slight decrease in the total consumption of women's footwear and

slippers, and an increase in mens' footwear and athletic footwear can be

noticed. A comparison between Fig. 2 and Fig. 1 indicates that the U.S.

lost a significant part of the women's shoe market and that in the mert's and

athletic footwear sector domestic production was unable to develop a significant share of the growing market.

Figure 3 is a plot of the quantities of imported shoes since 1960, which

is the difference between the data shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 1. An interesting

revelation of these figures is related to the recession years 1974 and 1975.

There was clearly a reduction of imported footwear and no abnormal reduction in

domestic production. It might turn out to be important to understand the reasons

behind this phenomenon.

By comparing the U.S. production with the production of seven countries

of the European Common Market for the period '66-' 76 one observes (Fig. 4),

that the U.S. footwear industry suffered the greatest loss in absolute value

of production, but on a relative basis countries like Belgium and the Netherlands

lost a good deal more. In the same period Italy almost doubled its footwear

production by exporting to the German Federal Republic (49.1% of export),

218
FIGURE 3 U.S. ANNUAL IMPORT OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR

(FROM REF. 1)

WOMEN'S 'AND MISSES' (55% OF 1977 TOTAL)

MEN'S, YOUTHS' AND BOYS' (24% OF 1977 TOTAL)

t

1

1 1 1

1 1

1

1 1 1 r

67 69 71 73 75 77 1966 68 70 72 74 76 YEAR

219
FIGURE 4 ANNUAL NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR

PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

(FROM REF. 1 AND 5)

600 \

500 U.S.A.

400

£ 300 —

a.

K 200

S

ITALY

FRANCE

UNITED KINGDOM

a

o

ofQ100 THE NETHERLANDS

GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC

30

20

10

BELGIUM

IRELAND —I

1 f—t 1— i t

i —|—r—r—r- 67 69 71 73 75 77 1966 68 70 72 74 76 YEAR

220
TABLE 1 FOOTWEAR TYPES WITH TOTAL IMPORT VALUE OVER $50,000,000 FOR

YEAR 1976 (FROM REF. [1])

TYPE COUNTRY VALUE PAIRS AVERAGE

$ 10

6 10

6

$

WOMEN'S & MISSES* LEATHER ITALY 180.4 26.8 6 71

WOMEN'S & MISSES' VINYL TAIWAN 131 .8 82.8 1 59

WOMEN'S & MISSES' LEATHER SPAIN 115.6 15.7 7 00

MEN'S & BOYS' LEATHER KOREAN REPUBLIC 113.9 27.7 4 11

WOMEN'S & MISSES' LEATHER BRAZIL 106.6 21 .8 4 88

MEN'S & BOYS' LEATHER ITALY 78.5 O . 0 9 37

MEN'S & BOYS' LEATHER SPAIN 74.1 11.7 6 29

TOTAL WOMEN'S & MISSES 534.4 147.1 3 63

TOTAL MEN'S & BOYS' 266.5 47.7 5 59

TOTAL LEATHER 669.1 112.0 5 97

TOTAL VINYL 131 .8 82.8 1 59

TOTAL OF THIS TABLE ACCOUNTS

IMPORTED (PAIRS) BY U.S. AND

FOR 53% OF ALL FOOTWEAR

55% OF IMPORTED VALUE.

221
USA (43.1%), France (12.1%), United Kingdom (7.3%) and other nations [3].

Four other countries, in addition to Italy, produced very significant

amounts of footwear for the U.S. market at a price below that of domestic

production. Table 1 furnishes information on several categories of footwear

with import value above $50 million per year. Italian leather women's shoes

lead imports from Taiwan, Spain, Korea and Brazil. These seven categories of

footwear imported into the U.S. account for 53% of all footwear imported

(value). Imported leather footwear exceeds 5 times the imported synthetic

footwear in dollar value. In quantity of imports (pairs), leather footwear

imports are 1.4 times higher than synthetic footwear.

Women ' s . imports from these five countries are 2 times higher than men's

imports (in value) and, on the whole, in terms of quantity, the women's imports are 3 times higher than the men's. The ratio of women's / men's pairs

of shoes produced domestically was 1.3 in 1977. Thus imports have penetrated

the women's sector more extensively. Indeed in the New England area more

women's footwear plants have closed than men's.

1.1.2 Strength of the Italian Footwear Industry

Without doubt Italy has a most successful footwear manufacturing industry

and a relatively high standard of living among all the nations exporting footwear to the U.S. On the basis of our visits to several U.S. retailers, to three

Italian shoe manufacturers, and to the Italian shoe manufacturing association,

we conclude that the following features account for the uniqueness of the

Italian footwear product:

1. High quality leather is used throughout. Italians buy most of their

hides and skins from EEC member countries (see Table 2). These hides and

skins are of better quality than U.S. rawhides because European cattle is

raised on small farms with fences which do not harm the hides. Almost all

222
TABLE 2 DOMESTIC SUPPLY, IMPORT AND EXPORT OF RAWHIDES OF 4 EEC COUNTRIES

YEAR 1975 (FROM REF. 4)

DOMESTIC SUPPLIES (NUMBER OF HIDES OR SKINS)

CATTLE HIDES CALFSKINS GOAT AND KIDSKINS

ITALY 2,878,000 928,000 283,000

FRANCE 4,311 ,000 3,779,000 505,000

GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC 4,487,000 747,000 4,000

UNITED KINGDOM 4,829,000 530,000

IMPORTS (IN TONS)

CATTLE HIDES CALFSKINS GOAT AND KIDSKINS

ITALY 207,891 40,126 12,697

FRANCE 44,121 2,029 2,297

GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC 43,167 7,769 2,054

UNITED KINGDOM 32,139 1 ,239 704

EXPORTS (IN TONS)

CATTLE HIDES CALFSKINS GOAT AND KIDSKINS

ITALY 4,256 3,418 35

FRANCE 100,557 24,139 1 ,339

GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC 79,357 5,604 94

UNITED KINGDOM 67,854 2,300

223
cattle is fed with grass and hay. Hormone treatments are forbidden by law.

Cattle are not branded. This yields better quality rawhides and skins. Goat

and kid skins are also used extensively (see Table 2). Only a small percentage

of hides from the U.S. is imported by Italy (see Table 3).

Although contradicted by retailers, there does not seem to be a techno-r

nological advantage in Italian tanning and finishing procedures compared to thos

in the U.S. This can be attributed to the fact that chemical treatment technology is obtainable from major international chemical manufacturers.

2. High quality stitching and finishing is done by motivated and skilled

workers who are mostly paid on hourly rates. In general, in villages where

footwear is made, no other industries compete for the labor force. This

leads to very low turn-over rates and to dedication of workers to -their

employment

.

3. Footwear styles closely follow clothing fashion trends and large,

numbers of different styles are produced on an industry-wide basis. This is

due in part to the fact that most Italian footwear manufacturing companies

are small, with an average of about 16 workers [5]. This provides an enormous flexibility and design adaptation. Each small company also has its own

designers. It is not surprising therefore, to observe so many different

designs being produced by the' Italian manufacturers.

4. The excellent reputation of Italian designers throughout the world

makes Italian fashion-dependent products more competitive.

1.1.3 Italy Compared with other Footwear Exporting Countries

Even though its standard of living is below that of the U.S.A., Italy does

not seem to benefit significantly from lower labor rates in the footwear industry. As indicated in Table 4, the average earnings of a pull toe lasting

operator are only 20% lower in Italy than in the U.S.A. Transportation costs

224
TABLE 3 US MAJOR CATTLEHIDE AND CALFSKIN EXPORTS BY COUNTRY - 1975

(FROM REF. 2. )

NUMBER OF CATTLEHIDES NUMBER OF CALFSKINS

JAPAN 7,108,000 JAPAN 614,000

mfxttd 2 362 000 KOREAN REPUBLIC 340,000

KDRFAN RFPIIRI TP 2 203 000 MEXICO 222,000

RUMANIA t\UI lr\H In 1 226 000 ITALY 173,000

SPAIN 948,000 REMAINING 702,000

CZECHOSLOVAKIA 877,000

TOTAL 2,051,000

PANADA 805 000

POLAND 787,000

TAIWAN 744,000

U.S.S.R 660,000

ITALY 565,000

REMAINING 2,984,000

TOTAL 21 ,269,000

225
TABLE 4 .COSTS FOR PULL TOE LASTING OPERATORS (FROM REF. 7 )

SELECTED COUNTRIES

1977 DATA

AVERAGE HOURLY

EARNINGS ADDITIONAL

PULL TOE LASTING FRINGE

COUNTRY OPERATOR % TOTAL

GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC $4.60 65% $7.59

U. S. A. 4.20 30 5.46

FRANCE 3.30 55 5.11

ITALY 3.45 30 4.48

JAPAN 3.19 20 3.82

SPAIN 2.81 30 3.65

UNITED KINGDOM 2.65 19 3.15

BRAZIL .73 86 1.35

INDIA 1.33 — 1.33

GREECE 1.09 8 1.19

TAIWAN .66 15 .76

KOREAN REPUBLIC .36 20 .43

226
and import duties on Italian footwear amount to approximately 25%, thus

vitiating the wage advantage. The really low wage countries such as Spain,

Brazil and particularly Taiwan and the Republic of Korea make definite use of

very low cost labor to compete with the U.S. as well as with other high labor

cost countries such as those in the European Economical Community (German

Federal Republic, Italy, France, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg).

The Italian footwear industry has clearly opted for high quality and

fashion footwear made from excellent materials. This choice reduces the

percentage of labor cost in the final price of the product. In short, Italian

footwear manufacturers make no effort to compete with cheap footwear produced

in high volume in low wage countries. However, it is doubtful whether this

strategy (as discussed by the Italian footwear manufacturing association) will

be sufficient to keep the Italian industry competitive in the years ahead as

low wage countries (e.g. Republic of Korea) try to increase the quality and

value of their footwear production so as to overcome the U.S. import quota

which is based on quantity alone. This trend is already indicated in Tables

1 and 3; Korean imports are for the most part leather footwear which command

high prices.

The Taiwanese footwear industry can be severely affected by import quotas

based on quantities because of the extremely low unit value of their goods.

Under 100% free trade conditions, footwear with a relative high labor content,

e.g., vinyl women's footwear, is the most competitive footwear that can be

produced by a low wage country.

1.1.4 Economic Policies of U.S. Corporations

Interviews with retailers and U.S. footwear manufacturers indicated that

most large U.S. footwear manufacturing corporations are major importers of

227
foreign-made footwear. These firms purchase footwear from foreign manufacturers

and establish new plants in low labor rate countries. It indicates that large

amounts of U.S. captial is invested in U.S. -owned foreign companies rather than

in R&D for higher productivity here in the United States. This situation is

not likely to change until there is a clear indication that R&D can be justified

in terms of return on investments.

During the visits to different U.S. footwear manufacturing plants, tanneries

and a last manufacturing plant it was noticed that most of the modern machinery

is imported from Europe by U.S. corporations. It indicates that the machinery

manufacturers in the U.S. are not active in the development and manufacture

of new footwear machinery. The lack of innovation in the footwear industry is

partly attributable to lack of vigorous R&D activities on the part of machinery

manufacturers. Insufficient data have been collected by the investigators on

this topic. It certainly is worthwhile to study this issue thoroughly.

1.1.5 Conclusions

The major issues created by international competition can be summarized

as follows:

*Domestic production of non-rubber footwear has decreased by 40% in 10 years.

This trend is not expected to change unless major remedial action is undertaken.

*Imports from high labor rate countries penetrate the U.S. high quality

fashion footwear market. Excellent raw material, workmanship and designs

are key elements in successful penetration of the high quality footwear

market

.

*Low labor rate countries supply large quantities of cheap and medium range

quality footwear to the U.S.

*A viable U.S. footwear industry has to meet the international competition

by concentrating on the production of good quality, fashionable footwear at low cost.

*Without the introduction of new technologies for the footwear industry there

is little hope for the U.S. footwear industry on a long term basis.

228
229
1.2 Techno-Economical Issues

Technical and economical factors have to be taken into account in assessing the footwear industry. Important elements are the properties and cost of raw

materials, the cost factors of footwear manufacturing processes and the fashion

trend in footwear. Each of these issues is discussed briefly to arrive at a set

of criteria for evaluating footwear technologies.

1.2.1 Leather as the Most Important Raw Material

The properties of genuine leather and man-made materials have to be taken

into consideration in evaluating new manufacturing technologies. Genuine

leather is furnished in irregular shapes with such flaws in the surface as scars,

brand marks, insect bites, etc. Man-made materials are very regular in shape

and are free of obvious defects, enabling a significant increase in manufacturing

productivity. Mostly for comfort reasons, man-made materials have not been able

to substitute genuine leather. The vapor penetration rate through the best manmade materials on the market (poromerics) is three to seven times lower than that

of leather [8]. Thus, footwear made from these materials gives a wet uncomfortable feeling after only a few hours of wearing. Sandals or closed shoes worn

only during very short periods of time do not necessarily give this uncomfortable

feeling; so the use of mari-mades is common in this sector of the industry.

Rawhides will always be available as a by-product from the meat industry.

Very large cost variations in rawhides occur because the slaughter frequency does

not match the demands for raw materials by the tanneries and the footwear industry.

As an example, Figure 5 represents cattlehide prices showing fluctuations larger

than 100% from one year to another. In leather footwear, the cost of the rawhide

or skin is of the order of 20% to 25% of the gross selling price. As a result,

doubling the rawhide cost could result in 20% to25% increase in footwear cost.

230
TABLE 5 BREAKDOWN OF FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING COSTS

WOMEN'S DRESS SHOES MEN'S WELTED DRESS SHOES

MATERIALS

UPPERS 10 %

OO CO/

LINING 2 %

SOLES & HEELS 12 % 16 %

REMAINING 9 %

TOTAL 33 % 54 %

DIRECT LABOR & MACHINE COST NUMBER OF OPERATIONS

CUTTING ROOM 4.2% 2.5% 2 - 4

FITTING ROOM 21 .6% 8.5% 25 - 45

STOCKFITTING

2 - 14 ROOM 2.2% 1 .9%

LASTING ROOM 5.2% 2.8% 3 - 8

MAKING ROOM 2.2% 6.2% 10 - 27

FINISHING ROOM 5.6% 3.1% 5 - 15

TOTAL 41 % 25 %

OVERHEAD & PROFIT 26 % 21 %

231
Similarly, changes in demand for footwear manufactured from leather can

influence the rawhide price significantly because of the inflexibility

in rawhide supplies.

1.2.2 Micro-Economy of Footwear Manufacturing

Evaluation of new footwear manufacturing techniques must also be based

on the cost structure of U.S. footwear manufacturing plants. A cost breakdown for women's dress shoes and men's welted dress shoes is given in Table

5. This table is based on data collected from shoe manufacturing plants.

The more detailed labor cost breakdown into the different operations is partly based on data reported by other investigators [9,10]. Table 5 can be used

to calculate what impact an improvement of an operation, materials utilization or overhead efficiency can have on the total cost of the product. In

every evaluation of costs one should take into consideration that a large number of operations is involved in every manufacturing division, e.g., if the

cost of the fitting room is 21.6% of the total manufacturing cost, the cost

per operation will roughly be .72% when 30 operations are executed in the fitting room. As a result, a doubling of the productivity of one fitting room

operation will roughly reduce the total manufacturing cost by .36%.

1.2.3 Fashion Trends

Almost all footwear styles have to change according to fashion trends,

some styles have a very short life time (e.g. dress footwear), others are

produced for many years (e . g . workshoes) . The largest market is in the short

lifetime styles. Therefore, footwear manufacturing technologies have to be

adaptive for product changes. Starting costs for new styles constitute only

a small fraction of the total manufacturing cost, but the loss in profit due

to slow response to demand might be very significant. Therefore, the adaptability (flexibility) of manufacturing technologies has to be evaluated in

232
FIGURE 6 TIME SCHEDULE FOR PREPARATION AND SUF PLY OF NEW STYLES

STYLE INPUT

4- BLUEBOARDS

CUTTING DIES

4 WEEKS

MODEL LAST

DEVELOPMENT

MODEL SHOE

DEVELOPMENT

MAKING Si SAMP

\LESMAN

.ES

3 WEEKS

5 WEEKS

6 WEEKS

REORDERS

PRODUCTION EXPANSION

CONSTANT OR

DECREASING

PRODUCTION

233
light of growing consciousness for style by consumers. The time it takes

to prepare and supply new styles can be subdivided as in Figure 6. These

data were collected from different companies. Today cutting dies and lasts

can be delivered within the times shown in the chart, since an overcapacity

in the New England area exists due to the significant reduction in footwear

production.

For fashion footwear it is extremely important to prepare production

for styles that are going to be successful. Stylists, salesmen and managers

have to predict what styles will catch on during the seasons ahead. Once

dies, materials and lasts are bought, investments have been made before real

sales response from consumers is obtained. Styling and tooling expenses for

unsuccessful products have to be recovered by profits on successful styles.

Therefore, very good styling departments are necessary for every company in

fashion footwear. To meet the demand for successful items in full season

the reaction time should be as short as possible. When a successful style

has been developed in house, production can be expanded only after ordering

additional materials and lasts. This could delay the expansion of the

production capacity by more than 4 weeks (Fig. 6). However, when a company

does not rely on in house stylists and prefers to copy what is successful

during a season, faster development and production of tools and materials

are neccessary. The production schedule has to include the manufacture of

a model last, grading for other sizes, etc. Copying requires less in house

styling but appropriate technologies for short reaction times must be used.

For direct injection molding of soles, style responsiveness is seriously limited by the time it takes to obtain the molds and by their very

high cost, necessitating high volume production. In mold making the U.S.

is seriously handicapped by a lack of skilled die and mold makers and by

234
labor intensive die making technology. Shortages of U.S. die makers cause

a serious problem for several other industries also. Some companies solve

these problems by importing dies. Better solutions should be found.

1 . 3 The Evaluation Criteria

Based on the different constraints imposed upon the industry be international competition and by other technical and economical factors one can

formulate criteria for evaluating existing or new technologies for the U.S.

footwear manufacturing industry. A series of five criteria are formulated

as follows:

I. Effect of the technology under consideration on cost of U.S.

non-rubber footwear products.

II. Effect of the technology on style adaptation time (reaction

time)

III. Effect of the technology on the final products' materials and

assembly quality.

IV. Effect of the technology on in house style perception and

style inventiveness.

V. Time lag anticipated between the decision to implement the

technology and the time when the effect on the U.S. market

is evident.

Each of these criteria has been used in evaluating the technologies

presented in this report. Those technologies which can be implemented from

a purely technical point of view but which rate poorly by one or more of the

evaluation criteria, will be unsuccessful.

235
2 . Technologies for a Viable U.S. Footwear Industry

For the U.S. footwear industry to survive and grow, a better application

of existing technologies and continuing advances in manufacturing and management techniques must compensate for the higher labor rate. A short term

technological goal of the U.S. footwear industry should be a rapid technology

transfer from other fields of science and engineering which will enhance their

competitiveness over the foreign manufacturers. Coupled with the short term

goal, long range plans for continuing technological advances must be initiated

and implemented at the earliest possible date in order to provide the necessary

lead time. Realistic long term R&D goals should also yield short term technological advantages for the U.S. industry.

2 . 1 Methods for Improving Competitiveness on a Short Term Basis

The anticipated time lag between the decision to implement .a new technology

and its effect on the market (evaluation criterion V) has been used to group

technologies into two categories: short term technologies and long term technologies. Technologies which can be put into operation within a two-year

period are described in this section. In discussing the short term needs,

manufacturing methods were ordered according to anticipated reduction of final

product cost (criterion I) and probable decrease in style adaptation time

(criterion II) . Training and continuing education are discussed in this section

because of the acute shortage of young workers, especially in the New England

area

.

2.1.1 Materials Utilization

Product cost can be reduced most significantly by better utilization of

materials. As shown in Table 5 of Section 1.2.2, materials cost accounts for

33% of the cost of ladies' cemented shoes and 54% of men's welted shoes.

The largest materials savings might come from a reduction in waste of

upper leather. Therefore, we present ideas for improving cutting equipment.

236
FIG. 7 - CUTTING TABLE EQUIPPED WITH PATTERN PROJECTION SYSTEM

237
Most cutters work with sides or skins which are 3 to 5 times larger

than the surface of the cutting machine. As a result, observation of flaws

and grain characteristics of the complete side in one glance is very difficult or impossible. Planning of cutting jobs for the complete side could be

done better if the table surface is enlarged to accommodate the entire piece

of leather. A table surface of approximately 96" by 36" would be required

for large sides. The machine would have to be equipped with a traveling head

for reaching every location on the table.

The increase in cutting table dimensions would become even more beneficial if the cutter could be equipped for nesting patterns properly before

cutting is started. This could be done, for example, by designing a system

that can project pre-nested patterns on the leather as shown schematically in

Fig. 7. Before cutting is started, the operator shifts the pattern around

until a maximum number of useful parts can be obtained from the side. This

method of operation permits a very quick change of the pattern mix whenever

necessary. Optimum nesting could be achieved by shaking a set of patterns to

a maximum packing density.

When optimal nesting of patterns is determined, cutting of the parts becomes an easy task without requiring additional judgement from the cutter.

Furthermore, it enables a simultaneous cutting of several parts by placing

several dies at the same time on the leather. The cutting force could be

applied locally by rolling a large preloaded cylinder over the dies (Fig. 8).

A leading and a following cylinder would be necessary to prevent dies from

tilting. Dies which can stand the high bending stresses from the roller and

which have a high flexibility for concentrating the cutting force locally,

have to be designed.

A leather pattern can be cut with much lower total cutting force when

238
8 - PRINCIPLE OF SIMULTANEOUS DIE CUTTING

II I I

239
3. ROLLER

DIE CUTTING

4. HAND CUTTING

II

= TOTAL FORCE

= LOCAL SPECIFIC FORCE

240
the force is applied simultaneously over the total die circumference. The

total cutting force and local specific cutting force as a function of time

for four different setups are shown in Fig. 9. It is remarkable to note

that the current die cutting of leather requires 15 to 30 tons of total

force, whereas manual cutting 1000 times less force. The high force in

die cutting has been a serious constraint for changing the design of the

worktable and cutting head configuration.

Cost savings from better upper leather utilization can be very signi2 ficant. For example, about 90 ft. of upper leather which costs $1.00 per

ft. is normally cut in an hour. Annual savings would amount to $9000 per

cutter from a 5% materials saving. This might pay back proposed equipment

within one year.

2.1.2 Testing of Materials

Loss of productivity due to bad materials in manufacturing processes

can be avoided by testing to see whether materials meet normal standards.

This applies to leather, threads, cements, etc. Simple test procedures

could be designed. Especially before materials undergo labor intensive or

critical operations, quality control tests should be performed; e.g., test

of the stretchability of upper leather before it enters the fitting room

and check of moisture content before lasting. Gross savings from such

tests would be approximately 0.5% of the total manufacturing cost in a factory where 1% of the shoes show leather cracks after lasting.

Another example of an appropriate test would be to check the anisotropic properties of leather relative to the major directions of cut of upper

parts. Indeed, a part cut in the wrong direction can be processed through

the plant and will show up in the finished product. Only one fast test

would be required to avoid the loss of added value in the subsequent opera241
tions. This information can be used to upgrade the skill of the operator

by letting him know whenever he cuts bad parts.

Simple testing equipment could be designed and integrated into other operations. In general, the cost of testing has to be minimized by innovative test

design

.

Adaptation time for new styles might be reduced by materials testing; e.g.,

a standard stitching test with measurement of dynamic thread tensions and

static needle penetration and retraction forces could be used to evaluate new

threads and materials objectively. This would be excellent for classifying

threads and materials, identifying anticipated manufacturing problems and

introducing measures to avoid problems (e.g., selection of best type of needle

for a material and thread combination). A newly introduced style would flow

more fluently through the plant during the transition period.

Finally, product quality can be significantly increased by testing materials and subassemblies. In the long run this will pay off in terms of a reputation for good quality.

2.1.3 Reduction of Manufacturing Systems' Information Content

Information content is the amount of different dimensions, tolerances and

other descriptions necessary to define the process or product completely and

exactly, a relation seems to exist between the amount of information required

for execution of a series of sequential manufacturing processes , and manufacturing productivity. Reducing information content by combining processes is permitted as long as the functional requirements of the new process or its product can be satisfied independently [11]. In shoe manufacturing many small

operations may be combined; e.g., template skiving and pinking are two separate

operations which might be combined into one operation by designing a template

242
FIG. 10 - COMBINATION OF OPERATIONS

243
which perforates and skives the leather simultaneously. (Fig. 10A)

.

Systems analyses of footwear manufacturing plants are necessary to identify

the opportunities for productivity increase. Every time a workpiece is laid

on a rack information about the characteristics of the product and its exact

position are lost. This information generally has to be restored for the

next operation. When one operator can execute two operations on a component

in one workstation, the amount of information is reduced and productivity

should increase, e.g., combining the equipment for sole trimming and heel

trimming in one machine gives one operator the possibility to perform these

two operations sequentially. (Fig. 10B)

.

The following two axioms can be used to judge whether the above examples

may increase productivity [12]:

1. Decisions which reduce the, information required to describe either

the product or its processing entail less risk and higher probability of success.

(Minimization of information content)

2. A manufacturing system should contain just sufficient degrees of design

freedom to satisfy the independence of the functional requirements. If there

are more than enough degrees of freedom, then aspects of the design should be

integrated, and if there are too few, the design can be completed only by additions, e.g., the combined skiving and pinking machine should yield the same

flexibility for changing edges and perforations on the part as the separate

operations do. If the skiving width is changed the dimensions of the pinked

holes should remain the same and vice versa.

The above axioms and a series of other axioms for helping to make decisions

in the conceptual stage of product and process design are under investigation

in the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. [11,12]. Footwear manufac

244
turing should benefit significantly from applying Manufacturing Axiomatics

because functional requirements and constraints of the numerous different small

operations involved can be defined very precisely. A more detailed discussion

of the axiomatic approach for solving manufacturing problems is given in the

publication added to this report as Appendix I.

2.1.4 Computer Assisted Management

Overhead costs can be reduced significantly, and more data can be generated to help managers in decision making by introducing a business computer in

the factory. The availability of low cost computer equipment and services

should be taken advantage of by U.S. footwear manufacturers to keep ahead of

competition.

The actual cost reduction that can be achieved by decreasing the ratio of

white collar to blue collar workers, has to be assessed for every plant separately The experience of other industries with computers should provide useful

guidelines

An in-plant computer can assist managers by regularly supplying data on

materials inventories, materials utilization, cost per manufacturing operation

and materials flow through the plant. Profits should increase when the computer

information is used effectively to maximize efficiency. For instance, one of

the companies visited realized very significant cost savings in the cutting room

by following the materials utilization of every cutter individually with a

computer. Savings would be far less significant or ruled out entirely if additional administration had been required for collecting and preparing the data in

an appropriate format.

Reaction time for re-orders can be decreased with the help of an in-house

computer. For instance, women's footwear is manufactured in small numbers of

pairs per style which results in an enormous variety of different components that

have to be ordered and kept track of. This was mentioned as a major problem in

the women's footwear sector. Printing of correct purchase orders and keeping

245
inventories exact, should be possible with the help of a computer. Waiting

times due to missing components can be avoided in this way. Gains in company

profits because of decreased reaction time are hard to calculate but might

be significant at times when demand for the product is high.

Finally, statistical data on sales can be computer generated for analysis and prediction of trends. Losses due to producing footwear styles

which are no longer in demand can be avoided and risks due to preparing

production for unsuccessful styles can be reduced. "Sleeping stocks" of outof-fashion footwear will be recognized more readily and will be sold at sale

prices before they lose their value entirely.

Computer systems for the footwear manufacturing industry should be

set up for daily information inputs from the materials reception, warehouse,

manufacturing and shipping departments. Data files should be updated at least

on a daily basis because gains in reaction time are assessed in increments of

days. Computer terminals should be available at a few appropriate locations in

the plant for calling outputs from data files, but input might be centralized

and controlled by processing input cards in the computer room.

2.1.5 Training

An acute lack of candidate footwear workers exists in the New England area,

according to the managers interviewed by the investigators. Young workers only

come to work in shoe plants until a job is found in better paying and growing

industries. The very high turnover rate resulting from this (60-100% was mentioned) decreases productivity significantly because too many inexperienced

operators are employed. A reluctance of management to spend training time on

young workers aggravates this problem ("They will leave us anyway"). A past

governmental effort to subsidize in plant training was poorly received by

246
management because of the substantial additional administrative work required by the program. However, without properly skilled and trained

employees, it will be difficult to introduce new technologies.

The idea of starting a footwear technology school as existed one time

in Lynn, Massachusetts, was discussed with plant managers. Such a school

is recognized as very helpful to the industry but an immediate financial incentive would have to be created before young candidate employees would

attend the school.

In a training school, students' talents could be discovered and further

developed. New employees who attend the school would be better prepared for

the footwear industry. This should be reflected in higher hourly wages made

by new workers on the piece rate system. Motivation to stay at the job would

be increased, resulting in lower employee turn-over rates.

In other industries, many innovations come from dedicated workers

with a good knowledge of their own specific task and the other manufacturing

activities of the factory as well. Especially in footwear making, with its

numerous small operations, innovations can be expected from workers who have

an understanding of the whole production process and the product characteristics. New technologies might be created and more readily accepted by such

workers. This synergistic effect of training and technology should lead to

important productivity increases. Every new invention should be used to

benefit employees and management in order to stimulate their further participation in developing innovative ideas.

A footwear design center should be included in a footwear technology school.

The center should become a focal point for the development of design perception

and inventiveness by maintaining close contacts with leading fashion schools in

Europe. Design research into the optimal use of the hides tanned in the U.S. should

247
be undertaken. During one of the factory visits, it was pointed out that very

elegant women's footwear could be made with domestic leather by talented and

well-trained designers. Unfortunately, it was in a tannery and not in a shoe

factory, where this was called to the attention of the investigators.

This preliminary discussion of the advantages of a footwear technology

school should be followed by a profound study of its social, economical and

financial implications, especially the issue of location of the school headquarters and regional divisions. Such a study could be based on the history

of the school in Lynn and on the experience of foreign (e.g. Germany) footwear technology schools.

Besides training of new employees, continuous updating of the technological knowledge of employees and managers is required. Audio-visual media might

be of great help in spreading new manufacturing productivity ideas throughout

the whole industry. Because a very large number of processes is involved in

making footwear, a low cost method has to be used for communicating innovations.

Video tape seems to be the most appropriate system for this purpose. The cost

of hiring a crew, purchasing tape and videotaping subject matter that has been

prepared beforehand amounts to approximately $200/hr for standard quality

color videotape. The cost for acquisition of an inexpensive color playback system and a standard quality color TV would amount to $1500. A three-quarter

inch cassette video-tape player with a 20-inch color monitor of high quality

would cost $3000. The MIT Center for Advanced Engineering Study, which supplied

the above information, has extensive experience in the development of audiovisuals for industry [13,14]. The Center reports an estimated audience of

6,000 to 12,000 yearly from a 700 tape library.

The success of an audio-visual footwear manufacturing technology program

would depend largely on the willingness of companies to become teachers and

pupils at the same time. We believe, therefore, that such a program can only be

248
successful when it is integrated in a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program

described in the third section of this report. Videotape systems seem to be

more appropriate than reports for keeping information from a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program propriatory for the members of such a program.

In summary, craining of employees and designers will be very helpful to

the industry while at the same time developing new technologies to keep the

industry growing in dollar value output per employee. Doubling productivity in

the U.S. by introduction of new technologies does not require layoff of workers. During 1977, domestic footwear production was only 50% of domestic consumption; thus, a footwear production increase could be absorbed by the U.S.

market by its being more competitive than foreign made footwear.

2. 2 Development of Technologies with Long Term Benefits

Productivity and reaction time have to be improved to insure a competitive U.S. footwear industry. Simultaneously, quality and styling (appearance and comfort) should not be ignored.

Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing have been under

development during the last fifteen years mostly for the metalworking industries

[15,16]. For the footwear industry CAD/CAM can minimize the reaction time for

new footwear styles at reduced tooling cost. Therefore, research and

development of new footwear oriented CAD/CAM systems should give the U.S.

manufacturing plants lead time over foreign competitors. Several weeks can

easily be lost in placing and shipping overseas orders.

The high U.S. labor rates have to be compensated for by increases in

productivity. The inability to further automate assembly of flexible materials with existing equipment is a barrier to increases in output per

man hour. Fundamental research in the assembly of flexible materials should

be done. The footwear industry and also the apparel industry may benefit

from innovations in this field. Finally, materials research is necessary for

249
reducing the cost and improving the characteristics of U.S .-produced materials.

Special treatments to obtain quality improvements of man-made materials having

natural leather characteristics should be developed with footwear manufacturing

in mind. Not only productivity but also reaction time may be improved with

new materials. Innovations in the materials sector very often have a significant impact on productivity; e.g., polymer developments on the manufacturing of

furniture, cars, etc. Methods for recycling leather and refitting of lasts

must be investigated because important savings in cost may result.

These different research efforts are only preliminary proposals. Through

close cooperation between research organizations, tanneries and footwear manufacturers, one should decide upon and execute such research projects (see

Chapter 3 on cooperative research)

.

2.2.1 Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM )

Normally, more than 14 weeks are necessary for designing and making footwear samples, and another four weeks are required for obtaining dies and

lasts (Fig. 6). Thus about 4 1/2 months of lead time is necessary before a

factory can start production; it will take more than five months before retailing can start. Within this long period of time foreign competitors can

easily prepare their own product in time for marketing. The U.S. footwear

industry badly needs a reduction in lead time because U.S. fashions closely

follow foreign styling trends. Shortening this lead time will certainly be

possible with Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing.

Also, the cost of developing new footwear styles can be reduced by

CAD/CAM. In the U.S., the cost of producing last models, correcting lasts,

manufacturing trials, pattern making, grading, cutting die making, skiving,

template manufacturing, last manufacturing, etc. can easily amount to

$25,000 for one style. Most U.S. manufacturers limit the number of different

250
styles and try to produce large quantities of the same style ;Ln order to reduce the relative cost of tooling. CAD/CAM systems can substantially

reduce this cost by improving the efficiency and reducing the labor intensity

of development and manufacture of tooling.

Finally, Computer Aided Manufacturing has already been proven to greatly increase productivity of decorative stitching. Computer controlled

manufacturing systems will be very effective when fundamental research for

assembly of flexible materials and research on new materials are executed

simultaneously. The synergistic effect of computers, assembly methods,

and materials innovations can have a most significant impact on manufacturing

productivity. Some examples of CAD/CAM concepts follow, but more detailed

analysis is necessary in order to determine which research should be started

first and which sequential steps should be followed.

2.2.1.1 Input of Last Shapes and 3D Patterns into CAD Systems

The complexity of the shape of feet and thus last shapes has always been

a major problem for automation in footwear manufacturing. Finding an efficient way of inputting, storing and retrieving last shapes is a challenging

task. Success of CAD in footwear relies on how successful one is in last

shape handling.

Model lasts are complex in shape and are manufactured mostly in hard woods

with metal reinforced edges for good wear characteristics. Therefore,

manufacturing of model lasts is difficult and time consuming. It. may

be much more productive to make last models from softer materials, to. shape

lasts from materials plastically deformable by hand or to cast models directly from the inside of existing shoes. In these three cases the model last

itself would only serve as a three dimensional representation of the surface

of the lasts to be manufactured. It could not be used directly to drive the

251
FIG. 11 - SCHEME FOR AUTOMATIC LAST SURFACE REGISTRATION

INTERFACING COMPUTER

252
cutting tool in last turning machines.

The surface of soft model lasts can be digitized by a surface registration system as represented in Fig. 11. A motor rotates the last while

the electronic pick-up (inductive, optic, etc.) moves along the last at a longi

tudinal velocity dictated by the last rotational velocity. Angular position

of the last and position of the pick, up (last surface) are processed by the

computer and stored in core memory or on magnetic tape or disc.

The amount of digitally stored information which is required for regeneration of the surface should be optimized. Storage of one point per mm

(.040 inch) of the perimeter during a revolution would occupy approximately

300 memory locations (bytes). Over the whole last surface 90,000 bytes

(300x300) would be necessary if a perimeter would be stored per mm on a longitudinal last axis of 300 mm (or 1 ft.) This would certainly be enough for

obtaining an exact replication of the last.

Required computer storage capacity for lasts might be reduced by using

Fourier descriptors. This mathematical technique makes use of a Fourier

analysis of the parametric description of a closed curve; only a series of

coefficients of the Fourier analysis is stored in the computer. [17,18].

The technique was successfully applied for storing and retrieving two dimensional shapes of workpieces. Previously published information dealing with

this topic [19] is added as an appendix to this report. By using Fourier

descriptors the amount of information per last cross section perimeter can be

reduced from 300 points to approximately 30 for accurate reproduction of the

shape. As a result, only 9,000 bytes would be necessary for the full 3D last

shape. Computer storage is more economical using this technique.

Design of shoe patterns could be done in different ways once the last

has been input to the computer. A convenient way would be to trace pattern

253
FIG. 12 - SCHEME FOR GENERATING PATTERNS WITH SENSITIVE LAST

254
lines on the soft last or to make a mock-up shoe around the soft last.

The 3D pattern boundaries would be introduced into the computer by following them with the pick-up of the system represented in Fig. 11. The last

rotation shaft and the lead screw from the pick-up would have to be decoupled.

Only x and <x coordinates of pattern boundaries have to be registered. Exact

3D shapes of the patterns can be calculated by the computer from the last's

y values for x and o( ; [y=f (x, <* ) ]

Direct generation of patterns on a screen would be possible if the

designer obtains a good picture from the shoe. On a screen the last would be

represented in perspective by drawing a certain number of the 300 perimeters

stored in the computer memory. By calling a perimeter number and two angles

(e.g. typed input) the operator could select where the pattern should intersect

with that perimeter. A part of the perimeter can be represented in a

different color selected by the operator. Repeating this operation a few times

would produce a color picture in perspective of the patterns on the last. An

interactive screen could be used for input of pattern information. Magnification of parts of the last would be necessary for obtaining enough accuracy in

pointing at perimeters.

A third system proposed for generation of patterns makes use of electrical

wires or optical fibres mounted in a last (Fig. 12). Activation of "sensitive

points" (electric or optic) on the surface would generate computer information

shown on the TV monitor in a pre-selected color. This could be a very fast way

for inputting 3D pattern information.

2.2.1.2 Computer Aided Generation and Correction of Last Shapes

A CAD system loaded with standard last information can be built to enable

generation of new lasts or correcting lasts in its memory. For instance,

255
algorithms could be developed for adjusting lasts to different heel heights

or toe shapes. In fact, after frequent use, the data file of the last generator may become so rich in information that no model lasts would have to be

made anymore. Only when a style is copied one might want to replicate the

inside shape of the shoe.

After making trial shoes, corrections on lasts can be made by inputting

changes with the pick-up (Fig. 11) or by directly changing perimeter shapes

on the active screen. Appropriate algorithms have to be developed for automatic adjustment of perimeter c when a limited number of them have been

changed. These algorithms smooth the surface after corrections were made.

2 . 2

.

1 . 3 CAM of Lasts

Post processed last information from a CAD system can be used for manufacturing lasts. Information stored on magnetic tape or on floppy disc can

drive a stepping motor controlling the depth of cut of a last turning machine.

This shape generation system would be much more compact than these used in

existing machines. Therefore, productivity over existing last making machines

could be increased by roughing and finishing the last using two cutters in

one operation.

The major advantage of the CAM last making system would be the decrease

in reaction time of the last manufacturer. Indeed, only a few minutes for

copying the digital data is required to prepare additional machines for manufacturing more lasts simultaneously. The existing last making machines

continuously require a hardwood model last to be traced to drive the depth

of cut. These model lasts, as mentioned before, are very expensive and take

a long time to make.

2.2.1.4 Computer Aided Pattern Grading

Information on 3-dimensional lasts and 3-dimensional patterns for shoes

can be used for grading. The most difficult task is writing computer software for developing a 3-dimensional pattern into 2-dimensional pieces which

256
will stretch within certain limits in lasting. Today the search for

optimal 2-dimensional shapes is done by trial and error in lasting which is

one of the reasons it takes two months to develop model shoes. The lasting

operation itself depends largely on the material properties of the final product. Thus, the CAD system will have to take the properties of the materials

into account for determining 2-dimensional shapes of patterns. Therefore,

theoretical and experimental research is necessary to develop the computer

algorithms

Grading of 2-dimensional patterns can be done with existing computer

programs. No lasting problems are anticipated in proportionally graded

patterns because stretching is the same for all sizes. However, when arithmetric grading is used, patterns have to be corrected for stretching according to sizes. A software package for all grading systems should be developed.

Output from CAD grading systems can be in the form of drafted patterns or

digital information on magnetic tape or floppy disc for driving CAM systems.

2.2.1.5 CAM of Cutting Dies

The largest cost in cutting dies relates to manual bending of steel band

according to the requested form. Spring back of the steel band in bending

requires frequent checking of angles. Also curves in bending are very difficult to achieve because of spring back. A completely different approach to

this problem is necessary. Manufactured with existing technologies, a set

of cutting dies can cost $5,000 to $10,000. The total time required for pattern and die making is two to four weeks depending upon the die maker'?

work load.

Within the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity, a new principle for automatic metal forming is under development. The final spring back

that can be expected is determined by forming in sequential steps and measuring the spring back in between steps. These measurements are used for calcu257
FIG. 13 - BASIC PRINCIPLE OF SEQUENTIAL BENDING

TIME

258
lation of the final position of the bending actuators such that the part,

after spring back, will have the desired angle (Fig. 13). Based on this

principle a computer assisted machine could be developed for bending cutting

dies. Digital output from Computer Aided Grading would be used as input for

the bender. Die cost and reaction time would be decreased when such machines

are developed and manufactured economically.

2.2.1.6 Computer Controlled Cutting Systems

Digitized nested pattern information can be used to directly drive a

cutting system with a laser or water jet cutting head. Such systems are

under development but the major problem to be solved is the automation of

leather flaw detection [20,21]. Further problems to be solved in these

systems include focusing the laser on leather which is not perfectly flat

and the high energy consumption of a water jet cutter. Both systems will be

very promising once the above problems are solved. If fitting of patterns

were computer optimized, taking flaws and raw material characteristics into

account, major material savings can be made.

In order to make computer-driven cutting systems economical for small

companies in the U.S., existing systems must be re-designed. If no technological solution can be found for tailoring a computer-driven cutting system

to the smaller companies' needs, methods must be found for time-sharing of

large systems. The cooperative footwear technology program, discussed in

Chapter 3, can contribute to finding acceptable solutions to this problem.

2.2.1.7 CAM Systems for the Fitting Room

Numerically controlled stitching has been a major technological developemnt for the footwear industry during the past few years. In particular, the

productivity of decorative stitching has been dramatically increased by N. C.

259
Efforts to develop systems for assembling parts have been partially successful. The flexibility of the materials is the major problem. Special pallets

for holding materials together have to be used. This reduces the reaction

time, fashion adaptability, and productivity. Fundamental research for reducing the necessity of pallets has to be undertaken as discussed in the next

section.

If CAD systems are used for pattern design and grading, digital output

can be used to manufacture pallets for numerically controlled stitchers.

NC milling machines can make the slots in the 'pallets if post-processors for

the milling machines were made.

2.2.1.8 Implementation of CAD/CAM in the Footwear Industry

The most significant anticipated advantages of CAD/CAM systems .in the

footwear industry are a decrease in reaction time and an increase in style

adaptability. CAD/CAM is expected to reduce the design and tooling time from

several months to a few weeks if equipment is interfaced properly. In fact,

systems for CAD and CAM should be introduced simultaneously; e.g., the advantage from a CAD system for lasts and patterns is maximized only when CAM

systems for last making, die making, etc., are also available.

Until now CAD/CAM systems for footwear have not been developed to a large

extent. This might be due to the large investments in R&D required and also

to the small market for such equipment. Computer companies concentrate on

developing equipment for larger and more profitable industries. The final cost

of equipment, if cost for its development can be covered by a cooperative research program, is expected to be low, because prices of computers and peripheral equipment have dropped considerably during the last ten years. Profits

made by faster response to markets and by a greater variation in styles are

expected to be high.

2.2.2 New Assembly Techniques

Undoubtedly, stitching is the most labor intensive assembly technique in

260
footwear manufacturing. It accounts for 75% of the operations in the

fitting room and between 6% and 16% of the total manufacturing cost. Therefore, it is certainly worthwhile to investigate opportunities for increasing

the productivity of stitching operations. Improvements made in this field

can be very beneficial for the apparel industry at the same time.

The functional requirements of stitches are appearance and strength.

Lock-stitches and chainstitches fulfill these functional requirements with

great satisfaction for the consumer. The stitching operation itself is not

so satisfactory to*the manufacturer because it is very difficult to automate.

This is mainly because of the flexibility of the materials and the relatively

high forces involved in stitching. Leather has the highest ratio of puncture resistance to stiffness [22]. If not properly supported, it is greatly

deflected by the needle penetration force and the thread tensioning force.

Deflections of the material during a stitch disturb the next stitch. Therefore, materials have to be held tight between the material support and a

clamping foot. As a consequence, smooth curves in the stitching path require

manual guidance of the flexible material between support and clamp, and for

sharp turns, the clamp has to be lifted. In N.C. stitching, materials have

to be clamped in the pallets as close as possible to the stitching seam.

If the deflections or forces could be reduced while still meeting the functional requirements of the stitches, the productivity of N.C. stitching would

be increased. Several systems for decreasing deflection of flexible materials

in stitching should be investigated. For example, the needle penetration

force could be reduced by drilling a small hole with a laser before the needle

brings the thread through. Forces in laser drilling are negligible. When

the hole is pre-drilled one could think of blowing the thread through the hole

261
FIG. 14 - CONCEPT OF RIVET STITCHING

BEFORE

^/////////7777T///li^iBmTT7t

after m^mmsmMi

262
which would make Che needle unnecessary and avoid all problems associated

with reciprocating movements of a needle. Thread locking could be done

without large material deflection by pulling in the plane of the flexible

material instead of perpendicular to that plane.

Antoher example of new concepts in assembling techniques for the fitting

room is represented in Fig. 14. A combination of thread and rivets is used

for holding two parts together. The rivets hang over the thread and are

pushed through the material and pressed against a plate where the point is

flattened. This operation can be done in one stroke or by sequentially

penetrating one rivet at a time. No needle reciprocation or locking thread

are required. Productivity of this operation may be an order of magnitude

higher because of ease of automation.

Finally, a combination could be made of stitching and another assembly

method. A temporary or permanent bond would hold parts together for ease of

stitching. Control of the stitching operation would be much easier.

The examples above show that different concepts can be investigated

to find solutions for the inconveniences, which for conventional stitching

retard prqductivity increases. If stitching did not require the high penetration and locking forces or if the locking thread could be eliminated,

stitching would be more easily automated. It would be possible to use small

clamping wheels controlled by a computer to steer the flexible materials

under the assembly head. The material edge or a traced line could be followed exactly be automatic systems. CAM in the fitting room seems to be only

possible when sufficient progress in methods for assembly of flexible materials has been made.

2.2.3 Materials Research

Although large amounts of money have been invested in man-made leather

263
research by important companies without great success, it still remains very

important for the U.S. to make progress in materials. Especially because the

U.S. has a yearly supply of approximately 40 million rawhides, of which about

50% are exported, research for making better use of this vast resource should

be executed.

2.2.3.1 Automatic Detection and Correction of Flaws in Leather

A laser scanning system for flaw detection is under development for automatic laser cutting equipment [20]. The effectiveness of the cutting system

will depend mostly upon the effectiveness of the flaw detection system. Concepts for detection of flaws in leather may be based upon ultrasonic, optic,

and electric principles.

When flaws are detected automatically, some of them might be corrected by

adding material, pressing, embossing, etc. The technical possibilities and

the economics of flaw correction have to be investigated. Flaw corrected

leather might be beneficial for productivity increases in footwear manufacturing and might lead to important savings in raw materials consumption.

Finally, all research into systems to prevent flaws in rawhides are very

beneficial for the U.S. leather and footwear industry; e.g. research is done

for replacing cattle brand marks by passive electronic recognition systems

implanted under the neck hide. This saves around 1 ft.^ of leather per animal

which could lead to a 1% reduction of the U.S. manufacturing cost of leather

footwear

.

2.2.3.2 Recycling of Leather

Leather is a valuable material because of its strength, flexibility and

its unique water absorption characteristics. Research should be undertaken

to find valuable usage for leather waste; e.g., leather fibres mixed with small

amounts of polymers and cured afterward might yield sheets of recycled leather

264
with absorption properties almost as good as new leather. It may be a good

sole material. Cost savings for the footwear industry would be significant

if the price of scrap were to go up after the discovery of valuable applications for recycled leather and development of economical recycling methods.

2.2.3.3 New Technologies for Tanneries

During the visits to tanneries it was noticed that several opportunities

for automation exist. The value added in the tannery represents 50% of the

leather cost, and thus in many footwear indus'tries 25% of the final cost of

the product. This means that productivity increase in tanning is especially

desirable for the footwear industry. Several operations in the tanneries are

very labor intensive and could be automated if proper research for new

machinery were done, e.g., every hide is tacked on a board, "pasted" on a

board, or clamped on a frame for drying. These operations could be automated

if suitable grippers and electronic detection equipment were developed.

A significant reduction in reaction time and an increase in flexibility

in ordering materials would be obtained if dyeing of leather could become

the last operation in the tannery. This would allow last minute leather color

decisions, resulting in a shorter lead time for the footwear manufacturer. Reaction time for re-orders of footwear would also be reduced to a minimum. Tanneries would have to store undyed materials.

A cooperative Footwear Technology Program (see Section 3), should include

tanneries also. Some of the research in materials will only be possible through

an involvement of tanneries in the program. U.S. tanneries supply approximately

63% of their leather to footwear manufacturers [2]. Therefore, they can be

considered as a part of the footwear manufacturing industry.

2.2.3.4 Refitting of Lasts

Old lasts can be refitted for new footwear styles by adding and removing

265
material where needed. A system consisting of a nozzle depositing a

material at a controlled rate on the last surface while it is turning

could be developed for this. After adding material, the last would have

to be refinished to obtain the new shape. Savings of materials, workmanship and reaction time may be very significant due to this work method.

In the metalworking industries a similar technology is applied for repair

ing worn metal shafts. Metal is sprayed on the surface by gas or plasma

torches while the shaft rotates. The shaft is refinished afterward.

Labor and materials cost savings can be very large in these applications.

266
3. Design of a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program

Continuous growth of the standard of living throughout the world can

only be achieved by continuous development of better systems for the manufacturing of necessities. Stiff competition from foreign nations with low labor

rates has drained capital out of the U.S.. Footwear manufacturing companies

have made larger profits by producing in countries with low labor rates, by

importing from these countries and by retailing. Manufacturers of machinery

have gone the same route. It was noticed during the plant visits that most

modern footwear manufacturing equipment is imported from Europe by renowned

U.S. machinery manufacturers.

Investments made in R&D for increased manufacturing productivity within

the U.S. are not large enough to deliver the innovations necessary to keep

the U.S. footwear industry competitive. However, when several companies in

the footwear industry are willing to spend a small percentage of their R&D

budget on cooperative research projects to meet common needs, significant

research can be done. The risk involved in undertaking R&D will also be

reduced significantly.

3. 1 The M.I.T. - Industry Polymer Processing Program

In 1973 a cooperative research program for the American polymer processing

industry was founded at M.I.T. with a seed fund provided by the National Science

Foundation. [23] Professor Nam P. Suh has been the director of this MIT -

Industry Polymer Processing Program since its inception. The program has now

reached an annual funding level of over $500,000 through the membership fees paid

by twelve U.S. companies. Since its founding, the program has provided a new

focus in polymer processing by becoming a major source of new ideas, innovations,

scientific and technological development, and manpower. Plastics firms associated

267
with the program benefit from MIT's broad R&D capabilities during the development

of industrial and commercial manufacturing techniques. Every participant of

the Program, including faculty members, students, industrial engineers, chemists,

research and corporate managers, and government representatives, has made contributions that have complemented and supplemented the strength of other

participants

.

A similar cooperative program can be designed for the footwear manufacturing

industry. The goals of the program and a mode of 'operation are proposed based on

the experience obtained from the MIT-Industry Polymer Processing Program and on

information about the characteristics and needs of the U.S. footwear industry.

3. 2 Goals of a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program

The primary goal of a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program at MIT would be

adaptation of existing technologies and innovation of new technologies for the U.S.

footwear industry. It is proposed that R&D projects with immediate and long range

benefits for the highly fragmented footwear industries be undertaken within the context of the Program. Through the development of new technology, participating industrial firms will be encouraged to increase other R&D investment and utilize thecapability of MIT's research program in developing new processes. In this manner

the program will assist the American industrial firms in maintaining their national

and international competitiveness. The Program will primarily concentrate on

promising processes which are too expensive to be investigated by companies on

an individual basis.

Cooperation on a continuous basis should also help in overcoming technical and

psychological barriers to implementation of new technologies. Very often, new

technologies do not find their way to practical applications because insufficient

support from outside companies or organization:; ic given during the implementation

stage. Close contacts between MIT's research program and other member companies

268
should overcome these implementation difficulties.

Meetings organized in the context of the cooperative program must fulfill

an educational function for manufacturing technologists and corporate managers.

Industrial participants should grow in their inventiveness by active participation in meetings where possible new technologies are evaluated. Finally, students must be able to use part of their R&D work for their theses if the cooperative program is organized in an academic environment.

Proper design of a mode of operation for the program is very important in

order to meet the program's goals. A mode of operation is proposed but is

still open for discussion with candidate member companies.

3 . 3 Mode of Operation

The mode of operation proposed is similar to that of the MIT-Industry

Polymer Processing Program [23]. Several changes are introduced to be consistent wi>_h the Cooperative Technology Program of the Department of Commerce.

Thus the assumption is made that the Footwear Technology Program will be executed in an academic research laboratory dedicated to dealing with real industrial manufacturing problems. The proposed mode of operation is deemed to be

most suited for providing new innovations to an industry with a long history.

3 . 3

\ Research Personnel

It is clearly recognized that the success of a Footwear Technology Program

will primarily depend on the personnel of the Program, both faculty members and

other staff members. A number of faculty members will eventually be associated

with the Program when the needs of the Program require their capabilities. Research projects in footwear manufacturing undertaken by the faculty members will

be funded by the Program when the work is requested by the Director of the Program.

The Program shall also employ full time R&D staff members, normally postdoctoral researchers (Research Associates). These researchers will work with

269
research assistants who are graduate students at MIT. Research assistants

are selected from the graduate student body to execute various phases of

the Program under supervision of faculty members and senior staff members.

Research assistants are normally allowed to take two courses during working

hours and devote the rest of their time to research projects.

3.3.2 Program Advisory Council

An Advisory Council has to be established for the purpose of promoting close cooperation between the research laboratory and footwear industries. The Council will also advise the Program Director on policy matters;

e.g. membership cost, technology transfer, conflicts of interest, and reviews of the Program direction. The members of the Council will be chosen

to represent member firms, industrial associations, government and the MIT

community. The Director of the Program will be the Chairman of the Council. Except for the charter members of the PAC, new members will be chosen

by a majority vote of the PAC. PAC members will serve a fixed term of

three years, except the charter members, who will serve for 5 years.

3.3.3 Solicitation of Industrial Participants

Solicitation of industrial participation will be one of the major undertakings of the Program until a sufficient number of firms join. The solicitation methods should include news releases, mailing of brochures, presentations at professional meetings, personal contacts, and write-ups in trade

journals. The firms to be solicited will be chosen so that they represent a

well-balanced mixture of large and small companies with businesses in various aspects of footwear manufacturing. Any American firm in the footwear

manufacturing industry that agrees to abide by the by-laws and requirements

of the Program will be guaranteed membership upon application.

The experience gained through the MIT-Industry Polymer Processing Program

270
indicates that it is much easier to recruit new member firms once the technical

capabilities of the Program are demonstrated in terms of results. This is one of

the compelling reasons for moving into operation as soon as possible.

All industrial firms should be asked to make a two-year commitment to

assure the continuity of research projects over a reasonable period of time.

There are many factors which influence the decision of a firm to join or to

continue to participate in a cooperative program. These factors can be separated

into three groups: 1) factors directly attributable to the Program, 2) general

business climate of the industry, and 3) factors 'arising from internal corporate

policies which are not related to the Program. This third factor makes it mandatory that the Program be provided with a sustaining operational fund over a long

period of time. Otherwise the day-to-day operation of the Program will be too

dependent on the decisions of a few member firms and thus prevent the Program

from delivering meaningful results. The importance of governmental support for

several years cannot be overemphasized.

3.3.4 Mechanisms of Interactions between Members

Several mechanisms of interactions between the Program and industrial sponsors

have to be established. These mechanisms have been found to be mutually satisfactory both to industrial members and MIT during the Polymer Processing Program. The

mechanisms are Quarterly Review Meetings, the Program Advisory Council meetings for

policy matters, and informal meetings and visits to discuss specific technical

problems

3.3.4.1 Quarterly Meetings

The purpose of the Quarterly Meetings is to present new ideas, results of the

Program, the work plan, and to discuss other matters of mutual interest. At these

meetings new developments . in related areas will also be reviewed. The flow of

proprietary technical information is only from the research organization to member

firms. This is intended to eliminate the cumbersome aspects of receiving proprietary

271
data from member firms.

3.3.4.2 Program Advisory Council Meetings

Meetings of the Program Advisory Council are essential in establishing and

correcting the program's financial and organizational control systems. Membership

fees, policies on patents, mode of royalty distribution, and effectiveness of the

program would be discussed in these meetings. Once every six months a Program

Advisory Council meeting should be held.

3.3.4.3 Informal Meetings and Discussions.

Many urgent matters can not be postponed for discussion on Quarterly meetings.

Therefore many direct contacts between the research center's personnel and industry

must be encouraged. These meetings are an essential part of the cooperation between companies and the research center.

3.3.5 Patent Rights and Royalty Distribution

An important element in the Program is the establishment of prerequisites for

greater R&D investment by the private sector. During the MIT-Industry* Polymer

Processing Program it was experienced that the most crucial prerequisite is a

realistic patent policy. The patent policy must be such that it provides incentives for mem-ber firms to invest in the Program and subsequently (or concurrently)

in their own further development projects so as to exploit the new technology

generated by the Program. For example, the patent policy below has been formulated

for the MIT- Industry Polymer Processing Program.

3.3.5.1 Patent Rights

MIT presently has a viable patent licensing program which actively seeks to

promote the utilization of MIT patents in a manner most likely to effect a meaningful transfer of technology. MIT patent policy has been established to insure that

those inventions in which MIT has an equity will be utilized in a manner consistent

with the public interest. MIT believes that the retention of the title along with

272
a policy of non-exclusive licensing at reasonable terms is the best way of insuring,

under most circumstances, that the public interest is safe-guarded. Therefore,

potentially valuable inventions are made available to responsible licensees at reasonable cost; this insures the benefit of the public in its role as a consumer and user.

Inventions made in the course of the Program shall be promptly reported for

evaluation to government, member firms and MIT. On those inventions where patent

protection is determined by MIT to be desirable, MIT shall promptly file a domestic

patent application within a year of its disclosure. Patent applications in foreign

countries shall also be filed on the same invention within the same period if the

filing of the applications is deemed necessary by MIT. In order to avoid the undesirable and cumbersome aspects of the joint ownership of patents and to fully and efficiently utilize MIT's existing patent licensing program, title to all inventions

made in the course of research shall vest in MIT with a royalty-free, non-exclusive,

irrevocable license to use to the sponsors including government who participated in

the Program in the year in which the invention is made. Licenses will also be available to responsible non-member firms at reasonable terms. All inventions made by

the Program shall be integrated into MIT's licensing program.

MIT shall grant to the U.S. Government a non-exclusive, irrevocable, nontransferable paid-up license to make, use, sell, practice or cause to be practiced

throughout the world by or on behalf of the U.S. Government (including any agency

thereof) each subject invention.

MIT recognizes the right of the U.S. Government to require 1) assignment of a

patent to the U.S. Government, 2) cancellation of any outstanding licenses under

i the said patent, or 3) the granting of licenses under said patent to applicants on

a non-exclusive basis on terms that are reasonable in the circumstances, or 4) any

combination of the above, in the event that MIT, its licensees, or assignees has not

taken effective steps within three years after a patent issues on a subject invention

to bring the invention to the point of practical application or has not made the

273
invention available for licensing on terms that are reasonable in the circumstances

or cannot show cause why the principal or exclusive rights should be retained for a

further period of time.

MIT shall obtain patent agreements to effectuate the provisions of this article

from all persons in the Program who perform any research and development work being

funded by government.

3.3.5.2 Royalty Income

All royalties earned on the licensing of such inventions are divided among the

parties as follows:

a) Of the total net royalties earned on such inventions, 25% shall be due

MIT for unrestricted use. Of the remaining 75%, each industrial sponsor who is

then a participant in the Program at the time the invention is made, shall be due

a percentage determined by the ratio of that sponsor's monetary support to the

total cost of the research program in the year in which the invention is made. The

balance of such royalties shall be due MIT for continued support of the research

program for as long as the central R&D organization remains at MIT, after which

such balance shall then be due MIT for unrestricted use.

b) The term "net royalties" is defined as the gross royalties earned by MIT on

a licensed invention, minus any litigation costs, interference costs and marketing

costs to specifically exclude salaries, overhead and usual internal operating expenses of MIT's patent licensing program.

3.3.6 Selection of Specific Projects

3.3.6.1 Philosophical Aspects of Project Selection

The. success of technical projects hinges on proper choice of specific projects.

Projects should be chosen after consideration of both their technical merits and

their industrial viability by the Director of the Program. The selection of specific

projects should be based on the evaluation of the following factors: 1) The long

274
term needs of the footwear industry, 2) specific needs of the member firms, and

3) educational and intellectual values of the project. Although 'it is clearly

impossible to meet all the anticipated needs of member firms without sacrificing

the long term goals of the Program, their needs should be carefully evaluated

since the adoption of new inventions made by the industry will be closely tied

to the needs and markets of the firms.

A mixture of long and short term projects should be chosen. Successful

short term projects are necessary if the member firms are to justify their

support of the Program to their stockholders. Long term projects would be of

a high risk nature, but with the potential for major productivity increases in

the footwear industry.

Major R&D investments in any one of the projects should be made only after

the basic ideas are thoroughly tested. In most cases key ideas should be pursued rather than undertaking a project for the purpose of analyzing the existing

processes unless there is a clear need for the analysis. When the scientific

foundation in certain critical areas is not available, basic scientific research

must be undertaken with the view of applying the findings to processing applications.

Successful projects must be executed to a point where industrial firms can

utilize the work. The major emphasis of the Program should be on demonstration

of new ideas and processes rather than development of final products. The degree

of development required is expected to depend on the nature of application, the

amount of capital investment required for commercialization, the outside interest

the investor can generate among non-member firms, and the complexity of the

technology. Therefore, decisions on the termination of a given project will be

made after evaluating all these factors.

275
3.3.6.2 Ideas for Projects

Most of the key ideas for projects will probably be advanced by the R&D

staff members of the Program. Suggestions and advice of the member firms will

be actively solicited. The R&D staff members of the Program will be exposed to

current literature and industrial developments through judicious attendance

at conferences and exhibitions. Since the innovative process is random it is

difficult to predict the future course of action.

The Director of the Program is responsible for final choice of projects,

subject to the approval of the governmental project officer of the Program,

as well as the personnel on the project. Input from industrial members will

be taken under advisement.

3.3.7 Dissemination of the Results of the Program

To fulfill the objectives of the Program and of the academic research

organization as a higher learning institution, the findings of the Program should

be made available to the member firms and to the public.

Through Quarterly Meetings and other mechanisms of interactions discussed

in Section 3.3.4, the findings of the Program can be presented to member firms

orally. Written reports on the findings of the Program should be distributed to

member firms annually. In order to provide as much lead time as possible to the

member firms, early disclosure of ideas and results must be emphasized.

After insuring the proper protection of the rights of the member firms and

the research organization through the filing of patent applications etc. , the

findings of the Program will be made public through presentation of papers at

conferences and in journals. In some cases, the findings will be published in

the form of a book.

For proper dissemination of the results of the Program it is recognized

that the prompt filing of patent applications is essential. Patent applications

will have to be filed prior to the submission of specific theses by students whose

276
patentable results were obtained by participating in the Program.

3.3.8 Evaluation of the Program's Effectiveness

A government representative can play the most important role in evaluating

the Program's effectiveness by attending Quarterly meetings and the meetings of

the Program Advisory Council. However, growth of the Program by industrial support

will be the best indicator of its significance for industry. A few years after

the initiation of the Program the increase in manufacturing productivity due to

the Program can be evaluated by sending out questionnaires and by visiting the

member companies.
CONCLUSIONS

Automation of footwear manufacturing has been very difficult because of the wide variety of sizes and shapes of shoes, the dependence

of styles on fashion, and the many different kinds of flexible materials

used. The industry has remained highly labor-intensive and low capitalintensive. Rising costs of labor in the U.S. stimulated corporations

to make use of foreign low-cost labor. Almost' no further investments

were made in Manufacturing Research and Development.

For the U.S. F-ootwear Manufacturing Industry to survive, several

measures must be taken to intensify the advantage of manufacturing domestically. Technologies compensating domestic high labor rates must be

^developed and put into operation very soon. The fashion reaction times

and quality must improve. Concepts for improving existing equipment and

factories on a short-term basis are proposed in this report. These* apply

to materials utilization, materials testing, operations productivity,

computer assisted management and training of workers. Close cooperation

between inventors, machine designers, footwear manufacturers and government is necessary to quickly convert ideas into practical techniques.

The long-term future of the footwear industry has to be secured by synergistic effects of R&D in computers, processes, and materials.

During the last five years computer technologies have opened a new

horizon for economical and adaptive automation. The cost of computers

has dropped so drastically that every company can afford them. Applications for footwear design and footwear manufacturing are numerous as

shown in this report. A decrease in time required for introducing a new

278
style is the major benefit from computer aided design and computer aided

manufacturing. It gives the U.S. footwear manufacturers a lasting advantage over competitors in locations remote from the market.

New methods for cutting, stitching, trimming, etc. should be developed. Examples show that productivity can be increased.

The vast raw material resource of the U.S. should be employed efficiently. Technologies for materials flaw detection, correction of flaws and

quality upgrading are necessary.

The computer revolution should take place very soon but R&D investments in software, processes and materials are necessary to make it happen.

None of the U.S. footwear manufacturers is able to bear the cost of the required R&D on its own. Therefore, a Cooperative Footwear Technology Program is proposed. Initial funding from the Department of Commerce and

continuous funding from companies should be obtained in order to start the

Program at M.I.T. The Program should secure a continuous development of

more productive technologies for the U.S. footwear industry. The U.S. is

expected to benefit from the Program by a growth in domestic footwear production. Ultimately, mankind will benefit from the R&D program. Throughout the world, real growth in the standard of living can be achieved by

inventing and applying better manufacturing technologies.

279
REFERENCES

[I] Footwear Manual: 1977, American Footwear Industries Association,

Arlington, Virginia.

[2] Membership Bulletin Leather Industry Statistic, 1977 Edition, Tanners

Council of American, Inc.

[3] Cleaver, S. : World Footwear Industries Statistical Review 1975,

The Shoe and Allied Trades Research Association, U.K.

[4] International Council of Tanners, Annual Report for 1975. Tanners

Council of America.

[5] The Footwear Industry in the European Community, Weekly Bulletin No. 6,

1978. Kredietbank, Arenbergstraat 7. B-1000 Brussels.

[6] World Footwear Industries Statistical Review. Report to the President

on Investigation No. TA-201-18 under Section 201 of the Trade Act of

1974, United States International Trade Commission Publication 799,

Washington, D.C.

[7] Information from Marketing Division of United Shoe Machinery, Beverly,

Massachusetts

.

[8] Hole, L.G., Keech, B. : The Comfort Properties of Footwear Materials,

Proceedings of the Third Shirley International Seminar, June 15-17,

1971.

[9] King, M. , Allran, R. : Current Non-rubber Footwear Manufacturing Processes, NBS, Department of Commerce.

[10] Germany, N.V. : Improving Productivity in the Footwear Industry, AFIA,

Study for Economic Development Administration of U.S. Department of

Commerce (1977).

[II] Suh,N.P., Bell, A. C, Gossard, D.C. : On an Axiomatic Approach to Manufacturing and Manufacturing Systems, Transactions of the ASME, 77-WA/

PROD - 14.

[12] Suh, N.P., Kim, S. , Bell, A., Wilson, D. , Cook, N. , Lapidot, N.

,

Van Dyck, F. , von Turkovich, B. : Optimization of Manufacturing Systems Through Axioraatics . Proceedings of CIRP meeting, Eindhoven, The

Netherlands, 1978.

[13] Private communication with Professor Myron Tribus, Director of MIT Cen

ter for Advanced Engineering Study.

[14] MIT video tapes, 16 mm films, study guides, MIT Dept. 7, Room 9-234,

77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.

[15] CAD/CAM and the Computer Revolution. Society for Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, Michigan, 1974.

280
[16] Newman, W.M. and Sproull, R. : Principles of Interactive Computer Graphics, McGraw-Hill, 1973.

[17] Zahn, C.T., Roskies , R.Z. : Fourier Descriptors for Plane Closed

Curves, IEEE Trans, on Computers, Vol. C-21, pp. 269-281, 1972.

[18] Granlund, G.H. : Fourier Preprocessing of Hand Print Character Recognition, IEEE Trans, on Computers, C-21, pp. 195-201, 1972.

[19] Persoon, E. , Van Dyck, F. : Computer Aided Coding of Workpiece Shapes

for Implementing Group Technology Systems, Revue M. , 1975, No. 2, pp. 75-90.

[20] Salver, R.A. : Some Advanced Concepts in Shoe Leather Marking and Cutting. Proceedings of Advanced Apparel-Cutting and Utilization Technology Conference, AAMA, Atlanta, Georgia, 1977.

[21] Patterson, T.K. : Practical Considerations of the Waterjet As a Fabric

Cutter. Proceedings of Advanced Apparel-Cutting and Utilization Technology Conference, AAMA, Atlanta, Georgia, 1977.

[22] Leather Facts, New England Tanners Club, Peabody, Massachusetts, 1965.

[23] Suh, N.P.: Experimental R&D Incentives for Industry Cooperative Research

Experiment, NSF Grant DI-38249, MIT - Industry Polymer Processing Program.

281

STUDY OF COMPETITIVE BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGICAL

ADVANCEMENT IN THE U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

for the

National Bureau of Standards

U.S. Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20234

Submitted by:

Charles W. 0' Conor and Associates

111 Devonshire Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Richard W. Shriner

Senior Associate

May 15, 1978

283
CONTENTS

Page

Introduction 286

Recommendations 290

5 lil Formation of a National Shoe Industry Council 291

A Continuing Education Program 292

A Market Research and Styling Consulting Group

for small to medium size manufacturers 298

1 Cha A plan to lower the cost of lease or conditional

sales contracts for shoe machinery for small

to medium size manufacturers 303

Organization of a shoe industry Centralized

Purchasing Office (CPO) for small to medium

size manufacturers 304

Continuation of present Department of Commerce

programs, namely: improving the efficiency of

impacted shoe manufacturers; long term capital

loans; encouraging exports 305

Summary 306

Bibliography 307

284
TABLES AND CHARTS

Page

Table No. 1. Income Returns and Number of Establishments of

Footwear other than Rubber 288

able No. 2. U.S. Nonrubber Footwear Consumption (1966-1977) . 289

Chart: Age of Respondents at Time of Program Compared to

Favorability Index * 294

Chart: Amount of Formal Education and Favorability 295

Chart: Hindsight Order of Preference for Developmental

Activity 296

Chart: General Attitudes and Reactions * 297

Chart #1- Growth of Department Stores 300

Chart #2: Total number of leased departments and number of

leased shoe departments , 301

Chart #3: Growth in number of multi-unit retail shoe chains ..... 302

285
INTRODUCTION

Dr. Harry L. Hansen, of the Harvard School of Business Administration, wrote, * hi 1958, "The Shoe Industry . . . is, to many manufacturers, more a way of life

than an economic sensibility. "

Dr. Hansen concluded that shoe manufacturing companies( '):

* were undercapitalized with one-third of all

companies showing losses (see Table No. 1); * were operated in antiquated factories;

* had inadequate management, due, principally,

to a lack of business training:

~' : owners looked upon making shoes as a means of

creating personal wealth rather than building a business;

* managers had little knowledge of the market place or of what the customer would like to buy;

* executives lacked the lines of communication to make them more competitive,

Nathan Stix, former Chairman of the United States Shoe Corporation, commented

recently, •' that "ten to twelve years ago the domestic shoe industry was compiacen

The manufacture r» had things pretty much their own way and made what they

wanted. "

Stix said "We made pumps until nobody would buy them. " At this point, shoos

from Europe began to be imported which were new and different in terms of style as well as low in cost. The domestic manufacturers could no longer sell the shoe

styles they had manufactured with little change, year after year, and the import

penetration increased to the point it has reached today, (see Table No. 2). Stix

further states that the domestic manufacturers are now awake and ready to compet

* A Study of Competition and Management in the Shoe Manufacturing Industry,

prepared for the National Shoe Manufacturers Association, 1958.

* Synoposium on footwear Industry Concepts, United States Shoe Corporation,

Cincinnati, Ohio, April 4-5, 1978.

286
....

iri

iz

Can the American shoe manufacturer move into the twentieth century and become

a strong competitive force, offering products with style and quality which the

consumer will buy? Will old factories be revitalized and new plants opened

thereby increasing the number of job opportunities for Americans? We believe

the answers are "yes", but these goals can be accomplished only with substantia]

assistance from the government and a reorientation of the direction and activities

of the entire industry.

Our analysis has been directed principally towards actions to assist the small to medium size shoe manufacturer become more competitive. However, since,

to accomplish this, we believe that all manufacturers (large, medium and small),

retailers, and suppliers must work together, we have considered steps that should

be taken to improve communications and lay the groundwork for increased profits

for all companies in the industry.

287
TaoJe No. i

f A CTS A N D F I G T. H K S

INCOME RETURNS AND NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR

OTHER THAN RUBBER

(All money" figures in tiiousaud^ of dollai g )

Gross Net % Profit on No. of estab. No. of estafo.

I 0

Income Gains Gain Gross Income show tug gains showing looses I960

J 959

1958 82,239,164 S 94,822 S 13,720 S 81,102 3.62 Tf 699 374 1.07 1957 2,208,059 101,370 6,793 94,577 4.28 ssr. "250 3*3

1956 2,192,944 103,559 8.452 95.107 4.34 690 337 1.0? 1955 2,085,838 105,044 4,982 100,062 4.80 707 275 98

»954 1,904,141 88,609 5,523 83,086 4.36 645 252 39 1953 2,009.932 85,181 6,769 78,712 3 O") 671 3 7 i w

1952 2.084.844 89,086 7.479 81,607 3.91 328 246 a

1951 2,079,884 88,607 9,087 79,520 3.82 629 366 & 1950 1,873,284 101,419 ?,<0o 95,744 5.11 673 344 i

1949 N o s t a t i s t i c s a v a i l a b ! 1948 1,8-13,559 9<),y.i5 13,96a 76,991 4.18 638 463 4

1947 1,953,797 Ul,4i4 11,241 1 10,173 5.64 908 507 1.4 1946 1,678,356 11 (,553 o,891 1 13,662 6.77 1 029 296 1.3 1945 1,326,117 77,574 702 76,872 5.80 Y) 117 5 1944 1,284,301 74,732 626 74,156 5.77 601 114 0

1943 1,247,853 81,647 695 80,952 6.49 821 97 9 1942 1,241,553 76,709 1,441 75,268 6.06 750 190 9 1941 1,023,113 46,384 3,102 43,232 4.21 698 286 9 1940 769.511 29,108 6,292 22,816 2.90 492 480 9 1939 717.328 28,369 6,225 22,144 3.09 387 403 7

1933 677,156 17,403 6,866 10,537 1.56 359 455 a 1937 805,706 21,442 6,112 18,330 2.28 485 601 1,0 1936 742,516 30,594 5,781 24,813 3.34 513 555 1,0 1935 688,352 28,281 5,215 23,066 3 35 505 591

Source: Bureau of Internal Revenue

288
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289
Recommendations

As a result of our analyses, we are making five strategic recommendations,

two of which are directed towards benefiting all segments of the shoe industry,

namely our recommendations for:

I 1. Formation of a National Shoe Industry Council and,

2. A Continuing Education Program,

and three which are directed at improving the competitiveness of the small to e \>> medium size -shoe manufacturer, namely our recommendation for:

3. Establishment of a Market Research and Styling Consulting Group, and,

4. A plan to lower the cost of leasing or buying shoe machinery,

5. Organization of a shoe industry Centralized Purchasing Office (CP^ 1 for small to medium size manufacturers.

We also recommend continuance of the three programs, implemented by the

Commerce Department, namely:

6. Management Consulting to impacted manufacturing companies,

7. Financial assistance to such companies.

8. The program to increase exports.

Following are our comments on each of these recommendations:

290
Recommendation No. 1

12rmation of a National Shoe Industry Council

fi iDur study of the shoe industry, and of present trade associations, indicates that

here is no one "voice" continually representing the views of the industry to its

'arious publics.

<Ve recommend that a new and all encompassing industry group be established,

vhich we have called the National Shoe Industry Council (NSIC). Membership

vould consist of up to fifty individuals who are leaders in their respective

segments of the industry. There should be a conscious effort to balance

membership between large and small shoe manufacturers; large and small

retailers; and individuals from equipment and other suppliers, so that all

segments of the industry are represented.

The principal objective of NSIC should be to develop position papers on various

matters of importance to the entire shoe industry. Also to take such other

actions as may be judged to be in the best overall interests of the industry.

We suggest that NSIC be a totally separate organization and not be aligned with

any present association or organization. Funding of staff should be by the

Commerce Department for a minimum of five years.

The rationale behind such an organization is the necessity of developing a coordinated program for the shoe industry. The quality, style and price of

foreign shoes was a major reason for the substantial increase in imports

aver the past decade. Now that the price advantages are narrowing, as the

wOSts of foreign producers have increased, and the quality and style of

American shoes have improved, an NSIC can become an important voice

in the rebuilding of the American shoe industry.

We recommend that a small task force of leading shoe manufacturers, shoe

retailers, and suppliers, assisted as required by the Commerce Department,

deselected to organize and implement this program.

291
Recommendation. No. 2

A Continuing Educatio n Program

We propose that a special comprehensive program of Continuing Education be

established for shoe manufacturing and shoe retailing executives as weil as officers from companies in other segments of the shoe industry. These programs

would take place at three graduate schools of Business Administration, located

in the East, in the Middle "West and on the Pacific Coast, (such as Harvard,

Northwestern and Stanford, for examples).

!

1 We recognize that AFIA has run three day annual market seminars for industry

executives which have been well received. However, we believe that a 2 to 3 wee!

Management Development course would have substantially greater benefit to the

participants as is suggested by the results indicated in 3 below.

The general objectives of our Continuing Education program would be the following

1. To provide shoe industry management training (or retraining) in the most

advanced business techniques, particularly related to marketing, finance and

business administration;

2. To offer a forum for the exchange of ideas between executives of all segments

of the shoe industry.

We believe such a program would achieve the following:

1. Prepare manufacturers, retailers, and others in the shoe industry to be more

competitive in the years ahead;

2. Develop a better understanding, among executives from all segments of the

industry, of their respective problems, and create an atmosphere in which they can work together to solve these problems.

liev

[end

Pn

Attendance at each session would be divided equally between small and medium

size shoe manufacturers and large manufacturers; small and medium size shoe

retailers and large retailers; and other industry representatives and would be

limited initially to senior officers of the companies involved.

Professor Kenneth R. Andrews of the Harvaxd Business School wrote a bock

entitled, : 'The Effectiveness of University Management Programs".

Though this work was published in 1966, the office of Dean Richard L. Nohl of

the Continuing Education Program at Harvard Graduate School of Business

Administration believes the results are applicable today.

Bit

ait

itvj

292
ised on our firm's 37 combined years experience in the shoe industry, we

lieve several arguments might be advanced by industry executives for not

tending such sessions, each of which are subjects of the surveys conducted

Professor Andrews:

"I am too old to attend"

Exhibit 10 on page 301 (see page 9), indicates that the "f avorability index"

reaction of students to the benefits of the programs, ages 30 and younger

through 55 and older, varied by less than 1/2 of 1%. *

"I am only a high school graduate"

Table IV-23, page 110 (see page 10), indicates that'participants , with educational

backgrounds ranging from elementary school through Doctors degree, are almost equally pleased with the results obtained from such programs.*

"I attend seminars now, would I learn more at a business school? " Table IV-8 (see page 11), shows that over 81% of all who attended Formal

Management Development Programs felt they were superior to other extracurricular activities.*

"I can't spend much time away from my business"

Tables IV-1 and IV-2 (see page 12), illustrate that a short program (of 2-3 weeks)

appears to be as beneficial to attendees as long programs.*

it concept is to have successive two week shoe industry programs, repeated

ur times a year. The content could be modeled on existing management

velopment programs, with those modifications necessary to focus on the specific

eds of the shoe industry. We would propose that the Commerce Department fund

ie cost of preparing agenda for these programs, and for making arrangements

tli the schools involved with the cost of the first two years program, except

r living expenses of the participants, borne by the Commerce Department.

rom "The Effectiveness of University Management Programs" by Professor

inneth R. Andrews, Donald K. David - Professor of Business Administration,

arvard University, Boston, 1966.

293
Exhibit 10 p. 301

Age of Respondents at Time of Program

Compared to Favorability Index

294
TABLE IV- 2

AMOUNT OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND FAVORABILITY

Men who completed: Average Favorab i] ity Score

Elementary school

Junior high school

High school

1 year college

2 years college

3 years college

4 years college

5 or more years college

8.5

7.6

7.S

8.0

7.9

7.8

7.6

7.6

Men with:

High school diploma or more

Bachelor 1 s degree only

Law degree

Master 1 s degree

Doctor's degree

7.9

7.6

7.9

7.4

7.2

SOURCE: "The Effectiveness of University Management Programs,

Kenneth R. Andrews

295
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Tables iv-l & IV-2

GENERAL ATTITUDES AND REAC T IONS

After a Few Days at the Program

Length of program

9-13 weeks

8 weeks

6 weeks

4-5 weeks

2-3 weeks

Favorable

58 . 4%

64.1

68.9

62.6

77 .4

Mixed

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20.4

19. 3

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13.3

Unfavorable

19.1%

15.5

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15.4

9.3

All schools 64.3 20. 6 15.1

At the End of the Program

Length of program

9-13 weeks

8 weeks

6 weeks

4-5 weeks

2-3 weeks

Favorable

7 3 . 5%

70. 5

71.1

73.3

74.4

Mixed

17.9%

21.6

19.6

16.4

20.3

Unfavorable

8.6%

7.9

9.3

10. 3 5.3

All schools 72.3 19.2 8. 5

SOURCE: "The Effectiveness of University Management Programs,

Professor Kenneth R. Andrews

297
Recommendation No. 3

Market Re search and Styling Consulting Group for small to medium size shoe Manufacturer s

.

Starting with the first shopping center in 1968 there has been a strong trend

towards suburban shopping through multiple expansion at existing department

stores and at new chains of discount department stores. Selling these major

outlets calls for more exacting marketing skills to meet their requirements

of quantity, price and delivery, even if a superior fashion item can be produced.

In addition, during the last decade, an increasing number of pairs of shoes

have been distributed through leased departments, owned by the larger manufacturers, and the number of independent shoe stores have decreased. Another

factor has been that most of the new retail stores in shopping malls are part

of chains owned by various large manufacturers.

All of these major changes have made marketing research for small to medium

size manufacturers a most important function for long range success.

Chart 1 shows the growth of department stores, including discount department

stores, during the period.

Chart 2 shows the rise in leased departments.

Chart 3 shows the growth of large multi-unit retail shoe store chains.

The small to medium size shoe manufacturer has neither the staff, the experience

nor the money to undertake comprehensive market research and styling studies.

In addition, many owners or senior officers of such companies, with backgrounds

in manufacturing or sales, do not have the expertise to effectively undertake

programs to reach their markets without professional assistance.

The establishment of a centralized market research and styling group would

provide management of small to medium size companies with access to experts

in marketing and styling. Advice and counsel of these experts would permit

manufacturers to implement plans to identify and take advantage of new

opportunities for penetration of the changing retail markets.

We recommend that this group be established as an independent organization

funded by the Department of Commerce for a minimum period of five years.

The group would work with small to medium size manufacturers in the following

areas:

1. Preparation of market research studies;

2. Selection of an in-house or outside consultant to carry out such studies298
3. Analysis and dissemination of study results;

4. Assistance to individual companies in positioning thern in the market (based on the research results) and development of the styles that will fulfill the needs

of the selected target market segment.

Staffing should never exceed 50 people (consultants and clerical). Funding

requirements in 1977 would have been in the range of $2,000,000. The group

would be expected to substantially improve the competitiveness of the small

to medium size shoe manufacturer by supplying missing marketing and styling

staff support.

ectt s

da

299
0

o

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3000 3200

7 500 3000

7000 2800

650:0 2600

6000 2400

5500 2200

5000 2000

4500 1800

4000 1600

3500 -.1400

3000 1200

2500 1000

2000 800

1500 eoo

1000 400

500 200

C HART 1

"GROWTH 02' wEPARTMSN1 STORES

4 to 100 establishment mu Iti -units — total units

SOURCE: Census of Business

300
CHART 2

Total leased

depar trr.ents

Leased shoe

departments

co m

oi

CO

in

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SOURCE: Census of Business

301
19

18

17

16

15

14

S 13

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S

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302
e co mmend atio n No. 4

plan to lower the cost of lease or conditional sales contracts for shoe machinery

r small to medium size shoe manufacturers

'e recommend that a plan be developed for small to medium size manufacturers

lease.or purchase on conditional sales contracts, the latest shoe machinery

•om several major leasing companies, not presently in the business of discounting

ase or conditional sales contracts of shoe manufacturers. Objective of this plan

ould be to provide such manufacturers the opportunity to lease or purchase shoe

iachinery over a period of years on the most favorable terms and conditions.

e recommend that the government guarantee a sufficient percentage of the

irtfolio of the shoe machinery contracts, held by each leasing company. Each

;ch company can then assume marginal credit risks at lower than normal interest

ites and on longer than traditional terms, resulting in low monthly costs for

toe manufacturers.

i ach contract should, at the manufacturer's option, have installation and equipent start-up costs included to minimize the impact on working capital.

le reasons behind our recommendations are principally two-fold:

Enable the small to medium size manufacturer to modernize his factory on

,e most favorable financial terms and with little or no outlay of working capital;

Permit shoe machinery builders to sell their equipment to established leasing

mpanie3 on a non- recourse basis (because of the government guarantee) and tc ply the credit or funds generated thereby to research and development programs

r new generations of machinery to further improve the competitiveness of all oe manufacturers.

303
Recommendation No. 5

Organization of a shoe industry Centralized Purchasing Office (CPO) for small

to medium size manufacturers

Many products, purchased by the small to medium size manufacturers, are used

by most companies in producing shoes. Examples would be shoe boxes, lacings,

counters, box toe material, adhesives, thread and the like.

Large manufacturers have the volume of business to obtain certain concessions

in price and billing terms, which can not be secured by the smaller producers.

We recommend that a study be made, by a joint manufacturer /Commerce Depart m< task force, to determine the feasability of establishing a CPO so that small to medium size manufacturers will have buying power on certain of their requirement

equivalent to that of the majors.

We also recommend that consideration be given to having the CPO owned jointly

by all the small to medium size manufacturers who participate in the program

with profits, if any, distributed to each "owner" annually based on each manufacturer's percentage of the total business handled by the office. In this way,

a manufacturer will profit from the savings on business processed through CPO

and will have a further incentive to participate through sharing in profits of the

enterprise.

Management of the CPO would be vested in a Board of Directors selected by the

manufacturers.

We recommend that the initial capital for setting up the CPO be supplied by the

Commerce Department in the form of a term loan, to be repaid from the first

profits of the operation.

In practice, the CPO would place volume orders, based on bids by suppliers, to be drop shipped to the individual shoe manufacturer who would be responsible for

payments. Credit responsibility would be that of the supplier who would be re- quired to make his own judgement on the credit worthiness of each manufacturer

being sold after the volume order had been placed by the CPO.

304
Recommendation No. 6

Improving the efficiency of impacted shoe manufacturers

The establishment of the "FIT" program, directed at small to medium size

manufacturers, should be continued. By providing "on the job" management

assistance, the Commerce Department will enable many manufacturers to become profitable and successful employers of an increasing number of

American workers.

This program, which we consider to be closely involved with the financial

as sistanc e program, will not only help present manufacturers to improve

their operations, but encourage new entrepreneurs to enter the shoe industry.

Recommendation No. 7

Long term Capital Loans

The capital loan program of the Commerce Department will provide many

manufacturers with the funds they require to refurbish their plants and

restore working capital.

Recommendation No. 8

Encouraging Exports

Unlike the export orientation of the majority of other American industries,

little attention has been given to the potential for exporting American shoes,

particularly branded footwear.

The Commerce Department's plan of assisting the shoe industry in exploring

the potential for shoe exports is one that should bear fruit in the years ahead

and should be pursued aggressively.

305
Summary

The increasing costs of producing footwear overseas and the support being given

to the shoe industry by the government is giving owners and/or managers of

American small to medium size manufacturing plants a "second chance" to become a competitive factor in the years ahead.

With the implementation of our recommendations for assistance in marketing

and styling, the development of a low cost equipment lease or conditional sales

contract programs and the establishment of a Centralized Purchasing Office,

the small to medium size manufacturer should have new tools to lower co?ts

and increase sales.

Our recommendation of a University sponsored Management Development

program, which we have called "Continuing Education", could become an important factor in improving the management skills of executives in all

branches of the industry and lay the groundwork for improved communicntions

through "one-to-one" meetings of executives at such programs.

By establishing a National Shoe Industry Council, the industry will have "one voice

to develop coordinated programs to benefit manufacturers, retailers, and suppliei

alike and to make the American industry a more competitive factor in the world of

shoes.

We submit these recommendations while urging the continuance of the Commerce

Departments present programs of management and financial assistance to impacte

factories and the program of promoting exports.

306
BIBLIOGRAPHY

American Shoemaking, Shoe Trades Publishing Company.

3hain Stores in America , Godfrey M. Lebhar, Chain Store Publishing Corporation,

1963.

acts and Figures , National Shoe Manufacturers Association, 1961.

'he Footwear Industry , Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,

roii

alii

Id i

-.act

\

Paris, France, 1976,

'o otwear Manual 1977 , American Footwear Industries Association, August 1977.

ootwear Market, National Shoe Manufacturers Association, 1975.

ootwear News

Fairchild Publications, New York,

ootwear: report to the President on Investigation TA-201-7 , USITC Publication

758, Washington, D. C. , February 1976.

ootwear: report to the President on Investigation TA -2 01-7, USITC Publication

799, Washington, D. C. , February 1977.

307
Leather and Shoes , Rumpf Publishing Company, New York.

Men's, Women's and Children's Footwear, Fairchild Fact File, Fair child

Publications, New York, 1977.

Project Turn Around, USM Corporation, 1971.

Problems of the Small Domestic Shoe Manufacturers, U.S. Congress,

Committee on Currency and Banking, 1969.

A Study of Competition and Management in the Shoe Manufacturing Industry, Dr. Harry L. Hansen, National Shoe Manufacturers Association,

1959.

308
A BUSINESS STRATEGY TO

ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVE POSITION OF

THE U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY'

FOR

The NBS Shoe Team

National Bureau of Standards

-U.S. Department of Commerce

Washington, D,CContract Order No. 80836

Prepared by

S. William Yost

Zinder Energy Management, Inc.

Washington, D.C.

May, 1978

309
ZINDER ENERGY MANAGEMENT, INC.

1828 L Street, N.W.

S. W1LUAM YOST.

Washington, D.C. 2003

(202) 862-3400

May 22, 1978

Ms. Margery H. King

Manager NBS Shoe Team

Office of the Director

National Bureau of Standards

U.S. Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20234

Dear Ms. Xing:

Pursuant to our purchase order contract, we are submitting this

.

report to you on the results of our efforts to develop business

operating strategies to enhance the competitive position of the U.S.

nonrubber footwear industry.

t X suppose it is axiomatic that such ventures never turn out the

way we anticipate they will. Nevertheless, I must say I am surprised

to find myself touting the formation of cooperative enterprises, an area of business X have never paid much attention to. It certainly

confounds that ancient saw that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

I trust you will not classify the report a dog. In any event,

best of luck with the project.

Sincerely,

310
Table of Contents

SECTION PAGE

I. Introduction 312

II. Business Environment 314

A. What Does the Customer Want

from a Resource? 314

B. What Factors Influence the Retailer

in Choosing Between a Domestic or

a Foreign Manufacturer? 315

C. What Market Segments Have Domestic

Manufacturers Been Most Successful

in Resisting Import Penetration? 316

D. Impact of Firm Size on Productivity

and Profits 318

III. A Strategy for Increasing Competiveness 322

A. Demands From the Business Environment 322

B. The Cooperative Manufacturers 324

Enterprise Concept

C. Better Position in Marketplace 327

D. More Efficient Operations 328

IV. What Industry Needs To Do 330

A. Form a Working Group 330

B. Determine the Nature and Objective of

the Cooperative 330

C. Identify and Solicit Potential Members 331

D. Develop Business Plan 332

E. Establish Funding Method and Plan 332

V. What Government Needs To Do 334

A. Anti-trust Legislation 334

B. Financial Support 335

VT. Summary and Conclusions 336

311
A BUSINESS STRATEGY TO

ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVE POSITION OF

THE U.S. NONRUBBER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

I. Introduction

Everyone is familiar with the plight of the U.S. footwear industry.

In the past 20 years imports have grown from four percent to essentially

50 percent of the shoes sold in the United States. A shake-up has occurred

in the U.S. industry with many footwear manufacturing firms failing to meet

the test of the increased competitiveness caused by both the imports and the

response by the U.S . footwear industry to imports. The level of competitivenes

has risen for everyone concerned. Some companies — both large and small —

have failed as a consequence. But,, this happens in every business, in every

industry. It's the nature of our economic system.

At the same time, it is very difficult, and probably foolish to make

generalized statements about an industry as fragmented and highly diverse as

the footwear industry, comprised as it is of over too dozen different types

of products in five or more price ranges. Companies range in size from

billion dollar giants down to small entrepreneurial operations employing a

few dozen people. Given these circumstances, variations in management

skills, financing, labor markets, etc., it is not surprising that not all

footwear manufacturers have suffered deeply, or even suffered at all, in the

competition the industry is experiencing. Some companies' profits have

increased as others are forced into bankruptcy.

Some say let the weak go, but in the face of foreign government support

for their footwear manufacturers how fair is the competition? We are faced

with two questions:

What should be done?

What can be done?

312
In. this paper we duck the first question and will concentrate

on what can be done.

To address the "What Can Be Done?" question, we begin with the retailer.

Some say, perhaps unfairly, that the retailer is the malevolent force that

iholds. the key, or perhaps the throat of the struggling manufacturer, in this

situation- Actually, the market place competition holds the key and the

retailer must respond to it with .his., own. strategy for success just as the

manufacturer must have a strategy to succeed. Therefore the question is:

; What strategy will help a manufacturer: survive and even prosper in today's

business environment in the footwear industry?

In the balance of this paper we will attempt to describe the business

environment as it relates to the manufacturer in greater detail. We will

then propose a possible strategy for increasing the manufacturer's competitiveness in the business, environment that we have described. And lastly,

we will make suggestions for implementing the business strategy proposed.

313
II.. Business Environment.

In this section we will describe four areas of business environment

affecting the footwear manufacturer. One, what does the customer- (retailer)

want from a resource (manufacturer) ? Two , what are the critical factors

in the retailer's choice between foreign and domestic manufacturers? Three,

what market segments have the domestic manufacturers been most successful

in? And, four, what is the impact of the size of a firm on productivity

and profits?

A. What Does the Customer Want From a Resource?

In essentially all cases the retailer" wants to fill a line in a specific

price range. Therefore the initial requirement is being presented with a

sample which may be sold in the right range. Taking this as a starting

point, there are a. number of items considered by the retail buyer. These

do not lend themselves to a priority ranking as all are considered: some

with perhaps more weight than others, but it is the sum of all factors

that counts in the final decision.

Given this preamble, the retailer is concerned about style, about

delivery or timeliness, both on the original order and on subsequent

reorders. In particular, the manufacturer who will stock inventory is

perferred. (The risk of carrying a style in inventory implies a style

volume, and number- of customers for that style which many manufacturers

do not have.) Closely related to timeliness is reliability or dependability. In other words, can the manufacturer be counted on to keep the

retailer informed as to when he is going to get his order and any problems

that may have occurred. This, of course, is related to customer service

and to taking care of problems that may arise before the order is delivered 1|^oi

314
if

or after the order have been received. And, again, this in turn relates

to quality control; making sure that the delivered goods match the sample

that the retailer made his original decision on. Finally, the retailer

looks at the capacity of the manufacturer. This is critical to the

retailer because he wants to be sure that the manufacturer will have

enough flexibility to be able to deliver the order on schedule and with

the proper quality. For example,, one major retailer normally will not

deal with a resource whose overall capacity is less than 1500 pairs per

day. They prefer manufacturers in the 5000 pair per day range or larger.

In summary, the retailer chooses a resource in a specific price range

on the combined basis of:

Style • Delivery-timeliness-inventory • Reliability-dependability

• Customer service

•> Quality control

Manufacturing capacity

B. What Factors Influence the Retailer in Choosing Between a Domestic

or a Foreign Manufacturer?

It is difficult to generalize about the factors influencing the import

decision because you can easily find a dozen examples , which will give you a

'response which is opposite to whatever you have stated. Nevertheless, in

general, there appear to be several factors which tend to favor imports and

several factors that tend to favor the domestic manufacturer.

Of those factors favoring imports the obvious one is price. The

: margins available to the retailer using imported shoes is inevitably

315
better across the board although, in some price ranges from countries the

gap is narrowing. The second factor which tends to favor imports is

style and quality - Again, this will vary with different lines and price

levels- - Another factor is simply that in some cases a buyer is not able

to obtain a specialty domestically. For example, some types of clogs and

sandals , as well as some types of handwork or leathers are not available

from U.S. manufacturers.

On the other hand, there are certain factors that, in a very general

way tend to favor the domestic manufacturer. These factors are:

» Customer services (which' relates to returns, repairs to factorydamaged shoes, etc.,)

•> Reorder flexibility, * Inventory,

* Delayed billings

,

And propinquity (when you want to drop in on a resource and

find what is really going on with your order)

.

C What Market Segments Have Domestic Manufacturers Been Most Successful

in Resisting Import Penetration?

Information provided to the U.S. International Trade Commission by

importers provides an interesting pattern of penetration of the U.S.

footwear industry. Table 1 categorizes the industry by type of footwear

and price class - Each category lists the percent of penetration by foreign

competition. The table quantifies in detail what people have been making

generalizations about, such as, "Imports completely dominate the low price

end of the business."

With imports as a percentage of total sales tending to level off the

past few years, we could assume that indicates the "easiest plums" have

been picked. In other words, foreign manufacturers may have exploited

316
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317
their obvious advantages, and our weaknesses, fairly completely at this

point and appear to have reached a plateau. If this is so, further

significant encroachment will only be the result of head-to-head competition

with our strengths.

For the sake of. ease in evaluating the pattern of import penetration

we have utilized an arbitrary 30 percent as the breakeven point in deter"

mining a market segments ' high resistence to penetration.

Utilizing this premise the low price market segment in all but Infants

and Babies Shoes is under heavy competitive pressure- Women's Boots and

Women's Shoes 8/8 Inch and. Dp in all price categories are also under very

heavy pressure. Going from these striking examples of penetration to other

types of footwear yields less decisive statements. However, it can be

seen that, in all other types the domestic manufacturer dominates the

middle price class. The high price is also dominated by the U.S. manufacturer except in Men's Dress and Casual and in Childrens.

It would appear from the foregoing that there is considerable amount

of business that the U.S. manufacturer has a very good lock on. Further,

there is reason to believe that if he maintains his competitiveness he can

probably prevent any appreciable amount of erosion in the future in the

market segments he now dominates.

D. Impact of Firm Size on Productivity and Profits

A striking fact about the U.S. footwear industry is the correlation

between the size of the firm and profits. This relationship is not uncommon

in other industries but the spread between the smallest and- the largest is

dramatic in the footwear industry. Table 2 displays the experience of

various sized producers of footwear with profits from their shoemaking

operations only.

318
Table 2

PROFIT EXPERIENCE FOR PRODUCERS OF FOOTWEAR OPERATIONS ONL*

TOR SIX K3NTH PERIOD. 1976 "

<200 200-500 500-1000 1000-2000 2000-4000 >40OQ

Hat Sals a 17,633 74,742 206,341 112,333 384,446 785,000

Cose of Sale* 77.6% 81.6% 77.9% 76.4% 74.0% 72.2%

Gross- Profit 22.4* 13.4% 22.1% 23.6% 25. 2V 27.8%

Sailing, Admiala era tive and GanaraX

Expenses

19.6% 14.2% 17.3% 17.3% 18.0% 19.5%

s*t Operating Profit (or loss)

2.3%. 4.2% 4.8% 6.4%. 7.2%< 8.2%

2/ Poocvear ivinual 1977 , American Footwear Industries Association, Arlington, Va., p. 293.

Note in particular the cost of goods sold (cost of sales) as a percentage

af net sales. With the exception of the smallest firms, cost of goods sold

(CGS) goes down as the size of the firm's output goes up, ranging from 81.6%

Ln the 200,000-500,000 annual pairs category steadily down to 72.2% in the

nver four million pair category. The improved CGS is undoubtably related

:o the higher volume and longer production runs which in turn provide the opportunity for using new technology and fewer setups to increase productivity

ligh volume and associated financial strength makes possible savings in the

, purchase of raw materials and components. Further, larger volume business

nakes possible the use of improved management information systems for:

production planning and control; labor, equipment and material scheduling

ind loading; purchasing and inventory control; quality control; and job

status reporting.

319
Another interesting item, in reviewing Table 2 is the trend in selling,

administrative and general expense (SASG) . SA&G moves exactly opposite to

CGS as the size of the firm increases, again, with the exception of the

smallest manufacturers. The inference we draw from this trend, that is,

to increase as the- size of the firm increases, is that there is a. greater

appreciation by the larger firm of the necessity for marketing. By marketing

we include style development, sample programs r representation at shows, sales

and salesmen support, inventory distribution and warehousing. As so aptly

pointed out in a- companion report, by Charles W. 0 'Conor and Associates,

the shoe retailing business has undergone major structural changes coincident

to the rise in imports. Some shoe manufacturers, busy fighting the obvious

threat of foreign imports, have overlooked the change in the way retailers

are doing business . With the growth of large chains of retail outlets , no

longer regional but spanning the country, merchandizina has changed and,

necessarily/ so have the procurement practices of the volume retailers who

now dominate the industry. Marketing the volume retail houses is now a much

tougher, much more competitive job, but the rewards can be great for those

manufacturers who can first perceive and then meet their increasing needs.

One last element of size is worth mentioning. This concerns the

appropriate size of firms required to adequately handle a house line of

branded shoes. The same phenomenon which has revolutionized the local and

regional retail markets for shoes understandably has an impact on the marketii

of brand shoes by manufacturers. A consequence is that the regional

market, served by regional promotional activities, has become a national

market. A brand now must compete nationally against well financed and

aggressive retailer brands.

320
According to some industry experts the result is that a brand must

Dbably do at least 10 million dollars worth of business, or in round numbers

aillion pairs per year, in order to have the financial wherewithal to

pport the kind of promotional effort necessary. Without heavy national

amotion to develop a customer franchise for the brand, the line is doomed

eventual failure.

The question, then, of course, is how well can the U.S. footwear

nufacturer maintain or increase his competitive stance? That is the subject

the next, section.
III. A Strategy for Increasing Competitiveness

In this portion of the report we will recap what the business

environment appears to be demanding of the footwear manufacturer if he

is to stay competitive and profitable. We will then describe the concept

of a cooperative manufacturer's" enterprise which has been the potential of

meeting many of the environment's demands. Finally we will describe

ways the cooperative concept can be applied to the footwear industry to

obtain a better position in. the marketplace and reduce the cost of goods

sold.

A. Demands From the Business Environment

From our discussion above, manufacturers who wish to meet the

increased competitiveness that pervades the industry as the result of

imports and changes in the retail end of the business, must, from a

marketing standpoint, be able to:

•> Bring marketable styles to the retailer.

Deliver the desired quantities on time and fill reorders

expeditiously, and most desirously out of inventory.

• Convince the retailer of the manufacturer' 3 reliability

and dependability to accomplish the above.

• Provide customer service to keep the retailer informed

of the status of orders and to solve any problems arising

before or after delivery of the orders.

• Maintain the level of quality originally sold and keep

returns and factory damage at an acceptable minimum.

• Have enough manufacturing capacity so that the retailer

will be satisfied that there is enough flexibility in

the operation to handle the order. (This has been estimated to be in excess of one million pairs per year.)

• Have enough capacity so that production for a single

retail customer never exceeds 50% of capacity.

322
Further, in terms of which market segments have the best

chance of continued success in resisting import penetration, it appears

that the low price ranges are very good prospects. Similarly, Women's

Boots and Women 1 s Heals 8/8 Inch and Dp are difficult areas to compete

in except for some specialty and. high style firms. Clearly the middle

price range markets are where the domestic manufacturers strengths- lie.

It is in these areas that the coming battles with imported goods should

be fought- This is not to say that domestic manufacturers should abandon

any market segment where they are currently successful — far from it.

On the other hand, manufacturers- now struggling in those segments under

heavy pressure might do well to retreat to more favorable ground.

All of this means a major improvement in marketing strategies and

marketing abilities. It means getting the styles that will sell in front

of the volume, retailer on a basis that at least equals existing large

volume manufacturer competition.

On the other hand the manufacturers must improve the efficiency of

operations in order to keep product costs within the price ranges

required. To this end, the advantages of size are obvious. This is not

to say that small manufacturers cannot be very profitable, some are.

But taken as a group, the smaller firms are less efficient and less

profitable. Therefore, the best way for the footwear manufacturers to

meet the increasing competition is to become larger, more efficient and

ultimately more profitable. The question is how to accomplish this without losing the diversity and entrepreneurial skills which have given

the footwear industry such character over the years..

In the next section we hope to answer this question by describing

323
a concept which can achieve the marketing and operating requirements

demanded by the business environment.

B. The Cooperative Manufacturers Enterprise Concept

At the turn of the century the independent farmer found himself

increasingly at the mercy of the large volume wholesalers and retailers.

To quote Professor Martin A. Abrahamsen, an authority on agricultural

cooperatives

:

ent

"Cooperatives make it possible for their members to

negotiate with large multibillion-dollar corporations

on a more nearly equal basis rather than perpetuate

a situation where individual farmers continue to

compete against one another in selling their products

or purchasing supplies and services. Obviously,

the individual farmer cannot possibly compete with

chain stores, implement dealers, or large fertilizer

companies on anything approaching an equal basis.

To put this another way, cooperatives may be the

effective way for members to achieve the economic

power they need to prevent their exploitation by a limited number of dominant firms that characterize

the oligopolistic situation that has developed in

many industries . " 1/

i land

; Eark

iicri

Certainly few would argue that the trend in the footwear industry is

toward fewer but larger and more powerful firms both in retailing and in mai

ufacturing. How can the smaller manufacturers continue to compete

\ effectively under these conditions? The farmers think they have found

the answer having established over 9000 marketing and purchasing cooperatives by the mid 1960 's.

1/ Martin A. Abrhamsen, Cooperative Business Enterprise , McGrawHill, Inc., New York, 1976, p. 204.

324

"> mi]

pops

fiofi

s

atje
Before continuing, a description of what a cooperative business

enterprise is would probably be helpful. A useful description follows:

"A cooperative is a voluntary contractual organization

of persons having a mutual ownership interest in

providing themselves a. needed service (s) on a nonprofit

basis. It is usually organized as a legal entity to

accomplish an economic objective through joint participation of its members. In a cooperative the investment

and operational risks, benefits gained, or losses

incurred by its members in proportion to their use of the

cooperative 1 s services . A cooperative is democratically

controlled by its members on the basis of their status

as member-users and not as investors in the capital

structure of the cooperative . "2/

Using this approach a number of small footwear manufacturers could

sand together", making available a percentage of their capacity to the

oop- Together they could fund the kind of marketing, material

Lid component purchasing which would improve their effectiveness in the

marketplace and lower their costs- The larger orders- possible would

_ncrease production runs and productivity.

To be more specific about the impact; of a cooperative on productivity

ind profitability we will return to Table 2. Discussions with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice about a footwear manufacturer's

ooperative indicated that no "large" firms could be a member of such a

:ooperative. Just what is meant by large firm in the footwear industry is

.ot entirely clear, but for convenience we have put the cut-off at under

. million pair per year. Using this definition we have aggregated the

rofitability statistics from Table 2 into two groups in Table 3 — the

arge companies, 2 million and greater, and the small companies, everyone

nder 2 million.

:/ Job K. Savage and David Volkin, Cooperative Criteria , FCS Service

Report 71, Farmer Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Washington, 1965.

325
Tabla 3

PROFIT EXPERIENCE OP PROOOCZFS OF FOOTWEAR OPERATIONS ONLT

FOR SIX ONTO PERIOD. 1976 »

(annual production In 1000 of pairs)

t*at S*laa

Coal: of Stlu

Gro»« Profit

Sailing, Adadniatration

and Ganaral SzpenMa.

Kat Operating

Profit (or Loca)

AU FTRKS

<3,0OQ

411 145

321,272

89,773

69,080

20,693

AS V NET SALES

100%

78.7*

21.8a

16.8%

5.0%

ALL FTRMS >2,000

1,169,496

854,472

315,024

222,596

92,378

AS » KET SALES

100%

73,1%

26.0%

19.0%

7.9%

DUTERENCB

IN PERCENTAGES

5.1%

5.1%

2.2%

2.9*

3/ Abatracted £roa Tabla 2.

The importance of Table 3 is that it indicates the potential, fiscal

impact of joining- together enough small firms to operate well within the

large firm category. For an illustration of this impact we have put

together a hypothetical footwear manufacturer's cooperative made up of

twenty of the small manufacturers with proportionate membership (6%) from

each size category. This grouping of 20 firms would represent a production

capacity of approximately 9 million pairs annually or very near the 10.6

million which represented the average size of the producers in the over

4 million pair category in 1974.

Assuming a full line, $7.45/pair (average, 1976) and utilization of

50% of the members ' capacity for coop business the revenues would be

$33,500,000. The coop income statement would look like this:

326
Net Sales $33,500,000

Cost: of Goods Sold 24,489,000

Gross Margin 9,012,000

Selling, Administrative, 6,365,000

and General Expense

Net Profit 2,64-7^0_0_CL

Recalling from Table 2 that the S,A&G was 2.2% higher in a larger

operationt the additional expense in this area is $737,000. Theoretically,

this expense is the. additional amount spent by the coop for increased

marketing, in contrast to the membership's usual SA&G expenses. In a sense

you could say that this is the additional expense required to operate like

a large firm.

Offsetting the increased SASG are, of course-, the coop's operating

efficiencies represented by a 5.1% decrease in the cost of goods sold.

In our example this would be $1,709,000. The difference between the S,A&G

and the CGS decrease is $972,000 which is, of course, the increased net

profit due to moving from small operations to large scale operations.

The above example assumes that no new business was generated as

-•j^a consequence of the cooperative but simply that more effective marketing

and operations resulted from larger orders and improved material purchasing.

We now turn to some of the specific benefits a cooperative could

yield in the marketplace and in operations.

Z. Better Position in Marketplace

The cooperative effort could provide for improved marketing services.

This could take place in three areas. Styling, of course, is the predominant area. Activities could include the possible integration of coop

327
The cooperative enterprise could help in the area of customer service

and by providing distribution services/, as well as quality control, inventor

and warehousing functions. In the area of reliability, it would have the

strength of a much larger organization in terms of lending credibility to

statements about timeliness of deliveries, returns and rework and the general

fiscal stability of the organization. The size of the organization would

give the retailers confidence that there was enough manufacturing flexibilitj

so that, should a serious problem develop in a particular manufacturing

facility, it could be met with assistance from other locations

Lastly, the longer runs will enable the coop salesman to remain

competitive by staying with the desired price range for a line.

D. More Efficient Operations

More efficient operations are possible through cooperative effort.

With better marketing larger orders would result in longer production

runs which would be assigned to appropriate coop members. This of course

would result in improved labor productivity with fewer setups. It would

also result in lower raw material costs stemming from the ability to make

larger buys of raw materials and with improved financial circumstances

to be able hedge in areas where raw material prices are fluctuating.

The cood enterprise makes it possible to get into the area of component buying or even manufacturing, where it seems appropriate. Along

these lines it would be possible to setup a system to use a variety of

specialists whether they be in stitching contractors , pattern grading

services, etc.

328
The cooperative approach provides the opportunity to try out new

and better technology with the longer runs and with the opportunities to

experiment by. sharing the burden among a number of manufacturers rather

than having one try to do it himself.

The coop would provide management information system capability

since the fixed costs of such systems can be spread over the large number

of members. This will make it possible for smaller operations to enjoy

the benefits of, for instance, measuring labor productivity on a day-today basis, shop loading, job dispatching, labor work scheduling, material

requirements, planning including raw and in process inventory control, and

job status.

In. the next section we describe the. actions required by industry and

government to effectuate the strategy outline above. As with the rest

of this report, the specific list, of activities outlined are not meant

to be exhaustive, hopefully include all the critical ones.

329
IV. What Industry Needs To Do

The ball is really in industries court insofar as making the first

move in implementing the cooperative strategy. Before the government can

help, assuming such help may be needed, a lot of spade work needs to be

done. For example, what kind of coop makes sense? What type of manufacturers should belong? What does the business plan look like? What

are. the fiscal requirements? And finally, how should the coop and busines

plan be funded? These questions are addressed next.

A. Form a Working Group

The first step is form a working group of interested manufacturers

of the appropriate size. A very broad group of manufacturers, in terms

of size and market segment coverage, would probably be desirable initially

Further discussions with the Anti-trust Division of the Department of

Justice may help fix what the upper size limit should be. This second

step will help refine the working group membership although, except for

the size of firm limitations, a diverse group should be maintained at

least through the next step.

Determine the Nature and Objective of the Cooperative

The second step is to determine the nature and objectives of the coop

For example, will it be a marketing enterprise only? If so, will it repre

sent all, types of footwear and all price ranges? (From the discussion on

the business environment it would seem sensible to push shoes in the low

price range. On the other hand, perhaps the coop will want to go with

330
a full line and import shoes to fill certain market segments!) Should

there be a coop branded line?

A second possibility, rather than a marketing coop, would be to

become a purchasing coop. In this case, the decisions required would deal

with whether or not to buy raw material, and whether or not to inventory

it. Other questions revolve around: component purchasing, or even manufacture; component importing; and possibly even finished goods in importing,

acting in the role of import agent.

A third possibility in forming a coop would be some combination of

marketing and purchasing enterprise combining some or all of the elements

above.

Lastly, the coop could be planned to go the whole route of vertical

integration, going all the way from raw materials acquisition through

components, manufacturing, and branded marketing to the establishment of

coop retail outlets. Without doubt this last possibility is not a practical

option in a start up situation. However, the eventual possibility is

there and is fun to speculate about.

C. Identify and Solicit Potential Members

The third step, after having decided upon the nature and objectives

of the coop, is to identify the manufacturers whose operations match the

coop's objectives. It would be desirable to solicit all those serving a

choosen market segment to join in the venture, limited of course by their

size. In order to proceed to the next step, development of a business plan,

it is necessary to obtain at least a tentative agreement from prospective

members to join in the enterprise.

331
D. Develop Business Plan

The fourth, step is development of a business plan covering a one to

three year period. This should include:

• 1. The market/purchasing plan for the period listing expected sales

revenues/material costs.

2. Estimate the administrative organization required to staff the

coop 1 s activities

.

3. Estimate the fiscal requirements for marketing, purchasing,

customer service, quality control, and general administration,

including the management information system.

4. Estimate capital requirements for working capital, finished

goods, in process, and raw material inventories, warehousing

and other required facilities.

5. Estimate expenses and capital requirements for new technology

experimentation

.

E. Establish Funding Method And Plan

Next, establish the funding requirements to implement the Business

plan. This is a critical area in the formation of a cooperative. Over

the past fifty years a variety of schemes have been tried. The most

effective means of funding is the so called revolving finance method.

Even here there are many variations in use as the membership of different

cooperatives have sought ways to best serve their purposes and financial

circumstances. In any event, the following quote, .by two authorities in

the field provides a succinct description of the concept:

o "The general term 'revolving plan' is applied to a variety of arrangements whereby a cooperative asso- ciation may raise capital continuously in some relationship to membership participation by

withholding funds from members and whereby the older

funds are returned periodically and systematically

in the order they were withheld to the contributors of

an earlier period. "3/

3/ H. E. Erdman S G. H. Larsen, Revolving Finance in Agricultural Coop

eratives, Mimir Publishers, Madison, Wise, 1965, p. 69

332
Revolving fund plans may be provided for either the capital stock or

the nonstock type of association. The procedures for attaining these ends

as found in practice vary in their details in confused profusion. Funds

are obtained most commonly from three sources : (1) at the start by

subscription to a capital fund with an understanding that this fund shall

be the first to be paid off once the revolving process is under way; (2)

withholding specified amounts or percentages from proceeds of sales - for

example 5* per dozen shoes, $1.80 per case, 1 percent of sales, etc., and

(3) by withholding some portions of the savings which are ultimately to

be distributed as membership dividends.

Of course, the capital structure of a coop is not made up entirely

from equity contributions from its members, far from it. Debt financing

is normally provided through three types of loans t

(a) Facility loans, normally available covering 60 to 75

percent of the market value of the property.

(b) Operating capital loans — funds needed to meet payrolls,

obtain supplies, pay taxes, etc. — are normally available

up to four times the coop's equity.

(c) Receivables factoring and raw material inventory loans

are usually available at 75 to 90 percent of the market

value.

Given the extent of financial weakness in much of the footwear

industry, the working group may find that it is not possible to raise

enough equity capital from the membership and debt from the financial

institutions to meet the fiscal requirements of the business plan. At

this point the Government's commitment to this strategy will be tested.

The Government role in this strategy is described next.

333
V. What Government Needs To Do

]

tot

to

The Government's role in this strategy is certainly important and

may be absolutely vital in making success possible. The magnitude of the

change required to make the strategy work should make it obvious that

it will not happen without great effort- The Government' s encouragement

and stimulation of those participating ".therefore will be an important factor a a

However, there are two specific issues which may require intervention

by the Government to solve. These issues are anti-trust legislation

and financial support. We deal with these below.

A. Anti-trust Legislation

Discussions with the Anti-trust Division of the Department of Justice

concerning the formation of a footwear manufacturer' s cooperative were

predictably equivocal. The Division representative suggested that any

such proposed agreement be filed for review by the Division prior to

implementation. The normal fashion would be to go to the Business Review

Procedures (BRP) route wherein the firms contemplating a cooperative arrangement submit their intention to the Department prior to taking any official

action.

In any event, the law covering the formation of cooperatives, as long

as the members don't engage in setting prices, appears to be fairly gray.

As a consequence, any proposed cooperative enterprise would have several

avenues to explore in reaching their goal. One, of course, is getting the

approval of the Department of Justice via the BRP. The second is to take

an adverse Justice Department decision to court. The third would be to seek

an exemption to existing anti -trust -legislation to make cooperatives in the

334

sise.

Hi
::::

ootwear specifically legal. This latter course of action has a direct

nalogy to the agricultural situation mentioned earlier. Following the

obeying efforts of the farm block, and the Department of Agriculture, the

apper-Volstead Act was passed into law in 1922. This act provided a

road exemption which enabled the farmers to operate cooperatives without

eing in conflict with the anti-trust laws.

Should the Justice Department take a dim view of footwear cooperatives,

he Executive Branch should try to obtain exempting legislation if it

upports this strategy for increasing competitiveness in the footwear

ndustry.

L. Financial Support

Should the business plans developed by prospective footwear cooperatives

equire more capital to get started than can be acquired from their members

-nd from lending institutions, it will be necessary to obtain financial

upport from the Government. This support could take several forms such as

-..jjLoan guarantees , or taking an equity position in the cooperative (which" under

J:he revolving finance plan would be liquidated in several years if there

'eren't reinvestment by the Government).

The important thing is that the Government become committed to this

itrategy. With that commitment many of the problems discussed may not even

irise. Lacking this support there is little chance that the cooperative

ipproach to increasing the competitive position of the U.S. footwear industy

ri.ll succeed.

335
VI. Stnnmary and Conclusions

Imports have heightened the level of competitiveness in the footwear

industry. Several market segments have been particularly susceptible to

import penetration , i.e., virtually all of the low price market and all

of womens shoes, except flats. The rate of import encroachment is slackening

as the foreign manufacturers have exploited U.S. weaknesses, in these market

segments. From now on imports must compete against the strengths in the

U.S. market.

Concomitantly, footwear retailing has evolved from a local and regional

affair into very large volume national chains. Accordingly, marketing has

become increasingly sophisticated and the demands on manufacturers, for

performance and service, far more intense.

Considering the above factors, along with the pronounced phenomenon in

footwear manufacturing of dramatic increases in profitability with increased

firm size, the cooperative concept is suggested, providing increased

marketing power, productivity, and profit to the smaller firms in the

industry. A cooperative association of footwear manufacturers can increase

productivity and profitability by providing a highly skilled marketing

staff, brand promotion where appropriate, management information systems for

production planning and control, inventories and distribution facilities,

quality control, increased buying power for raw material and component

purchasing and the resources for new technology experimentation.

To be effective the cooperative enterprise must acquire first rate

management, management information systems and financial support. But

to be successful, industry must have enough interest to actively participate in the formation of working groups and in the critical organizational

activities outlined in the report.

336
-

Government help may be required in supporting legislation to exempt

the smaller footwear manufacturers from some part of the anti-trust laws.

Government support may also be necessary in providing for those financial

requirements which cannot be assumed initially by industry.

Most importantly the dialogue begun between the footwear industry and

Government must be continued so that both may learn more about how the

other works. Without this continuing dialogue requests for help from

industry will not be fully understood and the response from Government,

albeit well meaning, will be less useful than it need be.

I

337
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PARTICIPANTS

alter L. Abel

ice President, R§D

SM Corporation

.0. Box 2730

armington, CT 06101

om Adams

irector of Engineering

rangier Boot Division

.0. Box 60485

jashville, TN 37206

ohn Aldridge

ice President-Manufacturing

jl'orwich Shoe ^Company , Inc.

!ale Street Ext.

forwich, NY 13815

ieorge Allen

Superintendent of Thurmont Shoe

lannon Shoe Company

.48 West Franklin Street

lagerstown, MD 21740

lenry E. Allen

/ice President

-irst National Bank of Boston

100 Federal Street

Boston, MA 02110

3r. Elisabeth Allison

-larvard University

Dept. of Economics

^ittauer-Room 232

Cambridge, MA 02138

David Almgren

Consultant

Arthur D. Little, Inc.

Acorn Park

Cambridge, MA 02138

Ronald M. Ansin

Chairman

Anwelt Corporation

1 Oak Hill Road

Fitchburg, MA 01420

Bernard Ascher

Director, Import Programs Div.

U.S. Dept. of Commerce

Main Commerce Building

Washington, D.C. 20230

John H. Ashley

Chief Input Branch

NTIS, Dept. of Commerce

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22151

Louis Ashley

Arthur D. Little, Inc.

Acorn Park

Cambridge, MA 02140

Edward Atkins

Executive Director

Volume Footwear Retailers Assoc

51 East 42nd Street

New York,- NY 10017

Horace Auberry

Chairman of the Board

Wellco Enterprises, Inc.

P.O. Box 188

Waynesville, NC 28786

Thomas E. Backer

Edward Glaser § Associates

10889 Wilshire Blvd.,

Los Angeles, CA 90024

339
Dr. Bill G . Barr

Executive Director

Center for Research Inc.

2291 Irving Hill

Lawrence, KS 66045

Hans Bartneck

V.P. - Research § Development

The United States Shoe Corp.

1658 Herald Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Jordan J. Baruch

Assistant Secretary for Science

§ Technology

Department of Commerce

Washington, D. C. 20234

Michael M. Becka

Executive Vice President

International Shoe Machine Corp.

Simon § Ledge Streets

Nashue, NH 03060

Henry Behar

Pres ident

Footlight Parade

180 Varick Street

New York, NY 10013

Harold Berk

President

Songo Shoe Manufacturing Corp.

Box 1591-34 Diamond Street

Portland, ME 04104

Mark Bielski

Manager, Public Relations

American Footwear Industries Assoc

1611 N. Kent Street

Arlington, VA 22209

Benjamin C. Bixby

President

Bixby International Corp.

170 Washington Street

Haverhill, MA 01830

Tom Bleasdale

Vice President, Footwear Industry

USM Corporation

Elliott Street

Beverly, MA 01915

Robert Bode

Arthur D. Little, Inc.

Acorn Park

Cambridge, MA 02140

Ronald Boyd

Sales Representative

Colonial Fiber Co.

615 Parker Street

Manchester, CT 06048

James R. Brandley

Manager Research § Development

CDM Division of National Computer

Systems

4401 West 76th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55435

Kenneth L. Brier

V.P. Marketing

Brierwood Shoe Corp.

191 Willow Street

Kutztown, PA 19530

Larry Brookhart

Footwear Industry Team

Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20234

Dr. James N. Brown

Director, Center for Technology

Applications

Research Triangle Institute

P.O. Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

rare

!

|!

m B

us a

Isso

ra

ter

(art

lin

Lloyd Brunkhorst

Asst. Director, Research Laborator

Brown Shoe Company

8300 Maryland Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63105

HI

340
ineth C. Buesing

;e President, Manufacturing

f erenz Shoe Co.

). Box 979

sboygan, Wisconsin 53081

line Bunten-Mines

:ional Bureau o£ Standards

oartment o£ Commerce

shington, D. C. 20234

m Bunten

)e and Allied Trades Research

Association

;ra House, Rockingham Road

rtering, Northants, ENGLAND NN16 9JH

/ B.urkholder

lager, Footwear Industry Team

oartment of Commerce

shington, D. C. 20230

|h Burnam

iff Assistant

fice of the Assistant Secretary

ror Science § Technology

:artment of Commerce

shington, D. C. 20230

il Burns

nmodity Industry Analyst-Footwear

ternational Trade Commission

i 5 E. Streets, NW

shington, D. C. 20436

1 Graham Butlin

oe and Allied Trades Research

Association

tra House, Rockingham Road

ttering, Northants, ENGLAND NN16 9JH

mes E. Byron

mmodity Industry Analyst

'partment of Commerce

^om 1104-Main Commerce Bldg.

shington, D.C. 20230

Dr. Alok Chakrabarti

Associate Professor of Management

Drexel University

310 Copples Lane

Wallingsford, PA 19086

Ray Chapman

3M Company

1101 15th Street

Washington, D.C. 20005

Bruce Chase

Belding Corticelli Thread Co.

1430 Broadway

New York, NY 10018

William H. Chase, Jr.

Market Manager

Belding Corticelli Thread Co.

1430 Broadway

New York, NY 10018

James Chrismon

Vice President

Walker Shoe Company

Ashboro, NC 27203

General Erie Cocke, Jr.

Senior Partner

Cocke and Phillips International

1629 K Street, NW

Suite 306

Washington, D.C. 20006

Myron A. Coler, Ph. D. Pan Am Bldg.

200 Park Ave., Suite 303 East

New York, NY 10017

Charles Collazzo

President

American Footwear Research Institute

2360 Mass. Ave.

Lexington, MA 02173

341
Robert M. Colton

National Science Foundation

1800 G. Street

Washington, D.C. 20550

Dr. Michael Conboy

Institute for Science § Technology

University of Michigan

2200 Bonistell Blvd.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Brian T. Conniff

GAO U.S. General Accounting Office

803 W. Broad St.

Falls Church, VA 22046

Paul Crane

Compo Industries, Inc.

125 Roberts Road

Waltham, MA 02154

William R. Creamer

Vice President

Desma Industrial Machines

125 Roberts Road

Waltham, MA 02154

Dr. John A. Czepiel

New York University

Graduate School of Business

Administration

110 Bleecker Street, Apt. 17B

New York, NY 10012

Carmine D'Aloisio

Office of Congressman Tsongas

217 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, D.C.

Frank Daley

Director Manufacturing Development

General Motors Corporation

^

General Motors Technical Center

Warren, MI 48090

John J. Decoulos

Chief Engineer

Boston Machine Works

7 Willow Street

Lynn, MA 01903

Ken Dille

Red Wing Shoe Co. Inc.

419 Bush Street

Red Wing, MN 55066

Captain L. C. Dittmar

Chief of Naval Materiel

Navy Department

Washington, D. C. 20360

Charles Draper

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

68 Albany Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Roland E. Dube

Plant Manager

Bonon Footwear

P.O. Box 1117 Merrow Road

Auburn, ME 04210

Thomas Duchesneau

University of Maine

Orono, ME 04473

Henry Edelen

Senior Consultant for Science

and Technology

NAVCO, McLean, VA 2 2101

Robert B. Egtvedt

Director Q.A. § Product Research

Wolverine World Wide

9341 Courtland

Rockford, MI 49351

J. Tait Elder

General Manager

3M Company

3M Center - Bldg. 223-5S

St. Paul, MN 55101

Joe Enright

Footwear Industry Team

Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20230

342
awn Evenson

enior Vice President

atl. Affairs Division

nerican Footwear Industry Assoc

611 N. Kent Street

rlington, VA 22209

onald V. Feliciano

tanford Research Institute

611 N. Kent Street

rlington, VA 22209

ichard Ferguson

RI International

33 Ravenswood 2S378

enlo Park, CA 94025

axwell Field

resident

axwell Field Associates

00 New Hampshire Ave., NW

r. Gordon Fitch

rofessor of Business Administration

niversity of Kansas

.10 Summerfield

awrence, KD 66095

ames H. Flanagan

eputy Technical Director

lothing § Equipment Systems Program

.S. Army Natick Research and Development Command

ansas Street

atick, MA 01760

ohn Foye

ssistant General Superintendent

napp King-Size Corp.

Knapp Center

rockton, MA 02401

David Frederickson

Compo Industries, Inc.

125 Roberts Road

Waltham, MA 02154

Sam Friedman

General Manager

Somersworth Shoe Co.

Main Street

Somersworth, NH 03878

Norman Germany

Executive Vice President

Manufacturing Division

American Footwear Industry Assoc

1611 N. Kent Street

Arlington, VA 22209

Henry Glaser

Footwear Industry Team

Department of Commerce

Washington, D. C. 20030

Thomas D. Gleason

President

Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

Rockford, MI 49341

Burton Golub

President

Somersworth Shoe Co.

Main Street

Somersworth, NH 03878

Edward Gottfried

Deputy Director

Industry Trade Administration

Department of Commerce

Room 2815

Washington, D.C. 20230

343
B. Everett Gray

Professional Engineer

7701 Forsyth Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63105

Fred Greene

Director

New Interprise Institute

University of Maine

Portland, ME 04103

Jeff Gren

Economic Development Admin.

Department of Commerce

Room 7841

Washington, D.C. 20230

Ken Grott

Manager of Manufacturing

Town § Country Shoes

Town § Country Road

Sedalia, MO 65301

Lee Gunnerson

Footwear Industry Coordinator

Shell Chemical Co.

One Shell Plaza

Houston, TX 77002

Bruce Hanley

Vice President, Manufacturing

Falcon Shoe

2 Cedar Street

Lewiston, ME 04240

John M. Hardy

Manager, Marketing Services

USM Corporation

Elliot Street

Beverly, MA 01915

Bram Hass

U.S. General Accounting Office

803 W. Broad Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Frederick Haynes

Assistant Director

U.S. General Accounting Office

441 G. Street, NW Room 5814

Washington, D. C. 20548

John Heald

Kurt Salmon Associates

400 Colony Square

Atlanta, GA 30361

Betty Heck

Director School of Fashion Jj Desigr

University of Pineinwati

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Dan Heidt

Director of Manufacturing

Lockheed Aircraft Corp.

Building 63 Plant Al

Burbank, CA 91520

Harry B. Heilig

General Manager, Research § Development

Western Electric

P. 0. Box B900

Princeton, NJ 08540

H. Sherman Howes, Jr.

Vice President

Howes Leather Company, Inc.

321 Summer Street

Boston, MA 02210

Max Hurwitz

President

Maxam, Inc.

No. River Road

Auburn, ME 04 210

Dr. Neal P. Jeffries

Director of Education

Center for Manufacturing Technolog;'

5725 Dragon Wasy

Cincinnati, Ohio 45227

344
aodore L. Johanson

esident

Icon Shoe Manufacturing Co.

ledar Street

wiston, ME 04240

snda Johnson

onomic Development Administration

oartment of Commerce

hm 7841

shington, D. C. 20230

Jack Johnson

ecutive Vice President

own Shoe Company

00 Maryland Avenue

. Louis, MO 63105

rtis R. Johnson

nior Vice President

own Shoe Company

00 Maryland Avenue

. Louis, MO 63105

Ty K. Jones

les Manager-Footwear Division

MSCO, Inc.

00 N. Bowser Road

chardson, TX 75081

wrence J. Kamm

15 Chatsworth Boulevard

n'Diego, CA 92107

rinder J. Kapany

ptron Inc.

0 College Avenue

lo Alto, CA 94306

ck B. Kaplan

esident

B. Kaplan § Co., Inc.

1 Middle Street

idgeport, CT 06604

nald Kelly

S. Patent § Trademark Office

ystal Plaza

lington, VA 22202

David J. Kessler

President

Kessler Shoe Manufacturing Co., Inc

191 Shaeffer Avenue

Westminister, MD 21157

Donald W. King

President

King Research

Suite 307, 6000 Exeuctive Blvd.

Rockville, Md. 20852

Margery King

Manager, NBS Shoe Team

A402 Admin. Bldg.

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D. C. 20234

David E. Kinser

Development Programs Manager

E.I. Dupont § Co.

Concord Plaza-Talley Bldg.

Wilmington, DE 19898

Herbert Kleiman

Program Manager

Battelle Memorial Institute

5 05 King Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43201

E. Louis Klick

Chairman of the Board

Tobin-Hamilton Co., Inc.

17 50 S. Brentwood Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63144

Jim Kottenstette

Denver Research Institute

2130 E. Wesley Avenue

Denver, CO 80208

Joel J. Kramer

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

Robert Krell

Office of the Secretary of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20234

345
Bruce Landrigan

General Foreman

Converse, Granite State Division

W. Milan Road

Berlin, NH 03570

Richard Lapointe

Industrial Engineer

Converse Rubber Co.

Berlin, NH 03570

Robert D. Lauer

Director Industrial Program

National Science Foundation

1800 G. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20550

Laverne L. Leese

Vice President, General Manager

Littonian Shoe Co.

Box 95, Keystone Street

Littlestown, PA 17340

Richard A. Letch

Technical Director-Machinery Division

USM Corporation

Elliott Street

Beverly, MA 01915

Beth Levine

Footwear Designer

59 W. 12th Street

New York, N.Y. 10011

Stuart Lichtman

Pres ident

Rockville Consulting Group, Inc.

505 2nd St. , NE . Washington, D.C. 20002

Robert Lindgren

President

Lindgren Corporation

3105 Old Gettysburg Road

Camp Hill, PA 17011

Joseph Lizotte

Vice President, Manufacturing

Norrwock Shoe Company

Depot Street

Norridgewock , ME 14957

Robert S. Lockridge

Pres ident

Craddock-Terry Shoe Corporation

Albert Lankford Drive

Lynchburg, VA 24506

Milton Lown

Vice President Manufacturing

Penobscot Shoe Co.

450 N. Main Street

Old Town, Maine 04468

W. B. Luther

Senior Research Chemist

Shell Development Co.

P.O. Box 1380

Houston, TX 77077

Robert J. McArter

U.S. General Accounting Office

803 W. Broad Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Robert G. McAuliffe

McAuliffe fj Associates

PH-2, 1019 19th Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036

Hassell McClellan

Professor

Harvard Business School

Soldiers Field Road

Boston, MA 02163

Raymond S. McNeill

Michael Industries

1 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10020

John McKinley

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

Robert E. McLendon

Group President

Genesco Inc.

Genesco Park F260

Nashville, TN 37202

; )l

to

511

lire

i

346
rohn A. McQuaid

T ice President Manufacturing

Converse Rubber Co.

i5 Fordham Road

Wilmington, MA 01887

I.S. Maire

'resident

tOIT Corporation

;02 North St.

lingham, MA 02043

tobert Mandelstam

'resident

:.M.S. Corporation

.629 K Street

Washington, D.C. 20006

r ic Mangini

: ootwear Industry Team

)epartment o£ Conunerce

Washington, D.C. 20230

iarry W. Mason

'resident

diller, Hess § Co., Inc.

7 04 Main Street

Uoron, PA 17501

John D. Meyer

President

Tech. Tran. Corporation

227 Bay Colony Drive

Naperville, IL 60540

Whit Middleton

Director of Engineering Operation

General Shoe Co. - GENESCO

Genesco Park

Nashville, TN 37202

Herbert F. Miller

Secretary

Tanners' Council of America, Inc.

411 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10016

Carl Molter

Vice President-Manufacturing Ser.

Endicott Johnson Corp.

1100 East Main Street

Endicott, NY 13760

Stephen L. Morgan

U.S. General Accounting Office

441 G. Street NW Room 5814

Washington, D.C. 20548

: red Meister

'resident

Vmerican Footwear Industry Association

.611 N. Kent Street

Vrlington, VA 22209

)r. M. Eugene Merchant

Director, Research Planning

Cincinnati Milacron, Inc.

1701 Marburg Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45209

Gorman Metivier

5 rocess Engineer

Converse Rubber Co.

55 Fordham Road

Vilmington, MA 01887

John J. Moynihan

President

Shoe Trades Publishing Co

15 East Street

Boston, MA 02111

Richard B. Mullam

Plant Manager

Red Wing Shoe Co.

Red Wing, Minn. 55066

Kenneth J. Mullen

Compound Products Manager

Firestone Plastics Co.

P.O. Box 699

Pottstown, PA 19464

347
Dr, Brian M. Murphy

Market Development Manager

Uniroyal, Inc.

Oxford Management § Resource Center

Middlebury, CT 06749

Ed Nardoza

Fairchild Publications

Footwear News 7 East 12th Street

New York, NY 10003

William J. Newton

Senior Engineer

Hughes Aircraft Co.

6155 El Camino Real

Carlsbad, CA 92008

Charles W. O'Conor

Charles W. O'Conor Associates

111 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA 02109

William M. Page, Jr.

President

Osceola Shoe Co., Inc.

Crompton Road

Osceola, Ark. 72370

Herbert M. Patton, Jr.

Vice President-Research and

Engineering

Brown Shoe Company

8300 Maryland Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63105

Roger Peet

U.S. General Accounting Office

441 G St. NW

Washington, D.C. 20548

Hal Pennington

Director-Administrative Services

GENESCO, Inc. -Footwear Sector

Murfreesboro Road

Nashville, TN 37202

David A. Perdue

Kurt Salmon Associates, Inc.

400 Colony Square

Atlanta, GA 31361

General Eugene Phillips

Cocke and Phillips Inter.

1629 K Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20006

Dr. Michael Paul Palmer

Department of Commerce/Div . Science § Technology

Commerce Bldg. Room 3872

Washington, D.C. 20234

Elizabeth Pann, Ph.D.

Department of Commerce, Office of the

Ass't. Secretary for Science § Technology

Washington, D.C. 20230

John E. Phipps

Group Product Manager

CAMSCO, Inc.

1200 N. Bowser Road

Richardson, TX 75081

Robert F. Pickard

Director -Manufacturing Research

GENESCO, Inc.

Ill Seventh Ave. North

Nashville, TN 37202

Edward R. Paris

Vice Chairman of the Board

Laconia Shoe Co., Inc.

95 Bridge Street

Lowell, MA 01852

Gordon E. Pickett

Senior Researcher

Battelle Memorial Institute

505 King Ave.

Columbus, OH 43201

348
n Popplewell, Manager

TRA North America

tario Research Foundation

eridan Park

ssissauga, Ontario, Canada L5K 1B3

ederick A. Prahl , Jr.

ce President Technical Operation

mpo Industries, Inc.

5 Roberts Road

i ltham, MA 02154

cob Rabinow

tional Bureau of Standards

shington, D.C. 20234

raid Randall

ce President-Manufacturing

app King Size Corp.

Knapp Centre

ockton, MA 02401

an Rasberry

tional Bureau of Standards

partment of Commerce

shington, D.C. 20234

bert L. Reed

rector of Manufacturing

NESCO

NESCO Park, Murfreesboro Rd.

shville, TN 37027

ank H. Rich

esident

ch's Shoe Stores

'21 F. Street, NW

shington, D.C. 20004

izabeth Robertson

S Footwear Team

tional Bureau of Standards

shington, D.C. 20234

an P. Roi

ief, Leather § Footwear Division

partment of Industry, Trade and

Commerce

tawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0H5

Matthew Rosen

Legislative Assistant

1131 Longworth House Office Bldg

Washington, D.C. 20515

Donald H. Ross

Vice President - MIS

U.S. Shoe

1658 Herald Ave.

Cincinnati, OH 45212

B.S. Rubin

President

Cannon Shoe Company

148 W. Franklin Stree

Hagerstown, MD 21740

Dan E. Schendel

Krannert Bldg.

1327 N. Grant Street

West LaFayette, IN 47906

Howard D. Segool

Director, COMTECH

School of Engineering

University of Massachusetts

Amherst, MA 01003

Pamela Shampan

Stanford Research Institute

1611 N. Kent Street

Arlington, VA 22209

Carl Shepherd

Program Assistant

NBS

NBS Room A1123

Washington, D.C. 20234

Larry Shepherd

Manager Project Development

General Electric - Cr. § D. P.O. Box 8, Bldg. Kl, Room 5C19

Schenectady, N.Y. 12301

349
Robert E. Shepherd

Deputy Assistant Secretary Industry

Administration

Department of Commerce

Room 3826

Washington, D.C. 20234

C. Leon Sherman

President

CLS § Associates, Inc.

1562 S. Parker Rd. #112

Denver, CO 80231

R. W. Shomaker

President

Brown Shoe Co.

8300 Maryland Ave.

St. Louis, MO 23105

Richard W. Shriner

Charles W. O'Conor Assoc.

Ill Devonshire Street

Boston, MA 02109

Dr. John P. Silvers, Consultant

Door 10, Lakeside Office Park

Mass. Science § Tech. Foundation

Wakefield, MA 01880

Dr. Howard E. Sorrows

Technology Advisor to the Director

National Bureau of Standards

Room A1123, Admin. Bldg.

Tom Spencer

Manager of Manufacturing Development

Caterpillar Tractor

600 West Washington Street

East Peoria, IL 61630

Joseph A. Steger

Dean, School of Management

Rensselaer Poly Tech.

Troy, NY 12787

Norma J. Steill

Int'l Vice President

Retail Clerks Int'l. Union

1775 K Street

Washington, D.C. 20006

Robert Stix

Corporate Director of Manufacture

The United States Shoe Corp.

1658 Herald Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Professor Nam P. Suh

Director Laboratory for

Manufacturing and Productivity

Mass. Avenue 77

Cambridge, MA 02139

Lch

|tli

ice

: iiii

j 11:

, lie!

|St(

lil

Richard J. Sullivan, Jr.

Vice President

Colonial Fiber Co.

615 Parker Street

Manchester, CT 06040

Eldon E. Sweezy

Institute of Public Administratio

1717 Mass. Ave.

Washington, D.C. 20036

W.D. Taylor

Technology Applications

NAVCO

McLean, VA 22101

Dr.. Thomas Thorstensen

President

Thorstensen Laboratories

66 Littleton Road

Westford, MA 01886

iiii

lar

S3

lis,

hi

:e

-•eli John TitusVice President

CDM Division, Nat'l. Computer Sys) ite] 4401 West 76th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55435

i dim

ie:

istoi

350
ichard P. Tschirch

rthur D. Little, Inc.

5 Acorn Park

ambridge, MA 02140

ohn Upshur

ice President

ijraus Originals, Inc.

240 Sout Figueroa Street

os Angeles, CA 90015

illiam Valles

ales Manager

:>ston Machine

Willow Street

jrnn, MA 01903

: . Frans Van Dyck

ssistant Director Laboratory for

Manufacturing and Productivity

issachusetts Institute of Technology

ass. Avenue 7 7 irabridge, MA 02139

je W. Van Fossen

-..ce President, Corporate Information

Services

slverine World Wide, Inc.

>41 Courtland Drive

jckford, MI 49351

in Vincent

mager Technical Development

jciety of Manufacturing Engineering

1501 Ford Road

:arborn, MI 48128

.chard Walton

J West Hill Place

• ston, MA 02114

.colm L. Ward

l.ce President Operations

•nes fj Vining Inc.

4 Forbes Road

•aintree, MA 02184

Richard 0. Wasson

Vice President, Finance fj Controller

Miller Shoe, Division of Melville

38 5 Central Avenue

Dover, NY 03820

Leo W. Weisbecker

Senior Policy Analyst

Research Triangle Institute

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

W. Weitzell

Accounting Executive

Standard Tool § Manufacturing Co.

738 Schutler Avenue

Lyndhurst, NJ 07071

Jack Williams

IIT Manufacturing Productivity

Center

1825 K Street, NW Suite 610

Washington, D.C. 20006

Charles Winegard

Superintendent-Hagerstown Shoe Co.

Cannon Shoe

148 W. Franklin Street

Hagerstown, MD 21740

Dennis E. Wisnosky

Manager ICAM Program

Air Force Materials Laboratory

Department of the Air Force

Wright Patterson AF Base, OH 45433

Dr. Frank Wolek

Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Science § Technology

Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C. 20234

Lamar Wood

Branch Chief, Textile, Leather

Products § Apparel Division

International Trade Commission

7th $ E Sts. NW

Washington, D.C. 20436

351
Dana Woodward

President

American Shoe Machinery Company

30 Nashua Street

Washington, D.C. 20235

Walter William Yarrison

President

Creativity, Inc.

58 Rantoul Street

Beverly, MA 01915

S. William Yost

President

Zinder Energy Management, Inc.

1828 L. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington, D.C. 20036

Nello Zuech

Department of Commerce

Footwear Industry Team

Washington, D.C. 20230

352
:REV. 9-781 DEPT. OF COMM. I. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO. 2.<jOV*t, Accession No^ 3, Accession No. OGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET NBS SP 527

I AND SUBTITLE 5. Publication Date

:eedings of Footwear Technology Symposium—Manufacturing

smpetitive Advantage

February 1979

S>. Performing Organization Code

OR(S)

bry H. King, Editor

8. Performing Organ. Report No.

ORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

ON AL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

^RTMENT OF COMMERCE

IINGTON, DC 20234

10. Projeci/Task/Wark Unit No.

11. Contract/Grant No.

ISORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street, City, State, ZIP)

. Department of Commerce

Kington, D.C. 20230

13. Type of Report & Period Covered

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

'LEMENTARY NOTES

rary of Congress Catalog Card Number: 78-600112

ocument describes a computer program; SF-185, FIPS Software Summary, is attached. RACT (A 200-word or less factual summary oi moat significant information. If document includes a si gni ficant bibliography or

ture survey, mention it here.) xhe Footwear Technology Symposium, hosted by the National

j of Standards, was held in Gaithersburg , Maryland on June 1 and 2, 1978. Approxly 220 people participated representing the manufacturing, supplier and retailing

its of the footwear industry, as well as federal officials concerned with assisto the industry. The objective of this symposium was to assess manufacturing

ologies which could be adapted or developed to provide a competitive advantage for

.S. footwear industry, and to develop a specific plan for activities that would be

priate for government and industry cooperation. The meeting was part of a threeDepartment of Commerce Program to help restore the growth and vitality of the

tic footwear industry. Initial sessions presented technical and evaluative inforn as an input to the subsequent working group discussions of footwear industry

sentatives. Government staff described the results of their assessment of the

ems and opportunities of the industry. To stimulate constructive dialogue, five

te research organizations presented ideas and recommendations for future footwear

ological development resulting from Commerce Department sponsored studies. The new technologies and processes presented addressed materials development, leather

ologies, customf itting and computer assistance in shoe design and manufacture

CAM). In other presentations, the President of the American Footwear Industry

iation shared his concerns, a leading footwear designer explored design, marketing

he technology interfaces, and representatives of technologically (continued)

WORDS (six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only the first letter of the first key word unless a proper name;

rated by semicolons)

ter-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM); footwear industry; fragmented

tries; government- industry cooperation; imports; innovation; leather; materials

opment; manufacturing technology; shoes; technology transfer

LABILITY (X( Unlimited 19. SECURITY CLASS

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; or Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS UNCLASSIFIED 348

Irder From Sup. of Doc, U.S. Government Printing

:0402, SD Stock No. SN003-003-

Office, Washington, DC

20. SECURITY CLASS

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22. Price $5.50

)rder From National Technical Information Service /A. 22161(NTIS), Springfield, UNCLASSIFIED

USCOMM- DC
Con'

t

advanced industries, (aerospace, automobiles, communications) shared

their views on manufacturing technologies and applications to footwear

industry problems. Preliminary symposium results were evidence of

industry enthusiam and support for government-industry cooperative

activities, interest in establishing a footwear center to provide

industry-wide technical assistance, and a desire to assess computeraided design and manufacture ( CAD/ CAM) . Reports by the consulting

firms on new technologies and business strategies for the footwear

industry are included as appendices.

<JL.S. GOVERNMENT PRINT, NG OFFICE : 1 9 7 8 - 2 8 ! " 0 6 7 / 3 9

2

1
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