New-York tribune., 1920-01-27
British Footwear
Export Combine
Now in Operation
Acts as Clearing House;
Enables Merchants to
Standardize and Special
ize in Export Products

The plan contemplated by the Brit
ish shoe industry FOR cooperative
action in order to expand the foreign
demand for British boots and shoes
has been completed. While this CO.
operative organization for foreign
trade, which is known as the British
Shoe Manufacturers Ltd, is organized
strictly along business lines. it Will
not have as its object the making of
more than very moderate profits for
Itself. but will work in the interests
Of the several firms that compose its
membership.
The British Shoe Manufacturers viii
have for It's shareholders, except so
far as the directors qualifying shares
are concerned, not individuals but
firms, boot and shoe manufacturers
who desire to associate themselves as
to either the whole or a part of their
export trade with this central selling
agency. The directors propose to make
il condition Of placing continuous
or frequent orders with any firm that
that firm shall have taken a certain
number Of ordinary shares in the com
pany. At the outset It IS proposed to
offer shares to about 200 of the lead
ing British makers OF footwear suita~
Bile for export trade, and particularly
suitable for other than colonial mar
kcts
The aim Of the company is 20 in
.roduce British boots and shoes to
markets where in 1914 they were IN
little demand. The British Dominions
were very we'll catered for by manu-
facturers' agents, and while these colo
NAL markets may come within the pur-
view Of the company, the directors pro-
pose for the present to use organiza
ton for the much more important task
of capturing new foreign markets
Organization Of the company Will be
centralized in London and will work
through representative local commit
tees of manufacturers in AL the princi-
pal shoe ceniers. The central organi-
zation will be concerned mainly in
selling the boots and shoes manufac-
tured in the producing centers This
organization Will be in close touch with
tho large trading corporations. with
foreign governments, and with organi-
7ations opening up British trading in
terests abroad. It will see that such
bodies have placed before them boots
specially suitable for the markets in
which they are operating, and it will
be prepared TO supply them with very
large quantities of goods. Further
since the interest of the company will
be in securing a permanent place in
the new markets, it Will supply articles
at the lowest possible prices. Those
responsible for the company realize
that for the subsequent development of
its operations it Will probably, during
the present period Of construction,
have to satisfy considerable number
Of trial and emergency orders, made
up of stock collected at short notice,
to enable British representatives TO
meet immediate necessities Of the
devastated areas of Europe: but such
trade will not be its principal object.
TINS central organization has al
ready commenced operations and it is
understood. has received sufficient
orders to exhaust the present capacity
for export Of its members for several
weeks ahead. In each Of the principal
boot-manufacturing districts of the
country the company will have a resi-
dent director. He will form the
nucleus of a committee of the local
shareh olders, and this committee win
be utilized by the central organization
in the placing of orders The local
committee Will proceed Immediately to
prepare a standard range of samples
Of boots suitable for the various mar
kcts in which the central company pro-
poses to operate. These samples will
be on view in London.
BY this means complete organiza-
ton OF manufacturers viii be formed,
with the central Office exercising q
control over the placing of orders,
which control viii have rendered them
bulk orders, such as will enable them
to secure all the advantage that can
come through standardization and
large scale production