”Made in Bihar” goes global: Hajipur co. manufactures boots for Russian Army
Competence Exports, headquartered in Hajipur, exported 1.5 million pairs of footwear last year, valued at Rs 100 crore.
The Russian Army, currently engaged in operations in Ukraine, is now outfitted with boots manufactured in Hajipur, Bihar. These ‘Made in Bihar’ boots, crafted in a city traditionally known for agriculture, are now gaining recognition for producing safety footwear for the Russian military, known worldwide for its formidable armed forces.
Competence Exports, a private limited company located in Hajipur, specialises in producing safety shoes for Russian firms and designer footwear aimed at European markets.In an interview with the media, General Manager Shib Kumar Roy highlighted their facility, stating “We started the Hajipur facility in 2018, and the main interest is to generate local employment.At Hajipur, we make safety shoes that are meant to be exported to Russia. Total exports are for Russia, and we are also slowly working on Europe and will launch in the domestic market soon.”
Safety Shoe Requirements for the Russian Army
Further discussing the safety shoe requirements for the Russian Army, Roy mentioned “Their requirements are that shoes should be lightweight, slip-resistant, have special features in the sole, and withstand extreme weather conditions like -40 degrees Celsius.We manufacture the safety shoes, considering these conditions.”
The company has received an overwhelming response and is now among the top exporters to Russia. Roy anticipates that these numbers will continue to grow steadily. Additionally, he discussed the employment impact, noting that “ambition of the company’s MD, Danesh Prasad, is to make a world-class factory in Bihar and contribute to state employment.” Roy further added “We are trying our best to give maximum employment to employees, of which 70 percent are women out of 300 employees.”
Competence Exports, headquartered in Hajipur, exported 1.5 million pairs of footwear last year, valued at Rs 100 crore. Their goal is to achieve a 50 percent increase in exports next year.
Roy said “Bihar government has promoted and supported the industries but still needs improvement in infrastructure like roads and better communication so that buyers from Russia can communicate easily.We also want ready-skilled manpower, and for that, a training institute should be set up so that we get skill-ready manpower, otherwise, we have to train the workers before inducting them.”
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