Small shoe manufacturer in Central Franconia proves: Shoe production in Germany brings ecological and financial advantages
Oberreichenbach, 04.07.2022. The newly founded company Carney GmbH & Co. KG (Orangenkinder) pursues the greatest possible sustainability in the production of ecological baby and toddler shoes. Founder and Managing Director Verena Carney: “Before Corona and the war in Ukraine, our approach was considered too expensive. The big companies are now looking at us to see how we do it.” In addition to the sustainability aspect, Carney emphasizes further advantages of her corporate philosophy: “We can see immediately whether there are material or production defects. Other companies only notice it when the ship delivers their goods from the Far East.”
Complex delivery routes are never sustainable
“Made in Germany is the future,” says Carney, and sees her corporate philosophy confirmed by the global delivery difficulties. “Crises and complex delivery routes cost money, time and resources. We source our material from local companies such as certified German tanners from the region.” If materials cannot be procured locally or in Germany, Carney works with suppliers from neighboring countries.
Product optimizations must also be sustainable
Production errors or material weaknesses in remote production facilities are often only recognized when the goods are with the customer. This usually results in the destruction of the entire production, as corrections afterwards are too costly. “We immediately recognize quality fluctuations in the production process and can react immediately. Optimization is possible more quickly in this way,” adds Carney.
Carney: “We can implement new shoe ideas immediately, other companies can’t.”
Carney sees a further market advantage in production in Germany: the speed at which new ideas can be implemented and presented. “If a customer comes to us with a new shoe idea or a suggestion for improvement, we can implement it immediately in our factory, sometimes ad hoc in his presence, and jointly assess the product without waiting times or long deliveries.
“I am creating sustainable industrial jobs in the countryside”
“I am creating sustainable industrial jobs in the countryside. Why should I move to the city with my manufacturing company when I can also get the skilled workers and logistics in the countryside. In this way, my employees receive employment nearby, can work more flexibly in part-time and do not have to travel long distances to work, which protects the environment,” Carney knows to report and adds: “It is wrong not to use good production facilities in the countryside, but to build more and more in the city.”
Customers expect immediate delivery capability – with Made in Germany it works
According to Carney, immediate customer demand can best be guaranteed sustainably if this works without storage capacity, but with flexible, deployable production. “Inventories always cost energy and thus resources. Since we produce here, we can immediately switch production and deliver without needing a large warehouse. Our shoes come fresh from the sewing machine,” Carney smiles. In addition, Carney is annoyed that overproduction from inventories is often destroyed, and hopes that her approach will set an example.
Minimum order quantity unnecessary with Made in Germany
Shops occasionally want to present individual pairs of shoes to customers, but according to Carney’s experience, they shy away from the minimum order quantities: “Since we produce here and not on other continents, we can also easily send a single pair of shoes, including production-related special requests, and that within days. We are currently the measure of all things here.” Another advantage of domestic production is the possibility of a repair, which can be implemented here on site within a very short time. This extends the life of the shoes and thus contributes to the sustainability of the products.
Since 2002, company founder and Managing Director Verena Carney has been concerned with the question of how beautiful children’s shoes can be produced sustainably. She brings over 30 years of experience from the shoe industry to her new project Orangenkinder. The company was founded at the end of 2020 in Oberreichenbach near Erlangen in Bavaria. Orangenkinder® describes itself as a female-led company.
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Marc Däumler
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Tel: 030 88 71 02 11, marc.daeumler@excognito.de
