Rushden Echo, 29th October 1965
Shoe Trade Wont Die
Local manufacturers reject BSC chief's prophecy
There are eight thousand shoe trade workers in the area covered by the Rushden labour exchange. If a prophecy made at the BBSI conference last week came true these eight thousand jobs would be non-existent in fifty years' time.
Mr. I. H. Levison, managing director of the British Shoe Corporation, said at the conference that it was possible the British footwear industry would no longer exist in fifty years' time. He thought that slowly the industry was moving towards more and more amalgamations, perhaps "even country wide amalgamations."
The effect of the demise of the shoe industry in the Rushden area is obvious unless another industry takes its place.
Mr. Peter Wilson, the chairman and joint managing director of John White Footwear, Ltd., said he thought it unlikely that Mr. Levisun's prophecy would come true. "I think we will still be making shoes in this manufacturing area," he said.
Amalgamation
However, he did think there would be an increasing tendency in the shoe trade to form larger units, with the possible amalgamation of smaller firms. This would be inevitable, he thought, if manufacturers were to protect themselves against the buying powers of larger retail organisations.
"If firms are to exist they will have to get bigger or spread their wings," he said.
Mr. Levison stated at the conference that he thought the move towards amalgamations might even take on a countrywide aspect, with individual country's becoming the producers of one particular type of goods.
He followed this up by saying "I do not think Britain is going to be one of the great shoemakers of the world."
Mr. Wilson was in sympathy with this suggestion, mainly because he thought wage rates in this country may possibly price Britain out of the world market. [part of a longer article]
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