₹12,100 Cr Influx Expected in Tamil Nadu's Non-Leather Footwear.

Tamil Nadu's non-leather footwear sector is poised for a massive influx of investment, with ₹12,100 crore expected to be invested over the next two to four years. This significant capital injection is projected to generate a substantial 1.35 lakh jobs on the shop floor and an additional 3,000 positions in management.

K. Murali, Director of the Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI) under the Ministry of MSME, confirmed these figures, highlighting that all the anticipated overseas investment in this booming sector will originate from Taiwanese companies.

Leading this wave of investment is JR One Footwear (Kothari Evervan), a joint venture between Phoenix Kothari and Shoe Town Footwear. This venture is committing ₹2,890 crore to manufacture Crocs footwear. The factory in Perambalur has already begun production, with phase two of its construction actively underway. Once fully operational, this single unit is expected to provide employment to 29,000 people.

Adding to the robust growth, Taiwan’s Hong Fu Industrial Group is set to invest ₹2,500 crore in a new factory in Panapakkam, Ranipet. This facility will be dedicated to manufacturing shoes for global brands such as Nike, Puma, and Converse. Construction for this plant is currently in progress, with manufacturing slated to commence in April 2026. Upon full operation, the Hong Fu unit is anticipated to be a major employer, creating 42,000 jobs.

This substantial investment underscores Tamil Nadu's growing appeal as a manufacturing hub, particularly for the non-leather footwear industry, and signals a significant boost to the state's industrial and employment landscape.