Since January, the French shoe manufacturer Paraboot struggling to meet demand. With the relaunch, even though the pandemic is still here, the family business has seen the commands explode, driven by international demand. “We have not yet found the pre-Covid sales level, but the recovery is there,” indicates its managing director, Eric Forestier, appointed in May 2019. “Their solid, rustic and simple side is in the tune with the times. Our shoes stick at the time, with their sustainable side and our short circuits, ”he observes.
80% of the leather uppers come from luxury French tanneries, and the soles are made of natural rubber. A style that appeals to young Koreans, the Japanese and even the Italians. After a turnover up 7% over the 2020-2021 fiscal year (ended at the end of August), to 19 million euros, the manager expects growth of “at least 6%” for the fiscal year. In progress. The Isère company, founded in 1908, already generates 80% of its sales from exports, including 30% to Asia.
Client rejuvenation
Its second market, after France, is Japan. In the Archipelago, Paraboot “is in the Top 3 of shoe brands”, rejoices Eric Forestier. “Customers in Asia are younger than in France, around 35 years old, compared to 50 years in France,” he adds.
But, to feed its 1,500 points of sale around the world, the manufacturer must rethink its organization. Because his factory from Saint-Jean-de-Moirans (140 employees), inaugurated in 2017, is under pressure due to a lack of sufficient manpower. It produces, depending on the year, 160,000 pairs per year. “We had reduced the wing to get through the health crisis, by not immediately replacing the natural departures linked to retirement. Since June, we are looking to recruit 14 people unsuccessfully, including job creation, ”says the CEO of Paraboot.
Not easy, whereas the shoe requires a real know-how in sewing, for the “Norwegian” stitching and the “Goodyear”. Techniques transmitted in the company from the beginning. Only 15% of the models sold are imported from Italy and Spain, countries specializing in “Blake” sewing (for boat shoes in particular). In the meantime, in order to increase productivity, flow management has been redesigned in the workshop to better manage the time between the 150 garment operations.
Refocusing on historical models
In addition, in an offer that includes more than 500 references, “we will refocus production on our 5 to 6 iconic models, like the Michael launched seventy years ago, or the Chambord, on which we have had the greatest demands for two years, ”also explains Eric Forestier. High-end products: it takes 390 euros for the Michael. This should free up breeding lines to absorb the growth.
These economic brakes do not prevent Paraboot from taking new steps forward. The United States, where the company already has a subsidiary which represents 5% of sales, are its priority for 2022, with the objective of shifting gear. In Asia, the tricolor company continues to open one store per year, with projects in Singapore, Taiwan and China. In France, where the market is stable, the launch of its e-commerce site in October 2020 limited the breakage during the health crisis. It made it possible to compensate for the closure of its thirty stores (Paris, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, etc.) for two and a half months, including that of November, a key month for the winter season.
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