Strong impact of the earthquake on Colombian footwear
A few days after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in the department of Chocó, the regional branches of the manufacturing industry and relief agencies have begun to consolidate the first reports on technical, infrastructure and operational impact in the departments of Valle del Cauca and the Coffee Axis.
Suspension of activities and structural review are being reported. In the metropolitan area of Cali -the main commercial and leather goods hub in the southwest-, the declaration of a hospital red alert and the municipal emergency halted manufacturing activity. The priority for workshops and industries has been the building inspection of industrial facilities, supply warehouses and footwear plants before shifts can resume.
Collapsed shelving, loss of finished material due to cracks in masonry and misalignment of heavy die-cutting and cutting machinery were reported in micro and small enterprises -MSMEs- in Cali’s traditional footwear industry sectors.
Plants producing supplies, components and synthetic products are registering delays in shipments to the interior of the country due to the slowdown of freight traffic at the department’s exits.
Impact in Pereira and Manizales. As two of the urban cities most affected by the earthquake in terms of infrastructure and service collapses, the local footwear sector is facing an almost complete operational standstill.
Temporary airport closure and logistics. The operational suspension and damage at the terminal of Pereira’s Matecaña Airport affected the mobility of executives and commercial samples traveling in the period following the IFLS+EICI fair.
Damage to road corridors. Landslides and road closures in Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas are keeping the flow of raw materials -tanned leather, synthetics, counters, adhesives, among others- interrupted between artisan workshops and large distributors.
- VALLE DEL CAUCA - Footwear and leather goods
Operations reduced by 30%/40%, with structural inspections of plants, absenteeism due to family emergencies and outbound logistics problems.
- COFFEE AXIS - Workshops and supplies
Almost total stoppage, with only 10%/20% activity. Power and industrial gas outages, damage to the physical infrastructure of workshops and road closures.- SOUTHWESTERN AREA - Tanneries and suppliers
Shipments paralyzed due to interruptions on land routes toward Bogotá and Santander. Year-end orders are being held back.
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