Shoe manufacturers dealt huge blow by coronavirus pandemic, reportedly shutting down plants in Vietnam and China
Taiwan News
Date: 2020/05/14
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Nike shoe (Pixabay photo)
Shoe manufacturers are experiencing a severe drop in demand amid the worldwide virus lockdowns and suspension of sporting events. Nike, Adidas, and other major brands have been temporarily closing stores in North America and Europe since March.
The world's largest footwear contractor, Taichung-based Pou Chen Corporation (寶成集團), recently announced it was furloughing workers, including 2,600 at its Changhua plant.
Last week, the company laid off 4,000 Chinese plant employees after closing operations in China's Hubei province, the initial epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, orders from one of its big clients are rumored to have been nearly halved in the second quarter.
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