By Evance Chisiano
Chatha Leather Design Studio in Blantyre, operated under Small Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI) has state of the art equipment for manufacturing of wider range of shoes and other leather products but the center’s authorities say the facility is being under utilised by small medium enterprises (SMEs) at the expense of their market opportunities and growth.
Malawi News Agency visited the leather design studios at Chatha, off Chileka road recently where center supervisor, Angela Sambo, said the facility has what it takes to design and make high quality leather products ranging from shoes, bags to belts and wallets, but she bemoaned the under utilisation of the facility.
‘‘We are capable of making wide range of shoes such as industrial and safety boots, office shoes, school shoes, sandals and belts. Small medium entrepreneurs in leather industry can use this facility when they receive orders from clients,
“They are supposed come with their orders and use the equipment at a reasonable fee. We also provide expertise to those that want to advance in leather industry,’’ she explained, adding that Chatha Leather Design Studios is there to train and promote SMEs in leather industry in Malawi to become competitive, in line with ‘First buy Malawian’ products drive.
Chatha Leather Design Studio has computer aided production units with equipment capable of designing, patterning, cutting, stitching, sewing and finishing.
Meanwhile, the facility receives orders from government departments and agencies; and security companies to supply office shoes and military boots among others.
The Studio have the capacity to produce up to 200 pairs of durable shoes per day with a workforce of 25 to 30, according to Sambo
Chatha Leather Design Studio was established in 2018 with financial and technical support from the European Union, and Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa COMESA under Malawi Enterprise Productive Enhancement [MEPE] Project.
President of Leather Industry Association of Malawi, LIAMA, Edward Malunga acknowledged minimal utilisation of Chatha Leather Design Studio by SMEs in the leather industry, saying there was need to encourage the SMEs to work in groups of cooperatives to ensure they have larger orders.
‘‘It doesn’t make sense for a single SME to go to the studio to work on an order of ten pairs. There is need to encourage SMEs to work in groups so that they should work on larger orders,’ Malunga who is also Bantu Arts and Craft, Chief Executive Officer added.
Bantu is another SME shoes manufacturing company currently operating at Malawi Confederation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry premises at Chichiri Trade Fair grounds in Blantyre where it produces 100 pairs of shoes per day, satisfying wider range of clients.
Malunga said he had acquired much skills in shoe manufacturing from Chatha Studio over the years and that his company made a name in the shoe industry with orders from individuals, security companies and government department as well.
Other SMEs in leather products that got skills from Chatha Leather Studios include; Dzama lnvestments, Mthunzi Products, Stepllite Shoes, Joane Shoes, Malindi Leather Products.
Head of Production and Technical Unit, Henry Chimphoyo takes charge of the Chatha studios with his shoe making expertise after working with Bata Shoe Company, Phadzi Industries and GEP Shoe Company,
