Eli Factory brings about 20,000 pairs of sneakers in house. These goods used to be manufactured in Italy by three different producers. “We have invested and will continue to invest in the coming years in human resources and technologies. We want to increase production and improve quality”, explained to us in the interview Maurizio Croceri, CEO of Eli group. Between Eli (Liu Jo), Pinko Shoes and own-brand Enterprise Japan, Eli group manufactures between 1.5 and 1.6 million pairs of shoes each year. “Liu Jo is leader in the premium segment, while Eli Factory is focused on the luxury segment”, explains Croceri.
The client is king
“Right now, the client is at the center of the business. The client is the one choosing what to buy, so companies must be very careful with costs: they must be agile, flexible and innovative” he says, while highlighting how the group will close the year with a revenue of nearly 100 million euro (94 Liu Jo, 5 million Pinko Shoes). “We won’t have leftover stock, if not for products of the current season (winter 23/24)”, points out the entrepreneur. With the concept of “client is king”, Liu Jo will improve the purchasing experience in a functional manner: placing a 3D scanner in all its stores. These machines will scan the customer’s foot to know what model better fits the shape.
20,000 pairs of sneakers
With the goal of diversifying business, Eli group controls Eli Factory, company focused on the luxury segment. “Since the start, the footwear plant based operations on human resources. We supported them with new and modern machinery, which allowed us to strengthen our production capacity and bring in-house the production of Enterprise Japan items. We used to entrust them to 3 external producers in Italy”, explains Croceri, pointing out that about 20,000 pairs have been brought in.
“Eli Factory was making 60,000 pairs per year. We are now at 120,000 pairs and have the goal of reaching 200,000 pairs”, says the entrepreneur. How? “By continuing to invest in human resources and technologies”, answers Croceri, confirming he isn’t thinking about acquisitions, at least for now. “Every day we receive inquiries from luxury brands wishing to open or strengthen their footwear activities. But our goal is to create sustainable growth. And so, as of now, we focus on consolidating our activities”.
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