Manufacturing unit of Walkaroo footwear at Malumichampatti
| Photograph Credit score: PERIASAMY M
“Begin strolling,” says V Noushad, founder and managing director of Coimbatore-based Walkaroo Worldwide. The footwear model joins palms with Coimbatore Most cancers Basis to host the 11th version of the Coimbatore Marathon. “It is step one in the direction of a wholesome life-style. It helps overcome well being challenges which are prone to come up from a sedentary life-style,” he says including that their newest nation-wide marketing campaign WalkIndiaWalk amplified the significance and position of day by day strolling for psychological, bodily, and emotional well-being.
V Noushad of Walkaroo
| Photograph Credit score:
PERIASAMY M
“Our model title implies stroll karo (begin strolling) and our objective is to encourage strolling,” he explains whereas overseeing work amidst a packed schedule at his workplace in Malumichampatti close to Coimbatore. Noushad launched Walkaroo in 2012 from Coimbatore after being a part of his father VKC Mammed Koya’s VKC Footwear model in Kozhikode, Kerala for over a decade. “Within the footwear section, 90% of consumers purchase under ₹ 1000, and we tapped into this.” The corporate owns 14 manufacturing models with the unit at Malumichampatti focussed on sustainability with out including waste to the landfill.
The corporate’s personal 14 manufacturing models throughout Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and some extra locations collectively have a capability of manufacturing over 5 lakh pairs of footwear per day. The manufacturing unit at Malumichampatti is sustainable and produces 50,000 pairs of slippers and sandals in a day with out including waste to the landfill.
New concepts
“We have now 2000 timber on our campus and likewise keep a two-acre Miyawaki forest apart from creating and nurturing over two-acre greenery at SIDCO industrial unit’s vacant land,” explains Noushad, taking us across the campus. “To make our manufacturing sustainable, we tied up with cement industries for 100% recycling of Polyurathane (PU) wastes and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) wastes. We carried out rain water harvesting on the campus and a recharged floor water desk has given a lift to farming within the neighbourhood.”
Elaborating on their merchandise, he talks about Walkaroo Sportz, a brand new vary of athleisure footwear, conceived on ‘Dil mein hai sports activities’ marketing campaign, the place on a regular basis motion is sports activities. “We use vegan leather-based as it’s sustainable, and scalable. In India, 90% of footwear is non-leather, whereas globally it’s 85%.”
Noushad remembers that he was in Class IX when his father had a enterprise of supplying uncooked materials for matchsticks, which bumped into monetary hassle. Later, in 1984, his father began manufacturing rubber slippers beneath the model title of VKC. “For the reason that Hawaii slippers market was flourishing and 90% of rubber in India is produced in Kerala, my father noticed an ideal enterprise alternative. He gave me a handbook on rubber know-how and requested me to clarify it. To be taught extra, I joined Chemical Engineering and accomplished my MTech in Polymer Expertise.”
Walkaroo unit at Malumichampatti
| Photograph Credit score:
PERIASAMY M
For his dissertation on light-weight Hawai slippers, he visited rubber crops throughout the nation. However throughout his analysis he realised that there was not a lot scope for light-weight slippers, as PVC slippers have been already turning into common. “I changed rubber with virgin high quality polyvinyl (PV) and had a primary mover benefit in South India.“ Later, he added EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) footwear, which changed rubber soles with a softer, lighter, and versatile materials. Although Walkaroo began its journey from South India, it has now expanded to different components of the nation and the world. They’ve a producing unit in Bangladesh and can arrange one quickly in Tanzania. “Modern, high quality merchandise accessible at inexpensive costs is the purchasers’ requirement right this moment. We collaborate with design growth labs within the UK and China.”
The Coimbatore Marathon is predicted to draw greater than 18,000 contributors from throughout the nation. Funds raised have contributed to the actions of CCF impacting the lives of survivors and their households. The occasion is on December 17, and the final date to register is November 15. Go to coimbatoremarathon.com. For particulars, write to [email protected]