Perak Set to Become Malaysia's Largest Footwear Producer

The Ipoh footwear hub will be built on 26 acres of land in the Pengkalan Light Industrial Area, Ipoh. With a 104-year history in the footwear industry, Perak is poised to become Malaysia's largest footwear producer. To date, over 200 footwear entrepreneurs, including manufacturing experts, are set to operate in this hub.

According to a report by Utusan, the then-Menteri Besar of Perak, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir, stated that the project, valued at over RM100 million, is currently under construction on a 10.5-hectare site in the area. He added that the project is a collaboration between the state government and the Perak Footwear Industry Association (PIKP) and is expected to be completed by 2026. This plan will transform the landscape of the footwear manufacturing industry, which has existed for over 100 years and is currently operated on a small scale from homes by 200 entrepreneurs. Once completed, the footwear hub will serve as a central location for these entrepreneurs to conduct business on a larger scale within the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.

For our loyal readers at orangperak.com, the footwear hub project involves the construction of 128 factories, 18 shops, a hotel, and a convention hall. Additionally, it will be equipped with a footwear exhibition hall, a footwear museum, restaurants, wholesale footwear shops, and a footwear academy, which will be the only one of its kind in Malaysia.

According to Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir, the state's footwear manufacturing industry currently records an annual revenue of around RM60 million, a figure expected to double once the hub is fully operational.

Most notably, the footwear manufacturing industry in Perak receives orders from major international brands in addition to the local market. Therefore, this project will indirectly increase their productivity and contribute to the economy of Perak.