Process Description

A simplified description of the manufacturing process performed at this facility is given in this section.  It is not to be a complete detailed description, but rather to provide general information on the process.  The facility manufactures shoes and sandals using three processes.

Manufacturing operations required for the JIT (Just In Time) production line is as follows:

         Receiving of Uppers
         Case Up All Parts (For Soles)
         Transport to JIT Line
         Tack Bottom and Last Inner Sole
         Form Heal with Molder (Steam)
         Heal Lasting
         Vamp Steam (Softens Leather)
         Toe Lasting
         Drying
         Roughing
         Bottom Cementer
         Sole Laying
         Last Removal
         Inspection Table
         Oil Spraying
         Dry Oven
         Packing Table
         Shipping
 

Manufacturing operations required of hand-sewn shoes is as follows:

         Receiving of Raw Materials
         Visual Storage
         Cutting
         Pre-fitting
         Side Edge Staining
         Splitting
         Stitching Top Half
         Pre-soaking
         Drip Drying
         Lasting and Hand Sewing
         Diamond Drying
         Heal Lasting
         Roughing
         Antique Coloring
         Sole Laying
         Last Removal
         Good Year and Little Play Final Stitching
         Nailing Heal
         Edge Trimming
         Sole Edge Staining
         K29 Stitching
         Flap Trimming and Staining
         Inspection Table
         Top Spray Sealer
         Drying Rack
         Packing and Shipping

Manufacturing operations required for sole production is as follows:

         Receiving of Raw Materials
         Sole Molding
         Inner Sole
         Mid Sole
         Sole Combination

     The manufacturing process for the JIT production line begins with the arrival of raw materials. The materials for the JIT production line are premade uppers from an off site plant. All the parts were cased up and physically transported to the JIT line. The bottoms of the shoes are first lasted to the innersole and the bottoms are tacked. Lasting is the process of placing the material around a foot like molding. This molding allows the worker to stretch or align the material appropriately. Next, the heals are placed into a heal molder and then steamed. This forms the shape of the heal. The heal is then placed in the last.  The uppers are then placed in a vamp steamer which softens the leather.  The toes of the shoe are made when they are placed on the laster. Next the leather is placed in a drying area to allow the leather to dry. The leather is roughed after the drying which allows the bottoms to be cemented on to the forming shoe. The soles are combined to the forming shoe. The last is removed and the shoe is sent to the inspection table. If the shoe passes inspection, the shoes are shipped to oil spraying. The oil gives the shoe a layer of protection. Drying of the shoe is the last step before packing and shipping.
     The hand-sewn production line goes through more stitching and cutting compared to the JIT line. The raw materials (leather) are received and visually inspected. The leather that passes is sent over to cutting. The cutters cut the predetermined dimensions from the leather. The cut leather is sent to prefitting. The side edges of the leather are stained to the appreciate shade. Splitting of the top half takes place which makes the thickness of the leather even. The top half is stitched together and is placed in a presoak material that softens the leather for the hand sewers. The shoes are allowed to drip dry before the hand sewers receive them. A hand sewer takes the stitched top half and places it in a last, which enables them to stitch the shoe. The shoes are then placed in the diamond dryer to dry the leather. Heal lasting of the upper begins followed by the roughing of the leather. Antique coloring is done by hand to give the upper a uniform coloring. The uppers are then combined with the sole and removed from the last. Two types of stitching are performed, depending on the type of shoe. The first is called a good year stitching and the other is known as little play final stitching.  The heal is nailed on to the upper portion of the shoe. The edges are trimmed to remove unwanted material. The soles are stained to match the upper shade. The sole is then stitched on using a K29 stitching. Finally, the flaps are trimmed and stained and then sent to the inspection table. Those shoes that pass inspection are covered with a protective sealer and placed on a drying rack. After the shoes dry they are packed and shipped.
    The flow process of the soles was not available at the time of the assessment. The soles were created by the combination of the three parts. The mid sole, innersole and outer sole were all created and combined throughout the process. The soles were mostly made of rubber, which was formed by a molding machine. The finished soles are sent to the other lines after completion.

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