You might not recognize the name Hong Fu Industrial Group — but chances are, you've worn their products. As the second-largest manufacturer of sports shoes in the world, Hong Fu produces footwear for major brands like Nike and Adidas. Now, with changing global markets, Hong Fu is making a big move into India.

Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan dive into the story of Hong Fu Industrial Group, a Taiwanese OEM powerhouse in the sports footwear industry. They explain Hong Fu's $130 million investment in a new factory in Tamil Nadu, India, and discuss the broader trend of global manufacturers shifting operations away from China. Along the way, they highlight the opportunities and obstacles facing India’s footwear market, from new government quality standards to the rise of innovative local brands.

Their conversation is a great learning resource if you want to build your English listening comprehension skills and expand your business vocabulary. Key points of their discussion include:

Who Hong Fu Industrial Group is and why you’ve probably worn their products without realizing it.
How the "China +1" strategy is driving global companies to invest in countries like India.
The impact of new Indian footwear regulations on small and large manufacturers alike.
How local Indian brands like Zen Barefoot and Comet are innovating in the footwear space.

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Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at

downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com

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