Global Footwear Technicians Will Converge on Jakarta for 2027 UITIC Congress

The global footwear industry will turn its attention to Jakarta in August 2027. The International Union of Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC) has announced that its 23rd International Congress will take place in the Indonesian capital from August 2 to 4, 2027, with support from Krista Exhibition and the Indonesian Footwear Association (APRISINDO). The event is expected to draw professionals, researchers, technology suppliers, and industry representatives from across the footwear value chain.

Jakarta is a strategic choice. As one of Asia’s leading manufacturing and industrial hubs, Indonesia has become an increasingly important player in footwear production. The country offers a large labor force, growing domestic market, and established export relationships. Hosting UITIC there signals the organization’s intention to deepen engagement with Asian manufacturing ecosystems at a time when global supply chains are being redrawn.

Sergio Dulio, President of UITIC, framed the decision in broader terms. “The choice of Indonesia reflects UITIC’s commitment to fostering an increasingly up-to-date exchange among the stakeholders that make up the global footwear supply chain on trends, developments in design and footwear manufacturing processes,” he said. “Today, the competitiveness of the sector is built on the ability to leverage skills and experiences developed in different contexts.”

That emphasis on cross-cultural exchange has become more urgent. Footwear manufacturing is no longer concentrated in a single region. Production is spread across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and parts of Europe. Each region brings different strengths: design expertise in Italy, scale in China and Vietnam, growing capabilities in Indonesia and India, and emerging potential in Ethiopia and Mexico. Events like UITIC are one of the few venues where this dispersed community can compare notes.

The three-day congress will combine technical sessions, expert speakers, and high-level thematic panels with visits to leading Indonesian footwear and tanning companies. A joint UITIC-APRISINDO-Krista initiative will also coincide with the opening of Indo Leather & Footwear Expo, one of Asia’s major trade fairs for the leather and footwear supply chain. That overlap should strengthen the congress’s commercial relevance and make it easier for attendees to combine education with business development.

The official theme, scientific program, participation procedures, and sponsorship opportunities will be announced in coming months. Based on previous editions, the agenda is likely to cover automation, digitalization, sustainability, materials innovation, and workforce development. These are the issues that occupy most senior footwear executives today.

For Indonesia, the congress is a chance to showcase its growing capabilities and attract investment. For the global industry, it is an opportunity to understand how one of Asia’s largest economies is positioning itself in the next phase of footwear manufacturing. And for UITIC, the Jakarta edition continues a tradition of using the congress to bridge technical knowledge with commercial opportunity.

As the date approaches, the event will offer a useful barometer of where the footwear industry believes its future growth will come from. If Jakarta is any indication, the answer is increasingly Asia, and increasingly connected.

Source: International Leather Maker (internationalleathermaker.com)