In a bid to increase its consumer base, Tej group (manufacturers of TSF brand of shoes) has introduced what it calls "driving shoes".
"The difference is not only the way the shoe is made but also in its usage," explains Prem Madan, deputy general manager (marketing), Tej group. While most formal shoes have their soles (usually made of rubber) stuck to the uppers, sports shoes have polyurethane soles moulded to the upper by a process called direct injection.
Driving shoes, on the other hand, have their lowers made out of leather. The soles are 16 pieces of cleated thermoplastic rubber that jut out from the bottom. The soles absorb the frequent movements of the feet while driving. The rubber cleats at the end of the heels also help the feet when it is resting at an angle, he explains.
The idea to come out with a product like a driving shoe struck the Tej executives when the company's foreign buyers suggested something that was flexible as well as comfortable for drivers on long hauls.
The company's research and development wing worked on the project for a few years before introducing the prototype earlier this year.
The company, however, is pretty clear that a driving pair will not replace formal or casual shoes. "We're targeting people who would use it as a fourth or fifth pair. People who go out on long drives over weekends," says Madan. Priced at Rs 1,225 the driving shoes are aimed at the upper middle class.
The Tej group is basically into exports. It manufactures shoes for international brands such as Hush Puppies, Ecco, Caterpillar and Deichmen among others. Last year the company's turnover was Rs 65 crore (Rs 650 million) and is looking at doing business worth Rs 70 crore (Rs 700 million) this fiscal.