Technological research programme (EEC) for the footwear industry, 1977-1980

Collective research plays an important role in the technical development of the footwear industry which is characterized by a high proportion of small and medium-sized undertakings which are unable to carry out their own research or whose own research is insufficient.

The two projects carried out within the framework of this programme formed part of a collective research programme produced by the footwear industry and its research organizations on the basis of more than 10 years' cooperation. The collective programme comprised three research projects involving a total outlay of 1,355,000 units of account. It was decided that the third project, which involved an outlay of 850,000 units of account, would not begin until positive results were obtained by the first two.
To reduce manufacturing costs in the footwear industry by ensuring a more rational use of raw materials and energy, greater flexibility of production in accordance with consumers requirements, and better psychological and physical working conditions throughout the production cycle.
Two Research projects:

- Rational Use of materials for uppers:
Analysis of the degree of raw materials utilization achieved with current techniques, study of footwear design methods, and development of systems for optimizing materials utilization by using electronic beam scanning and data processing;

- Rationalization of the manufacture of uppers:
Study of the 18 production stages used in manufacturing three types of shoe for men, women and children, with a view to merging these stages into more satisfactory groups of integrated activities, and collection and processing of data necessary for numerical control and design data for new machine tools in preparation for their processing by computer.
The Commission was responsible for the implementation of the programme by means of shared-cost contracts. The information gained as a result of the programme was required to be disseminated in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2380/74 of 17 September 1974 which adopted provisions for the dissemination of information relating to EEC research programmes (OJ No L 116 1.5.1973).