TIRUCHY: South Korean footwear manufacturer TKG Taekwang India Private Limited has received approval to establish a Rs 514 crore mega non-leather footwear manufacturing facility on 69 acres of land at ELCOT Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Navalpattu, Tiruchy. The facility will produce athletic footwear for global brands like Nike and is expected to generate 13,364 jobs.
The company had signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government during the Global Investors Meet 2024. The proposal was cleared by the Unit Approval Committee on June 8, under Rule 18(2) of the SEZ Rules, 2006, marking a key step in the implementation of the investment announced at the summit.
ELCOT Managing Director KP Karthikeyan told TNIE ELCOT has approved the allocation of 28 hectares (69 acres) of land to TKG Taekwang for the project. Guidance Tamil Nadu is coordinating with the company to facilitate the implementation of the project, he said.
According to documents submitted to SEZ authorities, the facility will have an annual production capacity of nearly 14.98 million pairs of athletic footwear. The project is expected to provide employment to 13,364 people, including 11,629 women, 1,602 men and 133 trans persons, making it one of the largest job-generating projects proposed in Tiruchy.
Approval has also been granted for the construction of an employee amenities block on the SEZ campus. The project is expected to generate exports worth Rs 5,453.5 crore during the first five years of operations.
The investment is expected to strengthen TN’s position as a major non-leather footwear manufacturing hub while boosting industrial activity in the central region. Industry observers noted that the project aligns with the state government’s efforts to attract global manufacturers and create large-scale employment opportunities, particularly for women.
VB Jeganathan of Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavours said although land is available in Thiruverumbur SIPCOT, an ELCOT zone, meant primarily for IT-related companies, has been allotted to a footwear unit. However, he added that a positive aspect of the project is its potential to generate jobs for women.