Footwear giant Skechers has inaugurated a national distribution center in Mumbai, India, marking a significant step in its expansion within the Indian market. The state-of-the-art facility, spanning 600,000 square feet at the Lodha Industrial and Logistics Park in Kalyan, is strategically designed to optimize supply chain operations with a capacity to dispatch up to 60,000 units daily. Equipped with innovative flooring for efficient transportation, this center represents the initial phase of a collaboration aiming to establish a larger 1.1 million square feet facility in the Palava township. Skechers entered the Indian market in 2012, taking full control of its joint venture in 2018.

The state-of-the-art facility located close to Taloja MIDC is designed to streamline supply chain operations facilitating Skechers’ expansion of its footprint in the Indian market and enabling shipping of up to 60,000 units per day. Lodha Group said this is the first warehouse building in western India to feature Free Movement (FM1) super flat flooring which enables easy transportation of shipments and has been designed to be an IGBC Platinum pre-certified building. This is the first phase of a strategic partnership to develop a 1.1 million sq ft facility in Palava township developed by the Lodha group.

Devender Singh Rawat, CEO of Lodha’s Green Digital Infrastructure Platform (GDIP), said, “We envision this facility as a game-changer in the B2B logistics space, in line with Lodha’s dedication to empowering businesses with reliable, sustainable, and cutting-edge solutions". Executives from the California-based company visited India in the early part of this month and highlighted that India has emerged as one of their most rapidly expanding markets in the last three years. David Weinberg, the COO of Sketchers USA, who was present in Mumbai during the initial week of December, conveyed to the media that the company is exploring the possibility of shifting the production of footwear, apparel, and accessories to cater to both domestic and export markets.

In 2012, Skechers initiated its presence in India through a joint venture with Future Group. Subsequently, in 2018, the company made a strategic move by investing approximately Rs 580 crore to acquire a minority stake, thereby gaining full control over the venture. The Lodha Group, in collaboration with notable investors such as Bain Capital and Ivanhoe Cambridge, has established the Green Digital Infrastructure Platform (GDIP), a logistics and warehousing entity. With a planned investment of USD 1 billion, the GDIP aims to develop approximately 30 million square feet of operational assets, adhering to global standards in technology integration, construction practices, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations.