The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) from India will organize the 19th Congress of the UITIC on February 3rd-5th 2016 in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu State, home of some leading footwear clusters in India.

The UITIC has been focusing in the dissemination of technical developments and knowledge in the footwear industry by facilitating information exchanges between its members. The Union's main activity is to organize the International Technical Footwear Congress which addresses the latest technical issues and problems.

The theme for the next edition of the congress is the Future Footwear Factory.  Advances in technology, design and information sciences have enabled the modernization of factories for producing footwear with advanced properties, making optimum use of resources. Challenges around consumer demands, the connected world and the numerous questions deriving from an ever changing reality have forced footwear factories to adapt and improvise staying ahead in such a dynamic scenario.

The 19th UITIC Congress aims to bring together technical experts, manufacturers, and stake holders of the footwear industry, for a intense reflection on the theme. Brands, footwear manufacturers and experts will join together to discuss the Future of the Footwear Factory as well as innovations in the footwear Industry.

The International Union of Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC) is an organisation aiming at developing technical knowledge in the footwear industry, in particular by preparing and delivering international conferences on a regular basis and by taking the initiative in setting up information exchanges between its members, exclusively in the field of technology.