Chinese shoemaker finds a snug fit in Ethiopian market

At the age of 59, Zhang Huarong logged 34 intercontinental flights in 2017, totaling 670 flying hours and covering 480,000 kilometers between Ethiopia and China.

Zhang has been shuttling between the two countries for over a decade, with quite a few accomplishments along the way.

So far, shoe exports from his company have generated nearly $200 million in foreign exchange, accounting for 27 percent of Ethiopia's total leather exports and 65 percent of its shoe exports.

His journey began in 2011 when he was invited by the then Ethiopian prime minister to explore investment opportunities in Africa.

"Subsequently, I invested in building a shoe factory in the country," he said.

In the beginning, his company recruited over 100 Ethiopian employees. "We chartered a plane to send them to Ganzhou (in Jiangxi province) for training," he said.

After completing their training, they went back to Ethiopia and started their new career. "Within just 90 days, a factory with hundreds of workers was up and running," Zhang said.

In early 2012, Zhang's Guangdong-based Huajian Group made significant investments in Ethiopia, quickly becoming the country's largest export enterprise in a few years.

More than 30 heads of state and 600 companies have visited the group's Ethiopian factories, amazed that world-renowned brands can be produced in Ethiopia, Zhang said.

Originally from Nanchang in East China's Jiangxi province, Zhang started his business in Wuhan in the neighboring Hubei province after leaving the military in 1982.

In 1984, he moved to Zhejiang province to apprentice in shoemaking and eventually opened his own factory.

In 1996, with his first earnings, Zhang ventured to Dongguan in Guangdong, where he launched his women's shoe manufacturing business and established the Huajian Group.

However, amid fierce competition and price undercutting, Huajian once accumulated millions in debt.

Seeking better opportunities, Zhang returned to Ganzhou, Jiangxi, in 2002, to set up a production line. In less than a decade, the workforce at the shoe factory grew from over 8,000 to 20,000 employees.

After setting up a factory in Ethiopia in 2011, Zhang began a routine of taking flights across the ocean more than a dozen times each year.

From groundbreaking to production took just three months, leading to a 57 percent surge in local leather product exports.

Operating in Africa, with its varied economic development levels and cultural differences, presented challenges for Zhang's company.

"For instance, language barriers were a significant issue that hindered communication at times. So I requested our Chinese management staff to learn the local language to better integrate into the community," Zhang said.

"Venturing into Africa presents many challenges due to differences in language, law, and culture. Therefore, companies expanding into Africa must possess determination, sincerity and perseverance."

Esrael Etefa joined the group in 2012. Along with his colleagues, he traveled to China for language and technical training. A year later, he returned to Ethiopia and became the head of his department.

"I joined Huajian right after graduating. After returning from training in China, I became the head of the engineering department, where I oversaw around 200 people at that time," he said.

"Having worked here for so long, I've benefited greatly. I've advanced my technical skills, and now I speak Chinese fluently. Most importantly, my salary is gradually increasing."

The 34-year-old added that he is living "a very happy life". "My income in Ethiopia is above average. I'm married with two children, own a car and have bought land to build our home."

So far, Huajian's total investment in Ethiopia has reached $150 million.

In 2017, Zhang was honored by the Ethiopian government with the title of Father of Ethiopian Industry. In 2018, he was included in the Top 100 Outstanding Private Entrepreneurs in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up list. In 2019, he was elected vice-president of the China-Africa People's Friendship Association.

Reflecting on his past, the 67-year-old said, "Having experienced poverty and hunger in my youth, I hope to bring China's experience of reform and opening-up and Huajian's growth to the African continent, creating more job opportunities for Africans."

The entrepreneur said that Africa's current development situation "closely resembles that of China 40 years ago, just before the reform and opening-up era".

"African residents have a strong desire to create more wealth and lead better lives. We believe that economic growth and purchasing power in Africa will continue to improve in the years to come," Zhang said.