Picture Credit: www.adidas.co.in
German sportswear company Adidas is expanding its manufacturing footprint in India through a new footwear facility in Karur, Tamil Nadu, as the country assumes a larger role in the company’s global sourcing network.
The foundation stone for the Evervan Kothari Footwear facility was laid on July 10, 2026. The project is being developed by a joint venture involving Taiwan-based Evervan Group and India’s Kothari Industrial Corporation and is expected to manufacture footwear for Adidas.
Once fully operational, the factory is projected to have an annual production capacity of up to 40 million pairs of shoes and generate approximately 15,000 jobs. The investment could make Karur, traditionally associated with home textiles, an important centre for non-leather and athletic footwear manufacturing.
Adidas widens its Indian supplier network
The Karur project represents a further expansion of Adidas’ supplier base in India. Industry estimates cited in the available information suggest that the country currently accounts for between 5% and 10% of the German company’s global footwear production.
According to Adidas’ January 2026 supplier list, the company sourced from 14 facilities in India that collectively employed around 22,600 workers. Its supplier network includes primary manufacturers, subcontractors and other production partners.
Apache Footwear’s operations in Andhra Pradesh constitute Adidas’ largest manufacturing base in India. The company’s facilities employ nearly 11,000 workers, representing close to half the workforce associated with Adidas-listed supplier units in the country.
“As the company expands its presence in India, it is natural to broaden its supplier base, as global footwear brands typically do not rely on a single manufacturing partner,” Rafiq Ahmed, Vice-Chairman of Kothari Industrial Corporation, told The Hindu Business Line.
Mr Ahmed added that Adidas has developed one of the world’s most geographically diverse manufacturing networks, extending across China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia.
The addition of Evervan Kothari Footwear is therefore expected to supplement Adidas’ existing sourcing arrangements rather than replace its established manufacturing partnerships in India.
Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand remain key production centres
Andhra Pradesh remains a central part of Adidas’ Indian supply chain, led by Apache Footwear’s operations in the Tirupati region.
India’s role in the company’s sourcing network could expand further as South Korean footwear manufacturer Hwaseung plans to manufacture Adidas products at a new facility in Andhra Pradesh.
Uttarakhand has also developed as a production centre for the German brand. Adidas-linked facilities in the state include units operated by Mochiko Shoes Private Limited, SSA Footwear Private Limited and associated subcontractors.
With manufacturing locations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Adidas is building a more geographically distributed supplier network within India.
Asia dominates Adidas’ global production
Despite the expansion in India, Vietnam, Indonesia and China continue to account for the largest shares of Adidas’ global sourcing.
The company’s 2025 annual report said Vietnam was its biggest sourcing country during the year, contributing 27% of total product volume. Indonesia accounted for 18%, while China represented 16%. The remaining 39% came from other sourcing locations, including India.
Overall, Asia accounted for 92% of Adidas’ global production volume in 2025. Vietnam’s position was particularly strong in footwear, representing 41% of the company’s output, followed by Indonesia at 31% and China at 14%.
Adidas reported sourcing nearly 400 million pairs of footwear worldwide during 2025. Against that scale, the Karur plant’s planned annual capacity of 40 million pairs would be sizeable, although its actual contribution to Adidas’ production will depend on commissioning schedules, capacity utilisation and future sourcing orders.
India gains ground in global footwear supply chains
The Tamil Nadu project comes as international footwear companies seek to distribute production across a wider range of manufacturing countries. India is attempting to secure a larger share of this supply chain through its labour pool, industrial infrastructure and expanding ecosystem of footwear and component manufacturers.
The Karur facility could also complement Tamil Nadu’s broader push to attract investments in non-leather footwear, including projects elsewhere in the state involving global brands and overseas manufacturing partners.
For Adidas, the expansion provides additional sourcing capacity beyond its dominant production centres in Southeast and East Asia. For India, it marks another step towards becoming a larger manufacturing base for international athletic and lifestyle footwear brands.
