The Italian group Gruppo Manifatture Italiane (GMI), an industrial player specializing in the manufacturing of high-end footwear and “Made in Italy” products, has expressed interest in strengthening its investments in Tunisia and expanding its industrial activities in the country.
A delegation from the group traveled to Tunis at the invitation of the Tunisian Confederation f Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA). It was received on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, by the president of the employers’ organization, Samir Majoul.
According to a UTICA press release, the discussions focused on the conditions for expanding the group’s activities in Tunisia.
The talks notably emphasized the availability of a skilled workforce, the optimization of employment mechanisms, as well as the reinforcement of vocational training systems, in both the public and private sectors, to meet the growing needs of industrial companies.
The GMI representatives, for their part, presented an overview of their activities in Tunisia, which are integrated into production chains destined for leading international brands in the fashion, leather goods, and footwear sectors.
They emphasized the high demands of production standards, the rigor of quality norms, as well as the regularity of audits to which the industrial units are subjected, in order to guarantee their compliance with international industry standards.
Tunisia, a link in the group’s production chain
The group’s establishment in Tunisia does not correspond to the recent creation of a single site, but is part of a gradual integration that began in 2019, when the group was structured around several industrial hubs in Italy, Albania, and Tunisia.
In the country, activities are organized in the form of integrated manufacturing workshops, or tomaïfices (upper manufacturing workshops), fully integrated into the group’s footwear production chain. These units are mainly involved in the cutting, assembly, and component manufacturing stages, destined for finished products in the luxury and sneaker segments.
On a global scale, Gruppo Manifatture Italiane remains a relatively discreet player, with estimated production of between 700,000 and 1 million pairs of shoes per year.
The group is based in Italy, notably in Tuscany and Milan, where its design and industrial management functions are concentrated. Its turnover is estimated at around 60 to 70 million euros, according to the latest available data.
The Tunisian units thus operate as industrial subcontracting units integrated into the group’s global network, alongside the Italian and Albanian sites. During the initial structuring phase, these activities are estimated to have mobilized approximately 100 to 500 workers in Tunisia, depending on the integrated structures and production needs.
