Currently, Mexico is one of the top ten largest manufactures of footwear in the world, and in recent years has undergone a process of adjustments that go from facing fierce competition of imported products, to seeking new markets outside its borders.

Shoe factories like Ackerman, represent a boost in the Mexican footwear industry and contribute to the economic development of the country and its manufacturing prestige. Ackerman has been working day after day to manufacture great shoes; to establish itself as an example of efficiency in production and trade that even Pope Benedict XVI said that after leaving all of his "Pope attire" behind, he wanted to only keep one thing, a great pair of Ackerman shoes.

Video: Interview with businessman Jose Luis Rocha

During the Pope's visit to Mexico in 2012, the archdiocese said that among the many gifts that were given to Pope Joseph Ratzinger were: a Mexican charro hat embroidered with gold thread made in San Francisco del Rincon, and several pairs of red shoes that were made in Leon Guanajuato which is the largest footwear manufacturing region in the country.

The images of the Pope's red loafers that have been around the world actually have a meaning behind it. During the Byzantine Empire the red color symbolized power, which the only two people who could wear those colors were the emperor and the Pope. Also, in the Catholic Church the cherry red color also has another meaning which represents the blood of the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ.

SanDiegoRed.com interviewed the Mexican businessman Jose Luis Rocha, who has taken the challenge of taking his extremely great quality products such as Ackerman shoes, to one of the most demanding retail markets in the world, the United States.

"When the Pope announced his retirement, he said through his spokesman that he would leave the red shoes he always wore. And that now he would wear his Ackerman shoes that were given to him, because they were very nice and comfortable," businessman Rocha recalled.

"For a German-born Pope, who has such a high standard in quality, to have chosen the Ackerman brand to wear for his retirement in a country like Italy where the designs and quality of shoes is so great. It is a boost of confidence for us in the product that we are producing for the U.S. market, and speaks very well of the high quality and great design of our shoes", said the Mexican businessman.

"It was a godsend gift for our brand," Mr. Rocha acknowledged before departing.

According to the Chamber of Commerce for the Footwear Industry from the State of Guanajuato (CICEG), during 2012, Mexico exported a total of $520 million dollars' worth of this product, which represented an increase of 27% over the previous year, where most of the foreign sales were made to the United States. According to these data, Mexico is among the most attractive countries in the world for the footwear industry.

It is worth noting that companies such as Ackerman shoes have positioned the "Made in Mexico" label very well around the world. Thanks to technology, to its distribution center in San Diego California and the great variety of their virtual catalog, possessing a pair of these great shoes is only a few clicks away.

eduardo.flores@sandiegored.com

omar.martinez@sandiegored.com