Brill Shoe Industries Ltd., an Israeli shoemaker that manufactures some 90,000 boots for the IDF each year, is facing closure due to a Defense Ministry decision to purchase military boots from a U.S. manufacturer. More than 100 employees at Brill are at risk of losing their jobs. The Israeli shoe factory has outfitted IDF soldiers for eight years. Its military department manager, Shimon Horovitz, told Israel Hayom on Sunday that the Defense Ministry informed the factory of its decision to buy boots from the U.S. in August, but then doubled back and decided it was important to preserve the Israeli production line. Last week, however, the ministry told the factory it was cutting its order to 30,000 boots per year. "We can't sustain the factory on 30,000 boots a year," explained Horovitz. "It's impossible to hold on to employees like that. We told the Defense Ministry that if its a budget issue, we can offer them a better boot at a cheaper price than the American boot." A Defense Ministry spokesperson said in a statement, "The Defense Ministry is committed to stimulate and support industry [in Israel], and spends over 10 billion shekels every year, which encourages growth in medium- and small-sized businesses. However, due to the budgetary hardship the defense establishment finds itself in, we are also obligated to efficiency and money-saving measures. In this spirit we are in discussions with the heads of Brill Shoe Industries. In addition, it must be noted that the company did not meet our demands for a new, more advanced boot that the Defense Ministry requested as far back as 2010. This factor as well influenced the lack of ability to reach agreement with the company."
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