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Strictly shoe maker steps forward with technology

Tony Fisher,Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshireand
Sam Read,in Milton Keynes
News imageSam Read/BBC A man wearing a blue jacket and white T-shirt who is smiling looking into the camera. He has dark brown hair and a short beard and moustache. He is standing in a factory.Sam Read/BBC
Justin Patel said a new grant will make the company "more efficient" and allow them "to produce more and maintain competitiveness"

A family-run business that makes dance shoes for Strictly Come Dancing said it has welcomed new technology in order to be more productive.

International Dance Shoes (IDS), in Milton Keynes, has supplied the ballroom and Latin footwear for the show's dancers for more than two decades.

The business has received a grant of £20,000 from Made Smarter South East, a government-backed programme helping manufacturers adopt new digital tools.

Justin Patel,the managing director of IDS, said the money was "really important" as it would allow the company access to better machinery next year and increase its output by 10%.

He added the new machinery would "help us combine multiple processes into one and speed things up a lot".

News imageSam Read/BBC A close up image of a shoe being made. A shoe is being held in one hand whilst glue is being applied to the sole with the other hand using a brush. There are rows of shoes lined up in the background.Sam Read/BBC
About 30 skilled staff work across two production tracks to cut, shape, stitch and construct the shoes

The company is one of the UK's last remaining specialist dance shoe manufacturers and produces about 40,000 pairs a year, supplying customers across the US, Europe, Australia and East Asia.

Rashmi Patel, Justin's father, founded IDS in 1981 after previously working for a shoe company.

He said that it was "great to have my shoes on Strictly every year" since the beginning of the series, which is filmed at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

He said he often goes to the studios to help fit the shoes for those taking part in the competition.

News imageSam Read/BBC A man wearing a light blue shirt looking into the camera. He has short grey hair and is standing in a factory setting with work going on behind him.Sam Read/BBC
Jez Heys from Made Smarter South East said its purpose was "to help businesses digitise and automate their processes, increasing productivity"

IDS has been working with Made Smarter South East to carry out a review of the shoe maker's products, processes and workforce to create a digital transformation roadmap.

IDS said the new technology would help raise product quality through greater precision in the production process.

Jez Heys from Made Smarter said the new technology would not lead to job cuts as it "allows people to upskill on the new machinery".

News imageSam Read/BBC A sparkly heeled shoe to be worn by a female dancer. It is light brown with lots of sparkles on it.Sam Read/BBC
Justin Patel said the company had been supplying shoes to Strictly since the first series and "it remains an important showcase of British manufacturing"

Justin Patel said that Strictly was "a special part of our story" and it was a very busy period for them when the show is on.

"While the judges and viewers are glued to the celebrities and pro-dancers, we are watching the shoes to make sure they perform," he added.

The Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7pm today.

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