Meet the Maker: Andrés

Meet Andrés,

An essential member of the Viberg team, Andrés has been with the company for nearly a decade and has 30 years of experience working with footwear. He provides vital expertise to every area of the footwear manufacturing process.

Hi Andrés, tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Viberg.

My name is Andrés, and I am from the Dominican Republic. My role at Viberg is to apply my experience in manufacturing footwear to many different areas of the production chain, but generally I handle the welting and sole stitching in our Bottoming Department.

Viberg Boot Made in Canada

How long have you been working with footwear? Tell us about your experience or where you were taught.

I have 30 years of experience working with footwear. I started out working for Timberland for 8 years before moving on to work with Rocky Brands, a Five Star Enterprise company for 14 years. At Rocky, I learned many footwear production methods, including Goodyear Welted construction. After that, I moved on to Viberg, where I have been for the last 8 years.

What style are you wearing - and how are these shoes different than other shoes you've owned or worked on in the past.

I'm wearing the Bastion Oxford in Caper Green Viking Calf. The primary difference between these and other shoes I've owned or worked on comes down to the quality of the raw materials, which guarantees a much higher quality and more durable product.

Do you have a favourite style, model, or leather you enjoy either wearing or working with particularly?

This is a difficult one to answer - if I had to choose, I would say our Service Boot® in Natural Shell Cordovan. Regarding leathers, I enjoy working with Chromexcel, Shell Cordovan, and Calf Suedes.