Brazilian Footwear Industry is the 3rd biggest producer

24.11.2010
The Brazilian Footwear Industry is the 3rd biggest producer in the world

• more than eight thousand factories all over the Country
• Employs 300 thousand direct people
• 12 States of the Country hosts shoe companies, located in footwear clusters
• meets completely the demand of domestic market
• is the fifth exporter of footwear in the world
• exports to more than 140 countries
• income with exports in 2008 added US$ 1.8881 billion
• exported more than 165 million pairs in 2008

Sao Paulo, 2010 — Brazilian Footwear Industries Association - Abicalcados, founded in April 1983 (completed 25 years of foundation in 2008), represents around eight thousand footwear producers, part of this manufacturing complex, considered the largest in the world, because it hosts factories of shoes, machinery, equipment and components, tanneries, services suppliers, specialized laboratories and universities.

It is estimated that this complex is responsible for a GDP of R$ 15 billion.

Abicalcados is located in the city of Novo Hamburgo in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, cradle of industrialization of shoes in Brazil. However, its actions cover all Brazilian States, through associated companies and unions of local footwear companies.

The organization has strong institutional acting defending the footwear industry, with activities connected next to various public and private organs. The commercial promotion of Brazilian footwear is also one of the goals of Abicalcados. In the domestic market, the entity participates of the campaign Brazilian Shoes: the Best Gift, which encourages retailers and distributors to value the product made in the country. Abroad, it coordinates a bold project stimulating companies to participate in international events, called Brazilian Footwear.

Brazilian Footwear – Footwear Export Promotion Program

Abicalcados in partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investments Promotion Agency) carries out a series of actions aimed at increasing the export volume and at decentralizing the destination of shipments, expanding the presence of Brazilian shoes in the world map. The result of this project, called Brazilian Footwear, can be measured by the number of Brazilian companies that are putting their shoes on potential markets with own brand and design.

Developed since 2000, with the settlement of the first agreement with Apex-Brasil, Brazilian Footwear takes the national footwear to more than 20 international events as the big global trade fairs, such as GDS, in Germany; Micam, in Italy, Modacalzado, in Spain; and WSA, in the United States. In 2008, the industry started acting strongly in the East, through fairs as Footwear Expo in Dubai and Fashion Access in Hong Kong.

Brazilian Footwear also participates in high fashion exhibitions, where creativity is all that matters, through Design Brazil Group - which brings together designers and brands focused on high added value. Events such as Premiere Class and Tranoi, France, and Coterie in the United States are some of the investments in this segment. Projects in Brazil - Bring importers and opinion makers to Brazil is also part of the activities of Brazilian Footwear.

Through the National Buyer Project, the program invites potential buyers to know the two most important trade fairs in Brazil, Couromoda (January) and Francal (July). In these events, the foreigners have a schedule to visit and negotiate with national exhibitors. There is also the Regional Buyer Project, taking importers to know the most important footwear clusters in the country, visiting factories and local exhibitions. With this action, the international customer is closer to his/her supplier, establishing trust ties and increasing businesses.

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