São Paulo – The Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados) has invited 19 international companies to attend Francal, the largest fair for the sector in Latin America. Among the buyers, there will be two Saudis and one Kuwaiti. The event’s 41st edition will take place from July 14th to 17th in the city of São Paulo.
The importers have been invited under the Buyer Project, an action of the Brazilian Footwear shoe export incentive program, promoted by Abicalçados and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex). One of the importers is a representative of Saudi company M.A Al Abdul Karim, which operates in the clothing and shoe retail sector since 1960. With more than 30 stores in Saudi Arabia, the company owns franchises of brands Terranova, Calliope and Energie, from Italy, and BSB and Alexi Andriotti, from Greece, among others.
The other Saudi company that will attend the fair is Abdul Azeem, which operates in the clothing, accessories and shoes sector. A representative of retailer Choices, from Kuwait, will also attend. Aside from the Arab countries, Abicalçados has invited importers from South Africa, Germany, India, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Cyprus, Romania, Spain, the United States and New Zealand.
The organisers of Francal have also invited 50 other importers from Latin America, such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. According to the organisers, the action is part of a strategy for increasing Brazilian shoe exports. With the depreciation of the real (Brazilian currency) against the dollar, exchange rates are now unfavourable to exports.
From January to May, Brazilian exports totalled US$ 560 million, a figure that represents a 28.6% reduction in comparison with the same period of last year. In terms of volume, 57.15 million pairs of shoes were shipped, a decrease of 27.3% over the first five months of 2008. The main destinations for Brazilian shoes were the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Italy.
Among Arab countries, the leading buyer of Brazilian shoes during the period was the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 3.83 million, a 31.5% reduction. Shipments totalled 317,000 pairs, 29.6% less than in the same period of 2008.
The fair
The 41st edition of the International Shoes, Fashion Accessories, Machines and Components Fair (Francal) will bring together more than 1,000 exhibitors of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes in an area of almost 50,000 square metres. During the event, companies are going to launch their 2009/2010 spring-summer collections.
Service
Francal
Date: July 14 to 17, 2009
Time: from 10:00 am to 08:00 pm (on the 17th, from 10:00 am to 05:00 pm)
Place: Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion – São Paulo
Information: (+55 11) 2226-3100
Site: www.feirafrancal.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
