São Paulo – For three years now, the Rio Grande do Sul state-based company Wirth has exported its shoes to the Arabs. At present, it has customers in Syria, Libya and Saudi Arabia, its leading market in the region. Out of all shoe lines made by the company, Arabs have a clear-cut preference, says export manager Gilmar Weber. “Our top-selling product to that particular region is casual, moccasin-style shoes,” he says.
Regarding colours, he says Arabs buy shoes in “various tones.” “They are fond of a distinctly Brazilian type of fashion, with happier colours, but they also like traditional, such as coffee and black, and lighter tones, such as amber.” The company also sells sandals to customers in the region. Other types of footwear manufactured include heeled pumps and boots.
According to Weber, the company’s work with European stores and the fact that it attended a shoe fair in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, led Wirth to conquering clients in the region. The company sells to both Arab stores and distributors.
All shoes manufactured by Wirth are made from leather. Currently, out of the company’s monthly output of around 180,000 pairs, 50% is shipped abroad, and Arab countries account for 4.5% of that share. “We sell to more than 50 countries,” says Weber. Germany is the company’s top buyer.
The export manager believes that Arab countries are a “very promising” market. “It is a region which receives lots of tourists, and they end up buying shoes there,” he says.
Weber says the company goes to fairs in Brazil, such as Couromoda and Francal, in São Paulo, and Sicc and Zero Grau, in Gramado, where it usually comes into contact with international buyers. According to him, Arabs are regulars at Couromoda.
Founded in 1948, Wirth is based in the city of Dois Irmãos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The company has 1,400 employees and posts average monthly revenues of around R$ 8.5 million (US$ 4.1 million).
Contact
Wirth
Tel.: +55 51 3564-8000
Email: mauricio@wirth.com.br & frederico@wirth.com.br (commercial)
Website: www.wirth.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
