São Paulo – The Arab market is in the centre of the strategy for Malu Calçados in coming collections. The factory, which is headquartered in the city of Lindolfo Collor, in Rio Grande do Sul state, wants to grow as a supplier to the Arab nations. "It is a market that interests us very much, which has great potential," stated the export manager at the company, Fernando Schneider. The company owns shoe brands Malu Super Comfort, Território Nacional and Hetane.
The group has already been exporting to the Arab market for two years, but sales do not yet represent more than 2% of the total shipped abroad. Among the Arab nations that already buy Malu brand shoes are Jordan, Syria and Bahrain. Negotiations with the Emirates are currently in progress, according to Schneider. The manager explained that the brand that sells most in the Arab market is Malu Super Comfort.
Brand Malu Super Comfort has as its main characteristics casual fashion, for daily life, which prioritises comfort. Território Nacional is the name of the evening shoe brand, to be worn with dress, and Hetane is a daring youth line, with platforms. The three brands are for female shoes, but Hetane also includes male products, according to the export director.
Malu Calçados has three industrial units in Brazil. One of them is in Lindolfo Collor, the other in Crissiumal, also in Rio Grande do Sul, and the last in Alagoinhas, in the state of Bahia. The factory has a production capacity of 20,000 pairs a day, of which 80% are sold on the foreign market. This total, however, covers not just shoes made under the brand name, but also production for other brands, like Zara and Banana Republic.
Malu products are exported to around 30 countries and the main markets are in Europe, especially Russia, Portugal and Spain. For growth in the Arab world, the company should promote two geared activities in coming months. The factory even participated in two fairs in the Emirates, in 2008, but, according to Schneider, the most effective participation has shown to be in large fairs, like those in Germany and Italy, and even in shoe fairs in Brazil, where Arab importers go.
Malu Calçados is part of a large industrial group called Milu. Apart from the shoe factory, with 1,800 employees, the group also owns upholstery and shoe factories and a tannery. The upholstery factory and tannery are named Minuano. The tannery has been operating for 33 years and the shoe factory was established in 1980.
Contact
Malu Calçados
Telephone: (+55 51) 3552 2500
Site: www.pelesminuano.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
