São Paulo – Men’s shoes by company Orbis Shoes, which are already shipped to Latin America, Europe, the United States and Asia, will start being exported to the Middle East as well. A storeowner from Saudi Arabia has placed an order for 200 shoe pairs at the International Shoes, Fashion Accessories, Machines and Components Fair (Francal), held early this month in São Paulo.
The shipment should be made within 45 to 60 days, and will be the company’s first to an Arab country. According to Orbis Shoes’ export manager, Maurício Avila, the company has keen interest in the Arab market. At the fair, in addition to Saudis, the company’s booth received visitors from Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.
The Saudi order is for men’s leather dress shoes. According to Avila, the differential of Orbis Shoes’ products is that they are handsewn using shoe lasts. The shoes also feature soft inner soles, anatomical shape, and leather-padded inside.
The company, which is based in the city of Franca, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, produces 500 pairs per day and has a goal of doubling its output. After participating in Francal, the company is expecting a 20% increase in sales by the end of the year. At the event, Orbis Shoes received orders from companies based in Venezuela, Panama, Australia, Suriname and Japan.
According to Avila, 20% of the production is exported. “Up until the end of the year, we want to export 50% of our output,” he said. In order to conquer new clients, the company attends trade shows Francal and Couromoda, in São Paulo, and next year it wants to showcase its shoes at Micam, a fair held in Milan.
In the last edition of Francal, Orbis Shoes launched a line of women’s shoes. Observing the same quality and comfort standards of men’s shoes, the line’s new features were leather moccasins and low-heel sandals. As for the men’s line, in addition to dress shoes, it included more sport-like models, such as sport/dress shoes.
On the market for four years, Orbis Shoes started out by selling its footwear to other brands. In 2008, the company launched its own brand. Presently, with 72 employees, Orbis Shoes posts annual revenues of 700,000 Brazilian reals (US$ 394,000).
Contact
Orbis Shoes
Site: www.orbisshoes.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
