São Paulo – This year, almost 40,000 pairs of shoes came out of the plants of Usaflex, in Rio Grande do Sul state, and headed to Saudi Arabia. The country was the main exports destination for the company, which currently sends to international markets around 4% of its output, with plans to double this figure next year already.
The Arab countries are important for this strategy. Besides Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman also buy Usaflex’s footwear, which is designed for women. “Around 20% of our exports have the Middle East countries as destinations. We used to export to Egypt in the past, but not anymore,” says Rafael Lauck, commercial director of the company from Rio Grande do Sul.
With plants in the cities of Igrejinha, Taquara, Campo Bom and Dois Irmãos, located in the Vale dos Sinos and Paranhana regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Usaflex entered the Gulf market five years ago thanks to a Lebanese called Samir Krayen. According to Lauck, the contact was made in an edition of Couromoda, the sector fair held every year in São Paulo.
“He had a partner in Kuwait, which ended up being the first country in the region to which we exported. Today, we have two Usaflex-exclusive stores in Kuwait’s main shopping malls. Soon we’ll open a third one,” he says.
In Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman – and also in Kuwait – Usaflex shoes are sold in multibrand stores. Lauck says Arabs really like comfortable leather products, with women showing strong preference for shoes with thick soles. “We also sell sandals and special shoes for diabetics and people with bunions, plus white line products worn by nurses,” says the commercial director.
In four years, Usaflex is planning for 10% of its revenues to come from international markets. Thus, it’s been prospecting new destinations for its products – within and outside the Gulf region. This year, a representative from the company travelled to the UAE, where he spent two weeks meeting with potential clients. “It’s in our plans to take part in a fair in the region,” he says.
Usaflex was founded in 1998 and has the capacity to produce 24,000 pairs of shoes per day. Its seven plants in the four cities in Rio Grande do Sul employ 2,800 people.
Contact info
Usaflex
Website: www.usaflex.com.br
Phone: +55 51 3549-8100
Email: rafael@usaflex.com.br
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
