Brazilian footwear machinery and components manufacturers set sights on Asia
Spurred on by their successful targeting of European and South American buyers, trade bodies representing Brazil’s footwear production machinery manufacturers and shoe component producers have joined forces to further explore the potential of the Asian marketplace.
Angela Hirata, consultant to the Brazilian Association of Leather and Shoe Machinery Manufacturers (Abrameq) and the Brazilian Association of Leather and Shoe Component Manufacturers (Assintecal), says she has so far identified around 500 potential customers in Asia, mainly among footwear producers in Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
Though US machinery and footwear component manufacturers are well entrenched in Asia, Hirata says there is more than enough demand to accommodate Brazilian imports. As a first step, Hirata says she intends to produce a suite of promotional literature in the main local languages. Her plans for later include a series of trade missions, which it is hoped will lead to partnership agreements with local manufacturers.
Brazilian shoe component exports to Asia, Europe and other Mercosul member-countries are currently running 10% ahead of the level they were at a year ago.
