Twice the number of visitors than the previous year are expected at the spring-summer 2003 edition of EXPOCAIPIC, Argentina's footwear raw materials and components fair that will be held in Buenos Aires, July 1-4. The reason for such optimism is that the Argentine footwear  industry is finally on the move again.

The show gathers producers of raw materials, components, accessories, designers and service suppliers to the shoe and leathergoods sectors and, thanks to the devaluation of the Peso ($) in early 2002, imports of low priced goods have slowed to a trickle.  Domestic production is on the up and leather, shoe and other manufactured leather goods are gradually recovering both in the domestic and export markets.

The reincarnation of the sector is obvious from the large number of visitors and the volume of business done at the two latest editions of EXPOCAIPIC. The devaluation and the subsequent recovery of the industry has made a big difference.

Commented Hugo Alvarez, CAIPIC general manager, “Argentinean producers of raw materials and components for the shoe and leather goods sectors offer international buyers a wide range of interesting alternatives. In the domestic market Argentina's products have withstood very tough competition from similar articles imported from Europe and guarantee excellence in terms of quality and design.  This in turn has helped generate interesting export opportunities for the local manufacturers.”

EXPOCAIPIC is organized by Argentina's Chamber of Industrial Suppliers to the Footwear Industry - CAIPIC.

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