Francal will likely consolidate resumption in the industry The Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) has positive expectations for the 51st International Shoe and Accessories Fashion Fair – Francal. The event, which presents spring-summer collections of more than 350 exhibitors, takes place at Expo Center Norte, in the city of São Paulo (in the namesake state), from June 3 to 5.

Abicalçados’ executive president, Heitor Klein, highlights that Francal is the Brazilian fair that represents the official beginning of footwear sales for the hot season of the following year. “Francal, throughout these more than 50 years, has been a very important indicator of the behavior of the market, especially because it is responsible for the beginning of sales of collections that account for over 70% of the total manufactured in Brazil,” he mentions. According to the executive, there is resumption in footwear sales, even though it is slow. “In 2019, our estimation is that there may be an increase in domestic consumption between 0.4% and 2.3%, maybe reaching over 870 million pairs,” Klein projects. For him, Francal will enable retailers to stock their stores for a second trimester that will likely be better than the first.

For the foreign market, the leader highlights that the expectation is also positive, mainly due to the appreciation of the dollar, which makes the price of Brazilian shoes more competitive abroad. “This is combined with the recovery of the market in the United States, a country that has been changing its footwear supply due to uncertainties generated by the trade war with China,” Klein stresses, citing the news that the United States increased the taxes on Chinese footwear from 10% to 25%.

Novelties
Francal’s president, Abdala Jamil Abdala, highlights that besides major Brazilian spring-summer collections, the fair will present a range of services, products, and solutions in the space named 100% Retail. “More exhibitors and more retailers at the fair, combined with the resumption of trust in the growth of the economy, will increase the deals at Francal 2019 well above the levels observed in recent editions,” he foresees. 

Abicalçados
Abicalçados will be present at the trade show managing the Importer Program, promoted by Francal in partnership with the footwear organization. Overall, 30 buyers from 16 countries (the United States, Russia, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Qatar, India, Poland, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Panama, and Martinique) will attend the fair. “It is very important for Brazilian footwear manufacturers to keep strengthening their bonds in the international market at this positive moment for exports,” says the coordinator of Abicalçados’ Trade Promotion Unit, Letícia Sperb Masselli. She highlights that more than 300 meetings with exhibitors of Francal are already scheduled. 

In addition to importers, Abicalçados and the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear and Artifacts (Assintecal) will jointly carry out the Image Project. This edition, which will include visits to Francal and to Inspiramais, will bring nine journalists from publications from Italy (Arsutoria), Spain (Fucking young), Argentina (Serma and Cuero America), Colombia (Style America, Carrusel, and Vanguardia), and Peru (Gestión/Moda Inc and Prestigia). Carla Giordani, Abicalçados’ Project assistant, will manage the group along with Assintecal. She highlights that, with the project, foreign journalists commit to publishing articles about Francal, Brazilian shoes, and Inspiramais. “It is a relevant visibility in representative publications in their countries,” she assesses.

Press conference On the second day of the fair, Abicalçados will hold its traditional press conference, starting at noon. The event, which takes place at Francal’s booth, will address issues such as analysis of the first semester for the industry, presentation of data, forecasts from the Sectoral Report Brazil Footwear, and short-term projections both in the domestic and in the foreign market. The meeting with journalists
will be attended by the president of the Executive Board and the executive president of Abicalçados, Caetano Bianco Neto and Heitor Klein; the executive director (future executive president) of Abicalçados, Haroldo Ferreira; the president of the Brazilian Footwear and Leather Goods Retailers Association (Ablac), Marcone Tavares; and the president of Francal, Abdala Jamil Abdala. RSVP by May 30, by replying to this email with your publication and full name or by calling 51 999806 6060.

Lecture
Also on June 04, the consultant of Sistema de Operações Logísticas Automatizadas (SOLA) [System of Automated Logistical Operations], Igor Hoelscher, will give a lecture on “The importance of identification as an integrating element for cost reduction and IoT and Omnichannel applications.” “The presentation will feature relevant information on good practices and standards for the integration between the industry and retail for cost reductions and to develop the companies’ competitiveness,” Hoelscher says. The lecture will be held at stage 1 of IED, from 1.30 p.m. to 2.10 p.m.

ABICALÇADOS www.abicalcados.com.br