Three-day footwear exhibition opens at Expo Centre Sharjah

Inaugurated by Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah bin Sultan Al Qassimi the first edition of Expo Riva Schuh Middle East got under way yesterday and will run until Tuesday, putting spotlight on all major footwear and leather products' brands in every price point and category from all over the world, offering a 360-degree view of the entire industry in one convenient location.

Also present at the opening ceremony were Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, Mr Fasahat Ali Khan, Advisor to the Chairman and Board of Directors of Expo Centre Sharjah, and industry representatives.

Speaking after the inauguration of the exhibition, Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa said: 'Sharjah has taken the lead in filling a void in the region by introducing a show that primarily aims to meet the pressing needs of traders in the industry.'

'Each of our shows has been trend-setters in their own terms - be it a brand new show or a complementary one to other local or regional shows. Expo Riva Schuh Middle East will be a first to the entire region and thus a whole new experience and a must-visit for those in the footwear and leather products industry.'

'Our eagerness to provide an unparalleled platform to the industry led us to our association with Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, which hosts the bi-annual Expo Riva Schuh in Italy,' Mr Midfa added. Expo Riva Schuh is an established international trade show that focuses specifically on the footwear industry.

More than 200 manufacturers from over 20 countries are exhibiting high-volume, low-to-medium and medium-to-high-priced footwear collection, leather products, travelware, handbags and fashion accessories at all the four halls of Expo Centre Sharjah. The fair will also see the introduction of new products, brands & concepts and create a platform for the whole industry.

Halls I and III are dedicated to manufacturers from Europe. The countries that will exhibit their top-of-the-range products from Europe include Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. High-end products from European manufacturers have a special showcase in the form of 'Top Style', which is being held at Hall I.

Speaking about the tie-up with Expo Centre Sharjah, Roberto Pellegrini, Chairman of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Spa, said:

'Our partnership with Expo Centre Sharjah is important because it combines skills that are integrated perfectly. We can provide all our trade fair and industry know-how, which we have accumulated over 70 editions of successful trade fairs, such as Expo Riva Schuh.'

'Our familiarity with the international footwear and accessory market is therefore added to the skills that our partner has on the local market and on the purchasing systems of the buyers in the area.

Accordingly, our partnership is a guarantee that the event will be able to accommodate the needs of exhibitors and buyers alike,' added Pellegrini.

More than 34 companies that focus on classical and high-fashion footwear and leather products will be coming from Italy, including the biggest group from the Marche region, which produces the largest number of shoes in the country.

Innovative designs and products from Asia and the region are on display at Halls II and IV. Manufacturers who are taking part include those from China, Egypt, India, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Syria and the UAE.

'There is maximum consumer demand on Arab markets,' said Giovanni Laezza, Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Spa, 'above all as far as the medium footwear segment is concerned, where Expo Riva Schuh holds international leadership. In this sense, Expo Riva Schuh can play a key role as a commercial crossroads for the entire area.'

Brazil, meanwhile, is being represented through the association of Brazilian footwear, Abicalcados. About 16 leading brands known for their quality and innovative style are hogging the limelight at the show and helping attract special attention to products from the country.

The footwear manufacturers represented by Abicalçados are responsible for an annual production of approximately 800 million pairs of shoes, 180 million of which were exported in 2006. Around 130 countries import shoes from Brazil, generating an inward flow of $1.8bn in revenues.

The Brazilian footwear industrial park is one of the most modern in the world. Brazilian shoe manufacturers operate state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, using high-quality raw materials, supplied mostly within the Brazilian domestic market itself. Currently, 300,000 people are employed directly by the footwear industry in Brazil.

'The UAE manufactures about 250,000 pairs of footwear a year, way short of the over four million people residing in the country. To meet the demand of the population, the UAE has to import footwear. According to recent market studies, the country's footwear imports have tripled between 2000 and 2005, from 56m euros to 155m euros,'

said Mr Saif Al Midfa.

Bulk of the imports to the UAE are from China, which accounts for 56%, while 17% of the footwear are imported from Italy, seven per cent from Spain, four per cent from Indonesia, whereas while Greece, Egypt, Turkey, the UK, France, Malaysia and the US have a share of 16%.

'The need of the hour was a dedicated trade fair for the industry. Expo Riva Schuh Middle East will offer traders from the region a perfect sourcing and networking opportunity. Since the show focuses on volume products from all parts of the world for all income groups, all the requirements of traders can be met here itself,' added Mr Midfa.

Both the region and the industry were in need of such a trade fair, felt Brigitta Bancher, Manager of Expo Riva Schuh. 'In this area', she said, 'The UAE still today holds the record as the distribution hub for the 24 countries in the MENA region and for the ex-Russian republics. However, the very rapid growth of new modern distribution channels such as shopping malls and the expansion of commercial investments in many urban areas within this zone are quickly modifying their market approach.'

'Over the next five years, the GCC states will see the building of 14 million square metres of retail space, which represents not only heavy real estate investment, but also big impetus for commercial development, and indirectly for tourism. This is why we considered it strategic that also the footwear industry should develop a trade fair here, entirely dedicated to this sector, made up of companies appropriate for the MENA region market and attended by industry operators capable of developing interesting business with international companies,' added Brigitta Bancher.

The response from the market has been enthusiastic, said Mr Fasahat Ali Khan. 'Going by the number of exhibitors and diverse range of products on display, I feel proud to state that our efforts have been a big success, and Expo Riva Schuh Middle East is all set to become the largest and the best showcase of footwear and leather products, specially targeting the medium-price segment of the society,' said Mr Khan

Footwear and leather products that will be on display include shoes, boots, slippers, sandals, wallets, briefcases, travel-ware, gloves, shoe uppers, footwear components, shoe making components and materials, metal accessories for leather goods and shoes, part-processed and finished leather, miscellaneous leather products, pvc coated synthetic leather, ladies bags, portfolio bags and pouches.

Expo Riva Schuh Middle East is open to trade visitors only.