Al Hida'a - The Middle East leather industry's meeting point

Al Hida'a, the Middle East's only exclusively dedicated, complete leather event, is once again poised to bring the international leather industry together at Expo Centre Sharjah from the 27 to 30 September, 2003.

Now in its tenth edition and growing from strength to strength, Al Hida'a will feature national pavilions from the Thai Leather Goods Association - Department of Export Promotion, Thailand and the Council for Leather Exports, India. It will also bring together companies from Bangladesh, Brazil, Iran, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Portugal, Taiwan, Turkey and UAE.

Featuring the entire range of footwear, finished leather products, tanned leather products, tanned leather, components and accessories, the show profile will include shoes, boots, slippers, sandals, wallets, briefcases, travel-ware garments, gloves, shoe uppers, footwear components, shoe making components & materials, metal accessories for leather goods & shoes, part processed & finished leather, miscellaneous leather products, pvc coated synthetic leather, ladies bags, portfolio bags and pouches.

'The event was conceived by us keeping in mind the growing potential of the leather goods market of the Arabian Gulf region. With nine successful editions to its credit, the show has been acting as a catalyst in nurturing this market,' said Ms Lilian Segundo, Group Project Manager for the show.

The AGCC market for footwear and leather goods is estimated to be around US$1 billion, of which the footwear market in the UAE alone is worth more than US$ 300 million a year. As per an independent survey, the estimated demand for leather footwear in the UAE is 4 pairs per annum for expatriates and 6 pairs per annum for UAE nationals.

The increasing concentration of the footwear industry in the Far East has led to an increase in the exports of footwear products. The strong support and representation of the Thai Leather Goods Association - Department of Export Promotion, Thailand is an indication towards this recent development in the global leather industry. The association will be bringing 16 well established companies from Thailand, which will display an exquisite range of Thai leather goods at Thailand's national pavilion during Al Hida'a.

The show will be open for trade, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm everyday from 27 to 30 September, 2003.