Fimec has always had a history of success. The trade show’s first edition was November 9-13, 1974. There were 138 companies representing 12 countries at the event that exhibited their technique and machinery. Italy and Germany were the countries that occupied the most space – 550 m² each. Brazilian companies participated with 89 companies.

Fimec arose at an opportune moment, during a time when the Brazilian footwear industry, and especially the Sinos Valley, was undergoing rapid acceleration and was technologically lacking. Despite the global economic situation that had many businesspeople participating in Fimec without much enthusiasm, the first edition of the exhibit surpassed sales expectations. An exemption from import taxes on foreign machines on exhibit was an incentive that was offered to the 300 businesspeople from various production centers that were visiting the show that year.

From May 1981 until April 1986 there were annual Pre-selections. There were six trade shows during this time period. In May 1984 the 4th Pre-selection for Fashion and Machine Spring-Summer was held, where the focus was on sharing trends in spring-summer footwear fashion and the new product launches of equipment and components for the leather-footwear industry. It occurred 60 days before Fenac. There were 290 exhibitors – nine Brazilian states and six foreign countries, with eight thousand visitors. From April 1987 to April 2007, Fimec occurred annually, always in the month of April. In 1997 and 1998, in partnership with Bologna Fiere of Italy, two annual editions were held: one with machines for tanneries and another with machines for footwear. At the end of the partnership with the Italian company, the event returned to its original once a year format.

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