Fimec comes to an end and reveals a Brazil that is a leading player in the leather-footwear sector on the world stage
Presença de visitantes e expositores internacionais marcou edição deste ano
Over the last three days, the 47th Fimec (International Fair of Leather, Chemicals, Components, Machines and Equipment for Footwear and Tanneries) was the stage for innovation and business in the leather-footwear sector, bringing together visitors from all over the world. The fair, which came to an end on Thursday (March 14th), brought together various companies and professionals from different countries in search of news, technology and business partnerships in the Brazilian and Latin American markets. Around 20,000 visitors passed through the Fenac pavilions in Novo Hamburgo/RS to check out solutions for hides and leathers, chemicals, components, machines and technology.
During a press conference held at the beginning of the afternoon, Fenac's CEO, Márcio Jung, joined representatives of the Footwear Pact and some organizations linked to the cluster to make an assessment of Fimec 2024 and the sector. "We delivered a great fair. Well organized and within the expectations of exhibitors and visitors," he said. "It's important to note that we managed to bring in a very qualified audience, including a lot of foreign visitors." Jung also recalled that this massive presence of international visitors is the result of Fenac's work over the last few years, which has intensified its presence and visits to fairs in neighboring countries. "An example of this is Argentina, a country with which we have managed to re-establish a relationship and bilateral trade," he said.
In addition, when talking about the presence of Asian companies as exhibitors at this year's Fimec, the CEO pointed out that the Brazilian leather-footwear sector naturally attracts attention from the East. "We produce around 900 million pairs of shoes a year, so Brazil is the center of footwear production in Latin America. Fimec, as an international trade fair, is a platform that allows the Eastern market to meet and sell to international Latin American customers," he said. Jung also pointed out that the two largest exhibitors this year were Italian companies. "This reinforces Brazil's leading role in the leather-footwear sector in the eyes of the world market," he said.
The speech was complemented by Marlos Schmidt, chairman of Fenac's Board of Directors. "Outside of Asia, we are the main footwear manufacturer, so it's only natural that the world's suppliers see Brazil as one of the main hubs in the sector. This demonstrates the strength of Fimec and the Brazilian and Latin American markets," he said.
The Footwear Pact seeks to unite and boost the sector in the region
During the press conference, The Footwear Pact was presented, a movement made official in January this year that was created from a leadership development program on the initiative of SEBRAE-RS. The project focuses on uniting, collaborating and connecting all the players in the footwear cluster in the Sinos and Paranhana Valleys. "We need to join hands, minds and efforts to expand and use the region's full potential to produce more shoes," said Schmidt, who is also president of The Footwear Pact. "More than that, we need to restore our pride in being one of the world's leading footwear producers and communicate that to everyone," he emphasized.
In line with this, the president of Abrameq (Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Industries for the Leather, Footwear and Related Sectors) and also a member of the Pact, André da Rocha, emphasized that: "we need to publicize our ability to make good products and serve the market effectively". Carolina Strack Rostirolla, project coordination analyst at SEBRAE-RS, explained that the initiative is currently made up of a team of volunteers who work in the sector. "But anyone committed to the purpose of the Footwear Pact can take part," he encouraged.
Exhibitors celebrate qualified audience
This year, Fimec brought together around 400 exhibitors, covering more than 10,000 m² of exhibition space. The presence of a qualified and decision-making public was highlighted among the participating brands. BASF, a company based in São Paulo, has been taking part in Fimec for years and was pleased with this edition. "We saw a qualified presence, as our stand was visited by customers who are decision-makers and companies with an interest in innovation," says Fernando Barbosa, vice-president of materials performance. He also explained that the main reason for taking part in the fair is to reaffirm the brand's commitment to the polyurethane industry in the footwear market. "Fimec was excellent for us because we were able to present what we have in recycling and also in more efficient processes," he said.
A participant in Fimec since 2019, Dacarto, from Osasco/SP, explained that it recently started betting on the leather-footwear sector again, and that's why it decided to take part in the biggest trade fair for the cluster in Latin America. The brand's commercial director, Paulo Reche de Souza, compared this year's edition with the last one. "This year's fair was much stronger and more focused. The public who visited Fimec really came in search of business, opportunities, technology and sustainability, which is one of the themes we presented last year - the Dgreen line, with products made from renewable sources," he said. Given the results of this edition, the brand is already planning to renew its participation next year. "Yes, we intend to come back stronger, with a bolder project," he said.
Concept Factory attracts attention
The press conference was also the occasion for the executive president of IBTeC (Brazilian Institute of Leather, Footwear and Artifact Technology), Valdir Soldi, to highlight the process of evolution of the Concept Factory. The project presented the production of shoes and bags within the fair's pavilions. "The production of the Concept Factory is something that has evolved a lot and attracts the attention of visitors. This year we produced bags for the first time and the idea is to evolve every year," he said.
Soldi also explained that 90 students from the Senai Footwear School took part in the initiative. "It's a fantastic experience for these young people, as it contributes to their education," he said. This year, Senai's Mechatronics sector was also involved in the project to develop a robot to help in the Concept Factory, showing the importance of integration between different areas to create innovations in the sector. The CEO also anticipated that, by 2025, the space should present more solutions with sustainable features.
The 2025 edition - The 48th Fimec (International Fair of Leather, Chemicals, Components, Machines and Equipment for Footwear and Tanneries) is confirmed to take place from March 18th to 20th, from 1PM to 8PM, at Fenac pavilions, in Novo Hamburgo/RS.
About the 47th Fimec: organized by Fenac Experiências Conectam, presented by Sicredi Pioneira and sponsored by Covestro, Transduarte, Ambiente Verde Indústria and Henkel. The fair was also supported by Abicalçados, Abqtic, Abrameq, ACI-NH/CB/EV/DI, Aicsul, Assintecal, CICB, IBTeC and Sebrae/RS. Fimec 2024 took place from March 12th to 14th at Fenac, in Novo Hamburgo/RS (Brazil). More information about the fair on the website: www.fimec.com.br.
