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event, generating a possible $8 million-worth of business. According to a report published by the Arab Brazilian News Agency (ANBA), deals worth $2.08 million were closed at the fair and another $6.3 million in business is forecast to be
“globally known brand of footwear and accessories for the fashion, surf, travel, and medical industries”.
BRAZIL
A footwear manufacturer from China, UpTop, has applied to set up a new factory in the heartland of the industry in Brazil
with 1000 pairs per day and 200 workers.
MEXICO
Mexico’s economy minister, Eduardo Sojo, has confirmed in a radio interview that a programme of economic aid the government is preparing to launch will include footwear as one of the
the money would be to construct modern business parks to house new and existing manufacturing firms.
GERMANY
German athletic footwear brand Puma has reported improved financial results for 2007 despite facing economic challeng
new organisers of the Midec footwear event in Paris have declared themselves satisfied with the latest edition of the Paris event in spite of the “special context” surrounding it. In a press statement they took a final swipe at the old organisi
e Coq Sportif has designed a new boot for the captain of Italy’s national rugby team, Sergio Parisse. The Number 8, who was actually born in Argentina, wore the new boots—called Puncher 2 Thaiti—for the first time in Italy’s Six Nations
angelo’s paintings there.
RUSSIA
The impressive delegation of Russian footwear buyers attending the Micam exhibition in Milan at the end of February stayed in Italy after the event. The inward investment agency for the traditional footw
t important for high-end Italian leather shoes in recent years.
SPAIN
The organisers of the spring edition of Madrid’s leather and footwear fairs, Sipiel and Modacalzado, said that the events went well, especially given that the last day, Sund
lower numbers on Sunday as buyers from Spain wanted to be at home to vote.
PAKISTAN
Although Pakistan’s footwear exports crept 0.27% higher month-on-month in January to reach $8.915 million, up from $8.891 million in the same
llion pairs worth $ 63.4 million, down from 8.6 million pairs worth $64.9 million in same period of the previous year.
BANGLADESH
With footwear demand growing at an estimated 20% a year in Bangladesh, important retail groups are
rkers in a factory in southern China who make footwear for Nike have been given a big increase in their salaries. According to reports that emerged after a press tour of the site hosted by Nike executives, the average wage in the Donggua
site, producing 14 million pairs of Nike shoes a year.
UNITED STATES
The maker of colourful plastic shoe brand Crocs has said that it has no intention of allowing retailer Costco to sell its products. “While there have been rumours and
to Costco.” He added that when Crocs had found instances of resellers supplying, it had ended its relationship with those customers.
CANADA
Italy’s National Institute of Statistics has confirmed strong growth in the two-way trade betwee
n leather footwear were up by 23%. Italy’s main imports from Canada were raw materials; in total, goods worth ?1.8 billion went from Canada into the Italian market last year.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The first Expo Riva Middle East s
deals worth $2.08 million were closed at the fair and another $6.3 million in business is forecast to be sealed over the next 12 months.
AUSTRALIA
K-9 Concepts, Inc. has completed its acquisition of 100% of the outstanding membershi
cturer from China, UpTop, has applied to set up a new factory in the heartland of the industry in Brazil, Novo Hamburgo. The mayor of the city, Jair Foscarini, is analysing the proposal, which includes a request that the city authorities pro
t a programme of economic aid the government is preparing to launch will include footwear as one of the sectors to benefit. The budget for the programme will be around $50 million. The minister said half of this would go into a federal gov
c footwear brand Puma has reported improved financial results for 2007 despite facing economic challenges, and says its outlook for this year remains positive. Currency-adjusted global brand sales grew more than 3% to reach
€
2.7 billio
spite of the “special context” surrounding it. In a press statement they took a final swipe at the old organising team for picking dates that sat just outside the collection of fashion events known as ‘Paris Capitale de la Création’, which yearly
ally born in Argentina, wore the new boots—called Puncher 2 Thaiti—for the first time in Italy’s Six Nations match in Paris against France in March. They have predominantly blue uppers to match Italy’s colours, but have an amazing desi
at the end of February stayed in Italy after the event. The inward investment agency for the traditional footwear manufacturing region of Le Marche has revealed that it invited the Russian delegation to travel south after the exhibition to
footwear fairs, Sipiel and Modacalzado, said that the events went well, especially given that the last day, Sunday, March 9, coincided with general elections in Spain. The opening day of the fairs, Friday, March 7 attracted 1,500 more visit
xports crept 0.27% higher month-on-month in January to reach $8.915 million, up from $8.891 million in the same month last year, the overall picture for the industry looks far from positive. According to the latest figures released by the F
LADESH
With footwear demand growing at an estimated 20% a year in Bangladesh, important retail groups are expanding across the country. Bata, which currently has 237 retail outlets in Bangladesh, has announced that it will open 40
reports that emerged after a press tour of the site hosted by Nike executives, the average wage in the Dongguan factory—run by Hong Kong-based Yue Yuen Industrial and owned by Yue Yuen’s parent company, Pou Chen Group of Taiwa
aid that it has no intention of allowing retailer Costco to sell its products. “While there have been rumours and speculation that we are now selling our footwear to Costco, this is untrue,” said Ron Snyder, Crocs president and chief executi
omers
CANADA
Italy’s National Institute of Statistics has confirmed strong growth in the two-way trade between the country and Canada with leather footwear—along with wine—leading factors in the growth east-to-west The govern
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UNITED STATES
Outdoor footwear brand Wolverine Worldwide has
announced that it has completed the acquisition of Collective Brands’ Performance
and Lifestyle Group, which consists of the Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite
and Keds footwear brands, for a total purchase price of approximately $1.24 billion.
•
Bakers Footwear has filed for bankruptcy protection after announcing a plan to
close stores and reduce costs because of declining sales. The company listed assets
of $41.9 million and debt of $59.5 million as of April 28 in Chapter 11 documents
filed at the US Bankruptcy Court. Bakers said in August that that it would close up
to 25 stores, sell leases and other assets for as many as 52 more to Aldo for $6.4
million, and terminate its licence for H by Halston.
CHINA
Italy’s footwear manufacturers’ association (ANCI) has announced that it will launch a new, high-end footwear
exhibition, Micam Shanghai. The inaugural event will take place in Shanghai from April 9-11, 2013, at the same time as
Shanghai Fashion Week. ANCI’s intention is to run the event twice a year, with the second 2013 edition taking place in October.
•
Chinese footwear brand Stella International has announced that it will build a new production facility in Yongzhou County in
the inland south-central province of Hunan. Stella will invest $300 million in the new project. The Yongzhou factory will
concentrate on women’s fashion shoes. Already, 500 workers who will take up jobs in the new facility have gone to an existing
Stella factory in Dongguan in Guangdong Province for training.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan’s
Trade Development
Authority (TDAP) has
announced plans to help
footwear manufacturers
from across the country
take part in the next
edition of the Expo Riva
Schuh, at Riva del Garda in
Italy from January 12-15,
2013. TDAP described the
event as one of the most
important in the large-
scale footwear distribution
business, presenting a
unique opportunity for a
preview of autumn-winter
2013-2014 collections.
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
The world’s
largest shoe department
has opened in Dubai,
housing more than 250
brands in 96,000 square-
feet of shopping mall.
Louis Vuitton, Prada, Yves
Saint Laurent, Dior and
Gucci are among high-end
brands featured. Sports
shoes and limited edition
lifestyle brands will be
housed in a “sneaker
alley”. The mall, called
Level Shoe District, will
also feature a cobblers
and a VIP lounge.
RUSSIA
The 2012 edition of the
Obuv’ Mir Koži exhibition in
Moscow (October 16-19), attracted
212 Italian exhibitors. Commenting
on the popularity of the Russian
event among its member
companies, Italian footwear
manufacturers’ association, Micam,
said: “Despite the economic crisis
affecting many areas of fashion in
Europe, Italian footwear still has a
cult following in Russia, and people
are just not willing to give it up.”
PARAGUAY
Paraguayan firm Marseg
has launched a new line
of safety footwear, calling
its collection Worksafe. As
well as the domestic
market, the company
wants to sell the new line
in Cuba, Argentina,
Uruguay and in various
Central American
countries. Marseg
executive director, Andrés
Gwynn, said at the time of
the launch that the
company has the capacity
to produce 60,000 pairs of
Worksafe shoes and boots
per month. But he said it
is planning to open a
second factory in the city
of San Lorenzo, investing
$12 million in the project.
ECUADOR
A group of senior
representatives of the Ecuadorian
footwear industry travelled to
Taiwan in mid-October to look at
new technology and to build
commercial ties. Ecuador’s junior
minister for productivity, Ricardo
Zambrano, told local media
before the start of the trip that
Ecuador’s footwear industry has
great potential. He said that so far
this year, companies in the South
American country have produced
29 million pairs of shoes, with a
combined value of $263 million.
The sector is on course to achieve
revenues of $350 for the full year,
which would represent an
increase of 10% on the figure for
2011. He added that the number
of people directly employed in the
footwear industry in the country
could reach 100,000.