2018 PORTUGUESE SHOES
WHO WE ARE 95% Share of exports in total production The footwear industry is noted as being one of the most important sectors of the Portuguese economy. Within the space of two decades, the Portuguese footwear industry has been genuinely transformed. From a traditional, labour-intensive industry it has changed into one that is modern, outward-looking and highly competitive, attaining the position of one of the most important European and worldwide exporters, particularly in the leather shoe sector. Nowadays, more than 95% of Portugal s annual footwear production is sold to over 150 countries and in less than a decade exports have increased by more than 50%. Recent years have been truly notable for us as companies maintained the upward movement in the value chain, with a firm commitment to the most demanding international markets and concentrating increasingly on the high-end segments. Portuguese companies have continued to develop their capacity for creation, design and fashion and have constantly invested in international marketing, particularly through their presence at trade fairs and the use of advertising and image-enhancing campaigns.
8 Consecutive years of exports growth Perseverance and dedication are key words for those living and working in this industry. Sophistication and creativity in design are now major strategic tools. A strong focus on fashion and design, the ability to produce small series and to customise the products, allied to quick response to market demands, make Portugal one of the foremost European footwear manufacturers. We are unique because of a strong manufacturing base, central to European markets, along with the legacy of our craftsmen s knowhow and experience accumulated over decades. This particular combination of characteristics confers Portuguese footwear companies the status of reliable shoemakers, affording added value for our business partners and for those seeking something different with a twist and a tailored service. Now that we have brought your attention to one of our industry s best kept secrets, we would like to invite you to learn more about the Portuguese Footwear Industry by glancing through some of its main facts and numbers.
GENERAL DATA Portuguese footwear exports reached a new historical high in 2017, registering the 8 th consecutive year of growth, with 83.3 billion pairs sold to international markets with a total value of 1.96 billion euros. This represented growth of roughly 3% in both volume and value. In 2017, Portugal consolidated its position in most of the countries of the European Union, where its traditional business partners are mainly located, being the destination for 86% of its footwear exports. While continuing to consolidate its position in its most important markets, the Portuguese footwear industry also ventured into new ones, overcoming the constraints of the international markets and the uncertainty that has dominated the world economy. As a result, countries such as the US, Russia, Canada and Angola are becoming important destinations for our products. A strong diversification effort on the part of the Portuguese footwear industry has also resulted in very dynamic growth rates in less traditional markets such as South Korea, Chile, Russia and Finland. The Portuguese footwear industry, recognised for its high-quality products, addressing the latest trends and with a special focus on design and innovation, exports more than 95% of its production to countries across all 5 continents. Portuguese Footwear Exports (2010/2017) Million Euros 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 0 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 In tandem with the aforementioned, Portuguese companies have shown great resilience and dynamism with strong job creation in recent years: from little more than 32 000 jobs in 2010, the footwear industry closed 2017 with more than 40 000 jobs. Over the same period, the industry witnessed net creation of almost 300 companies, so reinforcing its manufacturing options.
Main destination markets (2017) Million Euros 1 France 410 2 Germany 376 3 Netherlands 281 4 Spain 174 5 UK 125 6 Denmark 107 7 USA 72 8 Italy 54 9 Belgium 48 Others 316 Main dynamic markets (2017) Norway +23% Finland +54% Russia +63% South Korea +67% Chile +67% Footwear Sector Snapshot 2010 2017 2010/2017 Companies 1 245 1 526 +23% Employment 32 132 40 080 +25% Exports Million Pairs 69 83 +20% Million Euros 1 297 1 965 +52% Imports Million Pairs 66 58-12% Million Euros 426 623 +46% Trade Balance Million Euros 872 1 342 +54%
CLUSTER In addition to footwear manufacturers, the Portuguese Footwear Cluster includes very competitive components and leather goods producers. The Cluster is especially dynamic and outward looking and since 2010, total exports have increased by more than 50%. Portuguese Footwear Clusters Export by Sector Leather Goods Components Others 2% Textile 4% 7% 2% Rubber & Plass 5% Waterproof 2% 91% Footwear Leather 87% Drawing on such elements as quality and good taste, tradition and know-how, Portuguese leather goods are currently enjoying a very strong momentum. Since 2010, exports more than tripled in value and now amount to 154 million euros, setting new year-on-year records. Exports of bags and handbags, products bearing the stamp of excellence of the national industry, have grown by 12.8% totalling 103 million euros. Closely allied to the footwear segment, the components industry has blazed its own trail, and 2017 offered further consolidation with growth of 8.3% in exports in 2017. Sub-sector soles and heels constitute the main category of products. This strong and sustainable dynamic of the Footwear Cluster is not limited to growth in exports but has also had a positive impact on job creation with more than 10 000 new jobs in less than 10 years.
PORTO With a strong geographic concentration, Portuguese footwear manufacturing is mainly concentrated on two hubs: on the one hand, the municipalities of Felgueiras and Guimarães and, on the other hand, those of Santa Maria da Feira, Oliveira de Azeméis and São João da Madeira. LISBON Altogether these five municipalities represent over three quarters of the sector s employment. In the south there is an important hub located in Benedita. Components and Leather Goods Snapshot 2010 2017 2010/2017 Components Companies 240 273 +14% Employment 3 848 5 363 +39% Exports Million Euros 46 51 +11% Imports Million Euros 90 185 +106% Leather Goods Companies 113 119 +5% Employment 1 005 1 721 +71% Exports Million Euros 42 154 +267% Imports Million Euros 224 379 +69%
FOOTURE 4.0 By 2020, the Portuguese footwear industry aims to be a key point of reference for the industry worldwide. To achieve this position, companies are currently and consistently, implementing a set of strategic initiatives that cover qualification, innovation and internationalisation. In this sense and with the emergence of the new concepts of the Industry 4.0 the Portuguese Footwear Cluster has created a roadmap to address the digital economy, its FOOTure 4.0. With a planned investment of 49 million euros, the Portuguese Footwear Cluster intends to significantly improve the flexibility, while working towards greater customer engagement, higher levels of product customisation and the development of tailored services. By engaging with a network of 50 partners - including universities, companies and organizations in its FOOTure 4.0 strategic development, the Footwear Cluster looks to foster deeper development across broader areas to include: customer experience innovation, intelligent manufacturing, qualification of human resources, sectorial leadership and coordination of the plan. In terms of innovation and customer experience, it will be key not only to develop new business models in a portfolio of new product and service offerings, but also to manage and integrate new channels of interaction with the end customer. With this in mind, the Footwear Cluster will pay special attention to attracting and developing competencies to enhance internal and external networking. In view of sectorial leadership in a set of collective and individual dynamics, FOOTure 4.0 s main purpose is the collaboration, intelligence and sustainability of the value chain.
49 Million euros invested in the Industry 4.0 CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INNOVATION INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING QUALIFICATION SECTOR LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION OF THE PLAN
INDUSTRY NEWS +150 Destination markets Eight years of continuous growth In 2017, Portugal exported 83.3 million pairs of shoes, worth 1.96 billion euros, which represents growth of roughly 3% compared to the previous year. It s a new historic high in terms of external trade. In 2017, the Portuguese footwear has registered the 8 th consecutive year of exports growth. Over the past year, Portugal exported footwear to more than 150 countries across the five continents. Europe is still the main market, absorbing over 80% of exports. The growth within the European Union represents 2% with a highlight to Germany (over 11% to 375 million euros), the Netherlands (over 4.5% to 281 million euros) and Denmark (over 12.9% to 107 million euros). Outside the European Union Portuguese exports have increased by 7.1%. Over 10 000 new jobs created Portuguese Footwear Companies are already employing over 47 thousand people. The sector closed 2010 with 36.985 employees and since then, over 10.179 new jobs were created (47.164 in 2016). A relevant fact concerns the creation of jobs in the hinterland. Actually, the lack of available qualified workforce in the regions where the footwear industry is concentrated (such as Felgueiras, Guimarães, Oliveira de Azemeís, S. João da Madeira and Santa Maria da Feira), led to the creation of over a dozen of industrial units in the hinterland, such as in Castelo de Paiva, Cabeceiras, Celorico de Basto and Paredes de Coura. Therefore, the footwear sector has contributed to a greater regional balance.
350 new brands A young, sexy, modern and forward-looking industry, which combines tradition with cutting-edge technologies and the know-how with the greatest design. The Portuguese footwear industry is in constant evolution. This is the way in which the Portuguese companies present themselves on the international markets, since 2008, within the Portuguese Shoes Campaign: Designed by the future. In the last decade, roughly 350 footwear brands were created in Portugal, according to numbers release by the Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre. Around the World In 2017 the Portuguese Footwear industry attended more than 60 promotional initiatives abroad in a true journey around the world in 365 days. Altogether, over 180 companies were part of an ambitious promotional campaign of the Portuguese Footwear in external markets. Portuguese Footwear has participated in the most relevant professional fairs worldwide. Events in Japan and USA have been the object of added investment by the Portuguese companies, and were added to important markets such as Germany, Spain, France and Italy.
INDUSTRY NEWS +350 New Brands A new era for Portuguese Leather Goods The leather goods industry has registered notable growth over the last few years, especially in terms of its exports. To further support the promotion of this segment in international markets, the first communication and image campaign totally dedicated to the leather goods sector was developed in 2017. Undandy takes customisation to the next level Customisation is no longer the current buzzword of the footwear industry, but Undandy has taken it to a new level by customising up to 156 billion combinations of shoes. The brand is supported by a digital platform where it sells its men s shoes, customisable to the smallest detail. Delivery takes up to two weeks. www.undandy.com/eu/ Kyaia launches online platform The Kyaia group, owner of the Fly London brand, launched Overcube, a new online platform featuring several footwear brands. Aimed at the domestic and international markets, the platform should soon offer customisation of shoes. www.overcube.com/pt/ Guava featured at the Versace Runway Retrospective Distinguished by its geometric and architectural heels, this women s shoes brand is becoming increasingly recognised internationally. In 2018, Guava was the only brand of footwear and accessories present at the prestigious Versace Runway Retrospective event in Berlin. www.guava.shoes/
The new Portuguese Shoes campaign A new Portuguese Shoes campaign, aimed at promoting the industry around the world, had been launched by the end of 2017. Featuring seven young models, the new campaign, photographed on the island of Madeira, is set to engage with young people, being orientated to new consumers and markets. ASPORTUGUESAS, cork in your feet A new brand of cork flip-flops which aims to revolutionise with a product that is both innovative and orthopaedic. In partnership with the largest cork company in the world and with the largest Portuguese footwear group, ASPORTUGUESAS combines a highly versatile raw material with the latest manufacturing technology and design, the distinctive signatures of the Portuguese footwear industry. www.asportuguesas.shoes/ Design(ing) the Future In 2017 and for three days, Porto was the hosting city of the Fashion Design Competition, an European event gathering young footwear and clothing designers of the most important European fashion schools. The competition brought to Portugal 33 designers from 8 different countries. Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, UK and Czech Republic were the represented countries on the competition. In the footwear field, Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Czech Republic), Arsutoria School (Italy), IED Madrid, Academia de Design e Calçado and Lisbon School of Design (both from Portugal) were the schools in competition. Among the competing countries in the category Best Set, Portugal was the winner, with the work by Daniel Gonçalves.
WITH YOU In 2017, Portuguese companies, buoyed up by effective international outreach and bearing the stamp of their collective image campaign, continued to travel the world with the aim of bringing Portuguese Shoes to you. With attendance at more than 600 important international fairs dedicated to the sector, Portuguese footwear is positioned in the medium / high segment yet offers a wide range of options through its ability to identify with the customer, whoever and wherever they are. With an integrated image and communication campaign, Portuguese Shoes want to be near you, wherever you go, from childhood to adulthood, from footwear to accessories. After Iconic, the new sectorial campaign of the sector was complemented with leather goods and children s footwear campaigns. Increasingly young and revolutionary, Portuguese footwear aims also to revive its image and relationship with the customer by taking the best advantage of the new digital tools. With all parts of the process 4.0 focused, there will be a deeper involvement with the customer and Portuguese footwear will come to you, whoever and wherever you are. For further information please visit our website, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to YouTube to see all our latest news and campaigns. www.portugueseshoes.pt/ www.instagram.com/portuguesesoul www.facebook.com/portugueseshoes/ www.youtube.com/portugueseshoes
FIND YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER www.portugueseshoes.pt Are you a brand looking for a manufacturing partner? Are you a retailer looking for fully customised products for niche markets and very specialised segments? CREDITS Title Director Coordination Graphic Design Owner Production Copies Date Facts & Numbers President of APICCAPS APICCAPS Studies Office Manifesto APICCAPS (Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers Association) Lusoimpress 10 000 May 2018 Rua Alves Redol, 372 4050-042 Porto Portugal Tel (+351) 225 074 150 Fax (+351) 225 074 179 apiccaps@mail.telepac.pt www.apiccaps.pt