The Italian Micam Milano Fair, which took place between September 17th and 20th in Milan, is expected to generate more than US$ 30 million for the 76 exhibiting Brazilian brands. Integrating the third largest foreign delegation of the event, behind the Spanish and Turkish ones, the green-yellow companies were supported by Brazilian Footwear, a program to promote the export of footwear maintained by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (ApexBrasil).

Abicalçados' commercial promotion analyst, Paola Pontin, points out that the fair confirmed the good expectations and even surprised some companies. “The event not only had great movement in the first days, but also had qualified buyers,” she said. According to the analyst, even with macroeconomic problems, Europe stood out as a major consumer of Brazilian footwear during the event. "In addition to Europeans, Brazilian brands reported visitation from buyers from the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. It was a very internationalised Micam Milano” she adds. Abicalçados report points out that, on the spot, more than 740 thousand pairs of Brazilian shoes were marketed, which generated more than US$ 10,3 million.

Exhibitors
Andacco's export coordinator, Leandro Fernandes de Oliveira, says that many orders were fulfilled at the event, which made the Micam Milano edition the best in recent years. "Compared to last year's fair, we sold more than twice as many shoes,” he celebrates. According to him, in addition to traditional customers, the company received new contacts from markets in Australia, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Chile, among others. With a production of 4 thousand pairs of shoes per day, the company from São Sebastião do Paraíso/MG exports about 50% of its products, especially to the United States, Europe and Latin America.

The CEO of the Guilhermina brand, from Sapiranga / RS, Maristela Becker Hübner, evaluates the participation as very positive. “We have received old and new customers, mainly from the UAE, Israel, Australia, Italy, France, Serbia and even Ukraine and Russia,” she says. The company is looking for distributors in Europe. “At BFSHOW, in Porto Alegre / RS, we will receive an Italian distributor with whom we are negotiating,” says the CEO. Producing from 800 to 1,000 pairs daily, Guilhermina exports 50% of its production of premium women's shoes to the United States, England, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Belgium, South Africa, Dominican Republic, among others.

Debuting in international fairs, Kenner and Redley, produced by the S2 Holding Group, from Rio de Janeiro/RJ, had a positive exposure. Hired to carry out the internationalization of the two brands, the company's export director, Jefferson Berz, points out that Micam Milano was a milestone in the history of the brands. “We had extremely positive feedback, with deals already signed  at the fair and others that were agreed upon and that should occur at our next show, BFSHOW”, he evaluates. According to the director, at least 20% of buyers who visited the stand during the exhibition showed interest in the newest International Fair of green-yellow footwear that will have its first edition in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. With a production that totals 9 million pairs - adding Kenner and Redley -, the company seeks the goal of exporting between 10% and 20% of its footwear by 2028. “For this, international fairs are fundamental, " concludes Berz.

Sustainable
At the institutional stand of Brazilian Footwear, an exhibition of footwear produced by companies certified by Sustainable Origin, the only ESG certification for the sector's production chain in the world, drew attention. In total, products from nine companies were exhibited with stands at Micam Milano - Ramarim, Bibi, Calçados Beira Rio, Grendene, Kenner, Wirth, Piccadilly, Usaflex and Pegada.

The fair
With 1.2 thousand exhibitors, most of them international from over 30 countries, Micam Milano received about 45 thousand buyers from more than 130 countries around the world.

Participated in the 96th edition of Micam Milano, with the support of Brazilian Footwear, the brands Actvitta, Adrun, Anatomic Prime, Anatomic Shoes, Andacco, Andine, Archetti, Awana, Beira Rio, Bibi, BR Sport, Campesi, Capelli Rossi, Carrano, Cecconello, Cocco New York, Comfortflex, Cristófoli, Dakota, Democrata, Eléia, Ferracini, Ferricelli, Guilhermina, Ipadma, Itapuã, Jorge Bischoff, JotaPe, Kenner, Killana, Kolosh, Kolway, Lamara London, Levecomfort, Leveterapia, Levine, Lia Line, LigthGel, Loucos & Santos, Luiza Barcelos, Luz da Lua, Madeira Brasil, Mississipi, Modare Ultraconforto, Moema, Moleca, Molekinha, Molekinho, New Face, Offline, Opananken Antitensor, Pegada, Perlatto, Petite Jolie, Piccadilly, Pink Cats, Ramarim, Ramony, Redley, Satryani, Savelli, Smidt, Stéphanie Classic, Sua Cia, Suzana Santos, Tabita, Usaflex, Valentina, Variettá, Verofatto, Villione, Vizzano, Voices Culture, Werner, West Coast and Wirth.

About Brazilian Footwear:
Brazilian Footwear is an export incentive program developed by Abicalçados in partnership with ApexBrasil. This program aims to increase the presence of the Brazilian industry and its brands in the international market through development actions, commercial promotion and image. Currently, more than 305 companies are served by the program, which last year generated US$ 116.5 million for Brazilian companies supported by Brazilian Footwear. Participation is free and interested parties should contact Abicalçados.   Learn more: www.abicalcados.com.br/brazilian-footwear.

About ApexBrasil:
The Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) acts to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve the objectives, ApexBrasil carries out diversified commercial promotion actions aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and commercial missions, Business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits by foreign buyers and opinion makers to get to know the Brazilian production structure among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. The agency also works in coordination with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil with a focus on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country. See More: https://apexbrasil.com.br.