A mission to China, conducted by the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear and Artifacts (Assintecal) through the Brazilian Materials program (a partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil)), has identified important insights for the sector. The initiative included participation from companies Fibertex, Injepol, Encaixe Componentes, and New Way, in addition to a delegation from the Rio Grande do Sul State Secretariat for Economic Development.

Luiz Ribas Júnior, Assintecal’s International Market Manager, says the group visited factories in Shanghai and Lishu and participated in the All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE), which generated over R$75 million in business. “During the mission, we identified that Chinese factories are highly focused on process optimization and the customer experience, not just in the B2C (end consumer) model, but also in B2B (business-to-business) deals,” he explains.

In these new processes, Ribas Júnior highlights the use of Artificial Intelligence and automation (Industry 4.0), which has led to significant and “aggressive” changes in communication and marketing. “These were important lessons that, when replicated here in Brazil, can greatly improve the competitiveness of our companies,” the manager concludes.

The Market

China, more than a competitor to the Brazilian industry, is a commercial success story. It accounts for almost 60% of the world’s total production, with 12.3 billion pairs out of a total of 22 billion produced in 2023.

About Brazilian Materials

Brazilian manufacturers in the components sector who are interested in expanding their commercial relationships with the foreign market have the opportunity to participate, along with 300 other companies, in the Brazilian Materials project. This project, carried out by Assintecal, ApexBrasil, and Abrameq, aims to promote strong export performance and, consequently, the entire sector. The project offers solutions tailored to each level of internationalization, providing companies with access to commercial promotion, intelligence, training, and more. For more information, please contact: relacionamento@assintecal.org.br.

About ApexBrasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these goals, ApexBrasil carries out a variety of trade promotion activities aimed at boosting exports and adding value to Brazilian products and services abroad. These activities include prospective and commercial missions, business rounds, support for Brazilian companies participating in major international trade fairs, visits by foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about Brazil’s production structure, and other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the “Brazil brand.” The Agency also works in coordination with public and private stakeholders to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on sectors that are strategic for developing the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country as a whole.