Sales abroad increase by 14% in the last year.

   The number of exporting companies in the regional footwear sector has increased by 34.44% in the last year, from 90 in the first four months of the year 2016 to 121 in the same time period this year.

   The community, through Info, developed the program ‘ Murcia Calzado ‘, paying attention to promote the innovation and internationalization of the companies that make up the sector.

   According to the director of the Info, Joaquín Gómez: «Two of the main axes of this plan are the impulse to the modernization of a sector characterized by the quality of its products with a specific bet to introduce the technologies 4.0 and the promotion of the Internationalization, betting on consolidating traditional markets such as France, Italy or the United Kingdom, and diversifying and capturing new emerging markets.

   During the visit to several footwear companies, the director of the Regional Development Agency explained to the businessmen and members of the Association two of the latest initiatives implemented within the plan ‘ Murcia Calzado ‘.

   In terms of innovation, the Info is open from the end of last May, and until next August 21st, a line of aid to promote industrial design among SMEs in the sector. The program, endowed with a budget of 300,000 euros, envisages on the one hand supports of up to 20,000 euros to promote the hiring of external services of innovation and a second modality, with AIDS of up to 50,000 euros, to stimulate the incorporation of Research staff or the purchase of equipment and materials that consolidate the design and innovation activities.

   In terms of internationalisation, the companies in the regional footwear sector will participate for the first time, next August, at the Magic Platform International Fair in Las Vegas, which with more than 700 exhibitors and 1,600 brands from over 20 countries around the world is One of the most important quotes of this sector in the American market.

   The plan also envisages the landing in Australia and in the United Kingdom, to promote the region of Murcia brand.

 These promotional actions, as well as the organization of several trade missions focused on this sector, made exports of regional footwear increase up to 14% over the past year.

   In the first four months of this year, sales in the international markets already reach 47,890,000 euros, which places the region as the fifth most exporting province.

Source: Murciaeconomia.com