The numbers of Portuguese shoes

The Portuguese footwear industry has reached an average price per pair, ex-factory for export, the highest in the world.

Gains in value added are the result of the journey started in 1978, when the economist Miguel Cadilhe drafted the first strategic plan in the industry and paved the way for the Footwear Technology Centre. In 1984, Carlos Costa, the current governor of the Bank of Portugal, drew the new plan, based on the brand sector, research and development presence in fairs abroad.

The “made in Portugal” has become an important asset.

The last bulletin provided by APICCAPS predicts the growth of production and order backlog.

Year after year, figures show that while the European share in world production of shoes fell from 34% to 7%, Portugal has been gaining ground in Italy and Spain.

35515 was the number of employees employed by the footwear industry, last year. In 1974 were 15,299 and in 2000 were some 50 000. The year registered the highest number of jobs was in 1994 with 59,099.

Portugal is exporting more than ninety percent of its production of footwear, leather overcoat and headed for segments of medium and high.

59244 million pairs of shoes were exported to Portugal in 2009 worth 1.2 million Euros, and imported about the same number: 51 million pairs of shoes. But the shoes that entered the country was generally of poor quality, since only earned 398 million Euros. With respect to export the best year was 2001, with 1,599 million Euros (92.395 million and pairs).

58882 million were sales of shoes in 2007, the year that sold more pairs, valued at 465.302 million Euros. In 2009, the number fell to 55.626 million pairs, wich amounts to 506,557 million Euros. Last year 68 companies have created 25 new brands, 233 models and three patents.

63,6 million pairs of shoes were produced in Portugal in 2009, which registered a slight decline compared to 2008, whose production was 69 million. The best number in terms of production was 1999 with 109.578 million pairs of shoes.

1399 was the number of footwear companies in Portugal, in 2009, according to industry association (APICCAPS). Were only 673 in 1974 but in 1999, the year which saw the greatest number, got to 1645.

10 % is the expected value of increase in the price of footwear for 2011, due to the brutal rise of raw materials. The price of skins has increased more than 30% in recent months. Also the rubber soles are rising because of rising oil prices.

382 million Euros was the value of footwear exports in the region of Felgueiras in 2008. This is the region that have more weight in the export of this product and accounts for nearly one third of national exports. Santa Maria Feira appears in 2nd place with 181 million exported, assuming a relative weight of 14% in exports (less than one percentage point that in 2007). Conversely, the industry is gaining importance in Guimarães, with an increase of 9 to 10%, relative to 103 million exported.

140 is the number of companies that will participate in 80 professional contests in the world this year, an increase of about 50% compared to 2009, where the sector of footwear participated in 53 fairs abroad and conducted a trade mission Angola. In 2008, the first time, the Portuguese footwear industry exported to all continents.

32,6 % is the percentage in value of men footwear exports. 32,6% of exports (less 5,2%) and 31,8% in quantity (less 1,4%) while the child footwear fell 2.7% to 4.7 million pairs (less 2.7%) in the value of 82 million Euros (down 1.6%).

50 % of the total and the share which represents sales of shoes for women in foreign markets in 2008. According to data from APICCAPS between 2003 and 2008 there was an increase of about 6%.In quantity, the total percentage of exported shoes for women stands at 47%, 1.5% more than in 2003.