>> Business News February 2012

TFL publishes every month business news with focus on the leather industry, on a worldwide basis.

Gabor repeats double-digit growth

Gabor Shoes AG, Rosenheim, managed to sustain its dynamic growth throughout 2011, posting sales worth 363 million Euro (including licences for Gabor bags, Gabor kids and Gabor shoe care, own-run shops and Gabor Footwear GmbH), thus overtopping last year’s record results by 13.8 percent.

The company expects a further satisfactory performance in 2012 and will again invest strongly in the future. Promotional activities are to continue at the existing high level. In addition, there are plans for 60 to 80 new shop concepts worldwide. In view of the increased delivery volumes Gabor is to expand its logistics capacities, besides investing in modernized machinery.

Meindl invests in its Kirchanschöring facilities

Meindl GmbH & Co. KG is investing its Kirchanschöring premises. This year a new logistics building is being erected at the firm’s headquarters. The building will be almost 100 metres long and twelve and a half metres high, providing more production space for the future. In addition it will strengthen delivery of supplies to the firm’s own production sites in Europe besides functioning as the pivotal point for deliveries worldwide, according to commercial manager Lars Meindl.

The latest product line, “Identity”, is also set to conquer the market from Kirchanschöring. The items in the “Identity” range are accompanied by detailed proof of origin of the upper leather used. With its Identity range of footwear Meindl intends to provide total transparency – starting with the alpine meadow where the cattle graze and live in environmentally sound conditions, via the tannery where the hides undergo verifiably environment-friendly tanning in Germany, right through to footwear production. The Identity line will be launched in a few weeks’ time with four styles each for women and men. There are models for trekking and for daily wear.

Full house at I.L.M

The 2012/13 International Leather Goods Fair (I.L.M.) “Winter Styles”, to run from 10 to 12 March and therefore earlier than in the past , will be focussing on new bag fashion. Some 230 domestic and foreign exhibitors will be represented at this season opener for fashionable leather accessories and bags in Offenbach. Daily fashion shows, lectures, booklets and fashion points devoted to autumn/winter trends will acquaint visitors with the new fashion season highlights. On Saturday 10 March at 16.30 the Federal Leather Goods and Plastic Products Association (BVLK) invites visitors to the Fashion Forecast Spring/Summer 2013. The new I.L.M. award, the International Leather Goods Fair innovation prize, will be presented in the context of a festive evening on Sunday 11 March. The ceremony has been expanded to include, as a new element, the adjudication of a national prize for the category “Product Design” and the new Buyers’ Award. The prize money totals 15 000 Euro.

GDS and Global Shoes expect just short of 1’200 exhibitors

Upwards of 800 exhibitors from more than 30 countries are expected to attend the forthcoming GDS from 14 to 16 March in Dusseldorf. Over 1’800 collections will showcase the latest trends in shoes, bags and accessories for the 2012/13 autumn/winter season. On all three days a broadly diversified supporting programme with fashion shows, seminars and lectures will run in parallel with the display section. The entire public image of the GDS has been revamped and visually designed around the topic “Inspiration to go”.

As an international commercial centre Global Shoes too presents itself in a new design. Under the motto “Shoe fashion all along the line” the platform for OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and volume suppliers is displaying a widely variegated range of footwear and leather goods for the volume market. Exhibitor numbers are expected to exceed 360.

Modacalzado: same number of participants as last year

Roughly six weeks before the Spanish footwear and leather goods fair Modacalzado + Iberpiel - due to run from 11 to 13 March – opens its doors, the organizer Ifema reports that the number of applications is at last year’s level. In September some 550 exhibitors had stands. The new concept introduced in September with an innovative stand design and the new venue in halls 12 and 14 of the Madrid fairground is being continued.