The first edition of Expo Riva Schuh India will be held in the fair centre of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from 28-30 July 2011. The new international exhibition, hosted in the areas of Hall 14, will present the finished products of various commercial sectors, from footwear to leather accessories (footwear, bags, belts, purses and wallets, gloves and other accessories in leather) for the first time in India. The more than 200 exhibitors come from countries like China and Thailand and also the main European countries, including Spain and Italy, obviously in addition to India, now the second world centre for footwear roduction.
So all the world footwear production will be more than significantly represented with a diversified offer for the type of product, market target and price tier, with special attention on the development of the business in the Indian market. As a result of the agreements made by Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, there will also be many sector associations, bodies and international organisms taking part in the exhibition.
Expo Riva Schuh India will co-operate with the Indian Council for Leather Export (CLE), a non-profit agency which carries out international promotion and development work for the Indian leather industry under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The agreement between the CLE and Expo Riva Schuh is particularly important because it ratifies a lasting co-operation on several fronts which goes beyond the individual fair. The CLE will be responsible for an entire exhibition area at Expo Riva Schuh India, completely given to local Indian production. About 100 Indian exhibitors from all the leading production centres of the country will be hosted in this area.
The Thai Footwear Industry Association will also be represented by a significant number of exhibitors from Thailand, the expression of a production system which is acquiring a crucial role in the global panorama of the footwear industry. According to the latest SATRA data, the country produces 255 million pairs of shoes a year and exports 146 million, thus becoming the seventh producer and eighth exporter of footwear worldwide.
Various Chinese organisations have also confirmed they will attend, representing the country now confirmed as the leading production and export centre for footwear worldwide. The latest SATRA data shows how China has reached 63% of global production, over 10 billion pairs of shoes, more than double the number produced jointly by the main world competitors. Therefore, China will be at the fair with 40 companies from some of the leading Chinese production centres. The Xiamen L&C International Exhibition, the Guangdong Economic Association and the Fujian Foreign Economic Service Trade, world leaders in the organisation of fairs and international exhibitions in the footwear sector, will represent the important Chinese market at Expo Riva Schuh India.
In addition to this already confirmed, direct attendance of international organisms, the principal European production centres will be represented by important delegations, particularly from Spain and Italy. These two countries are the leading producers of footwear in Europe. Italian production is around 225 million pairs, placing the country at eighth place in the world classification in terms of volume, while Spanish production is around 107 million pairs. Together, they account for 69% of western European production, the most oriented to fashion and medium-high level production, and 36% of total European
production (western and eastern Europe). In addition to the strictly quantitative values, there will be an interesting mix of volume production and that with a higher fashion content, as is the tradition of the exhibitions organised by Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, at Expo Riva Schuh India.
The first edition of Expo Riva Schuh India therefore prepares to offer excellent business opportunities to international players who want to enter the Indian market, but also to Indian companies to meet partners to set up manufacturing and distribution co-operation with. The aim is therefore to present Expo Riva Schuh India as a true business platform through which business and partnership agreements can be developed on the basis of the experience of the Italian fair at Riva del Garda.
