Kuala Lumpur, 28 July 2015: MATRADE is organizing the third participation of 10 Malaysian companies at GDS in Dusseldorf, Germany from 29 – 31 July 2015. Participation in 2014 had shown an 85% increase in potential export sales as compared to the first time participation in 2013.
Malaysia, being one of Asia’s largest exporters of footwear, is aiming to make a major leap in this year“s edition of GDS and tag it! to further strengthen its market position in the region. Malaysia’s exports of footwear last year rose by 4% to RM 493.1 million. The industry currently ranks 13th largest in Asia with an annual production capacity of 70 million pairs.
Malaysian footwear are well known for its high quality and prompt delivery, which is attributed partly to the experience and skilled workforce. At present, the industry focuses on high end ladies‘ fashion footwear which accounted for 90% of the export share. It is imperative for the players to nurture brand owners in the segment since Malaysia is a market leader in ladies“ footwear.
To stay ahead of other competitors, Malaysian companies are constantly introducing and adopting innovative designs, patterns and colours. These companies are often owned by creative shoe designers where they also collaborate with third-party designers to develop footwear suitable for a wide-range of market segments.
Going forward, the industry is in a position to offer well-manufactured creative products at competitive prices by having ready access to a large creative talent pool, ASEAN supply chain as well as efficient production and logistics facilities. Malaysian companies would also continue to enhance their competitiveness by investing in the necessary technology to meet the changing expectations of a segmented market. Modernising their production units and introducing new technologies has definitely raised the quality of output and improved product consistency.
In their quest to create an identity for their products, Malaysian footwear manufacturers have successfully marketed their own brands such as Terry Wilson, Salsa, WH Shoes, MISANO, Jimmy Chia and UNIFIT. In addition, Malaysian footwear manufacturers are also known for their strong capability to produce for prominent international brands such as Camel, Hush Puppies, Scholl, Puma and Nike. These have resulted in the expansion of Malaysia“s market penetration in key markets and segments.
Together with the Malaysian Footwear Manufacturers‘ Association (MFMA) – which represents most of the leading Malaysian footwear manufacturers, a total of 8 leading footwear manufacturers from Malaysia will be participating in this year“s GDS and tag it!. Terry Wilson is a Malaysian shoe“s designer who will be showcasing his latest collections at GDS.
Known for its distinctive one-of-a-kind bag creations and relentless attention to detail, Sakura Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a 100% Malaysian owned company known for its passion to revive local textile and cultural arts, will also be participating in GDS segment. Sakura Malaysia has gained high recognition for combining heritage and fashion forward trends in its design aesthetics. Her collections are available for both men and women, with collections ranging from affordable luxury to exceptional premium pieces.
For this third time participation, Malaysia’s exhibitors will be focusing on current fashions and contemporary designs as well as quality finishing with competitive pricing to attract potential buyers.
Generalkonsulat von Malaysia, Handelsabteilung
Kontakt
MATRADE FRANKFURT, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, Generalkonsulat von Malaysia
Jai Shankar
Kastor-Hochhaus, 17. Stock, Platz der Einheit 1
60327 Frankfurt am Main
(0) 69 2475015-14
frankfurt@matrade.gov.my
http://www.matrade.gov.my
