With the World Cup, industry bet on athletic shoes

The stabilization in growth rates in the industry and competition with other consumer goods are forcing manufacturers of footwear to put your feet on the ground. To soften the reflections of these macroeconomic trends, some brands are betting on market opportunities, especially with the World Cup, to improve results.
"For three years in a row the segment obtained an annual expansion of 10%. Now, we observed an exhaustion of the domestic consumption. Inflation, competition with other goods and income committed generate a direct impact on industry, "said the Chief Executive of the Brazilian Association of Footwear (Abicalçados), Hector Klein, during press conference held at the 41st Edition of the Couromoda, in São Paulo.
Given this scenario, the Amazon Group bets on official line of sandals from the World Cup, licensed by Fifa, to raise its sales in Brazil. "In addition to retail in General, these units will be sold in kiosks installed in stadiums that will get the games. At the Maracanã, for example, will be mounted in kiosks all access, adding more than 20 spaces ", says the supervisor of marketing Amazon Brands, Rafael Wirz.
According to the Executive, more than 1 million pairs will be placed on the market and should hit stores next month. Suggested retail prices are $ 29.90 and r $ 39.90.
Second Wirz, the sector of sandals still is benefited by the high consumption in the Northeast, where winter is less strict, which keeps sales throughout the year. "In 2013, we booked a high expressive production and sales, which nearly doubled compared with the same period in 2012. This makes us optimistic for this year, "added Wirz.
Another company that wants to surf the wave of the World Cup is the Bull Terrier, manufacturer of footwear for the practice of adventure sports. For this year, the brand designs an increase around 5% in production and sales.
"We believe the market will register an improvement in 2014 and the World Cup, in a certain way, just by stimulating the practice of sports. We rely on it, "says the commercial Manager of the Bull Terrier, José Balduino.
The mark must launch 20 new products this year and want to get to the other regions of the country, where its presence is not so strong. "The North and northeast regions are in our sights. Today, 60% of our sales are concentrated in the South of Brazil, while the remainder is in the Southeast, "he adds. With a factory in Franca, in São Paulo, the Bull Terrier already uses 90% of its capacity and works on a turn during the whole year.
In the same segment of shoes for adventure sports, another company plans to take the world to grow. In the case of Braddock. "The World Cup in Brazil will make people circulate more around the country. Access to new scenery should increase the search for comfortable shoes and appropriate for these locations, "says marketing consultant of Braddock, Fernanda Martins, the DCI.
For 2014, the brand plans a growth of 10% to 15% in production and sales. The prices of the new line of products range from R $ 229 and $ 279, and classes A and B are the target audience of the company.
"There are some regions in the country that still want to explore too, as the Vale do Paraíba (SP). Today, the Southeast and the South are concentrated most of the company's sales, approximately 70% to 80%, "says Martins.
According to the Executive, the increase in the prices of some raw materials such as leather, will force the company to perform a final price readjustment. "This high, however, should be below the growth recorded by the inputs. On average, this adjustment will be in 4%, "concludes Martins.
And by all indications, until the children's footwear brands want to seize the opportunity offered by Copa. An example of this is the Klin, who developed the new line Klin selections.
"In 2014 we will take advantage of market opportunities to offer something different and get good results," says the business manager of Klin, Octavian Facholi.
The new line will be formed by five types of shoes that come accompanied by a stuffed dog that barks and shouts goal. Each shoe represents a nation: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan. "We're conducting the production and deliveries should start in March, followed by the months of April and may," says Facholi.
Suggested prices revolve around R $ 99 to $ 120. In relation to a possible price adjustment, the Executive points out that until this moment the company could hold. "The pressure is on and appears in every beginning of year. To reverse it, we have the partnership of suppliers, who also try to hold prices to avoid damaging the consumption, "he adds.
For this year, the company expects stability in production, which in 2013 advanced 5.5% before 2012. Yesterday, the President of Couromoda, Francisco Santos, said the business closed at the fair open "prospects for a good year, with possible growth of 3.5% on 2013".