FIMEC reinforced its leadership as a global industry trade fair
The 49th FIMEC -International Fair of Leather, Chemicals, Materials, Components, Machines and Equipment for Footwear and Tanneries- was held from March 3 to 5 at the FENAC pavilions in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
The exhibition once again reaffirmed its importance in the domestic, regional and international markets. FIMEC is one of the three largest trade fairs in the sector worldwide, and 30,000 m² were used so that suppliers from different origins could present their offerings to local visitors and attendees from various regions.
Over three days, the event brought together 23,000 visitors and 400 exhibitors, who presented solutions focused on competitiveness, innovation and production efficiency.
According to FENAC’s interim Executive Director, Marlos Schmidt, “the fair exceeded the organizers’ initial expectations; we surpassed our projection of 20,000 visitors, which is positive not only because of the number, but mainly because of the quality of the audience.”
“International presence defined this edition, which gathered participants from 33 countries, including both visitors and exhibitors. In addition to those from Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, as the closest countries, we also welcomed representatives from Germany, Italy, South Korea and China, for example. This shows how visitors and exhibitors from around the world value FIMEC and the opportunities it provides.”
José Schorr. Commercial Director at HIMACO. Exhibitor
“It was an excellent fair. We received many potential clients, and we had the opportunity to show our machine in operation, confirming the equipment’s quality. This was very important for us.”
Atana Machado, Marketing Coordinator at COLORGRAF. Exhibitor
“It was a wonderful edition. We had a lot of activity over the three days and were able to welcome many clients. This is very useful for us because we always develop our collections with their needs in mind.”
Camila Rosa. Marketing Manager at CAIMI LIAISON. Exhibitor
“This edition was a success. Our stand was full for all three days and we welcomed many clients. For us, the visitors were highly qualified. We had the opportunity to present our synthetics collection for Summer 2026/27.”
Gerson Berwanger. President of Assintecal (Suppliers). Exhibitor
He offered a positive assessment of the sector’s current situation. “After a difficult year, we started 2026 with better news, such as progress on the free trade agreement between Brazil and the European Union and the end of the 50% tariff imposed by the United States on Brazilian footwear and on a range of important products developed here.” He noted that “FIMEC serves as an indicator of sentiment and of the business that develops throughout the year.”
Angela Aldana. Chemical Engineer. Visitor from COLOMBIA
“This fair is very interesting because it brings together a large part of the footwear industry in one place. As Brazil is a very large country, it would be difficult to visit companies from different regions separately. Here we can find several suppliers at the same time.”
In its 16th edition, the CONCEPT FACTORY demonstrated industrial production in real time. It is the only trade fair in the world that presents a factory in full operation. This time, it featured six production lines operating simultaneously. Known as the Concept Factory, the initiative was carried out in collaboration with the Brazilian Institute of Leather, Footwear and Artifacts Technology (IBTeC), Coelho Assessoria Empresarial and Fenac.
Over the three days of the fair, visitors were able to follow every stage of the footwear production process, from material preparation to final finishing. The project brought together the brands Klin, Fiber and Cravo Canela, as well as more than 100 students from Senai Calçado, who worked directly on the production lines and experienced the industry’s routine.
Digital transformation also took center stage at the CICB Sustainability Forum, promoted by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB), in collaboration with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), through the Brazilian Leather project. This year, the meeting addressed the topic “Industry and Transformation with Artificial Intelligence,” presenting the impacts of AI on management, operations and ESG progress in the leather production chain.
Among the highlights of the 49th FIMEC, the Welcome Project was created to expand the presence of strategic national and international buyers. The initiative involved local footwear clusters such as Jaú, Franca, Birigui, Nova Serrana and São João Batista, as well as international partnerships with Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Panama.
The traditional Buyer Project, developed by the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear and Manufactured Goods (Assintecal) and the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Industries for the Leather, Footwear and Related Sectors (Abrameq), promoted business matchmaking rounds with 11 groups of international buyers.
The 50th FIMEC -International Fair of Leather, Chemicals, Materials, Components, Machines and Equipment for Footwear and Tanneries- will be held from March 9 to 11, 2027, at the FENAC pavilions in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Será una fecha especial, por ser la 50.ª edición de FIMEC y la celebración del centenario de Novo Hamburgo.
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- Expectations grow ahead of the next FIMEC in March 2026, in Brazil
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