Portugal debates the future of the footwear sector
From 18 to 19 November, Porto will host a two-day international conference focused on the challenges and opportunities facing the footwear sector. The event is organized by APICCAPS (Portuguese Footwear Association) and CTCP (Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre).
Porto will be the venue for this international meeting dedicated to the future of the industry. The conference will bring together renowned experts to discuss the technological, economic and environmental transformation.
The event also marks the public presentation of the results of the FAIST Project (Agile, Intelligent, Sustainable and Technological Factory), one of the largest investments ever made by the Portuguese footwear industry. Supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the national cluster has invested more than 50 million euros in automation, robotics and sustainability “with the aim of turning the Portuguese footwear sector into one of the most modern and competitive in the world,” highlighted APICCAPS president Luís Onofre.According to Onofre, “it is time to seriously discuss Europe’s role in global footwear production.” He notes that “around 24 billion pairs of shoes are produced every year, and 90% of that volume is concentrated in Asia. This dependence is neither reasonable nor sustainable. Europe must embrace its responsibility and its potential as a benchmark for quality, innovation and ethical production.”
He argues that “Europe cannot remain merely a consumer market; it must also be a center of intelligent, sustainable and technologically advanced production.” For the APICCAPS president, “European competitiveness is not based on low costs, but on talent, knowledge and added value.”
“Portugal is an example of that vision,” he emphasized. “We have demonstrated that it is possible to produce excellent footwear while respecting the environment, valuing people and investing in technology. We hope this debate encourages other European countries to follow the same path.”
The conference, held in Porto at the Palácio da Bolsa, will focus on topics such as robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. More than 20 journalists from five continents have already confirmed their attendance.
Source: WORLD FOOTWEAR / APICCAPS
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