In Slowdown, Portuguese Suppliers Rally Around Casatextil
January 17, 2003
Porto - Amid what trade officials call a deceleration of growth in the domestic home textiles industry, Portuguese companies exhibited at the annual Casatextil fair (3-5 October) in Porto's Exponor. While exhibitors said they would like to see a bigger exhibition, they declared that regardless of the size of Casatextil, it was the most important Portuguese show for establishing new business.
The Portuguese Association of home textiles Industries attributes the deceleration in the home textiles market to a worldwide slowdown in the textiles industry. Officials and exhibitors are optimistic that promoting the Portuguese industry in general will mean progress for all its companies.
Casatextil is believed to be a viable means to do that, thus the organizer, Exponor along with Portugal's export promotion council, ICEP, are searching for solutions to increase the attractiveness of the exhibition in the eyes of foreign visitors.
Ribeiro Fontes, general secretary of the Portuguese Textiles and Clothing Industry Federation (FIVEP), said he hoped that Casatextil would grow.
One exhibitor said a larger Casatextil would mean better business. ''I would be happy if 20 or 30 new, strong companies opened tomorrow,'' he said. ''That way people will come to the trade shows.''
A consultant for Casatextil, Manuel Serr''o, recommended Portuguese companies continue investing in promotion of their products.
''It is important that exhibitors invest in exhibitions such as this, for this is the only way that it will be possible to surmount this recently formed pessimistic outlook.''
Meanwhile, the government has initiated a restructuring of ICEP. ''New initiatives, in terms of export and promotion strategies will begin in 2003,'' said Maria Alberta Canizes, deputy director. The organization said it plans to help explore new areas for export growth.
Alberto Costa of F·brica do Castanheiro said exhibiting at Casatextil remains important to his company. ''We must show that we are in good health. The situation worldwide is apparent in every sector of business. Home textiles is not an exception. We do not work much in the domestic market and, due to the current state of affairs, we have felt difficulties in the European market.''
Casatextil also featured a trend display, which consisted of four themed areas: Tea in the Desert; Japanese; Mediterranean and Childhood. Exhibitors supplied samples of articles for the display. Casatextil also received a traveling exhibition of panels with descriptive texts and reproductions of photographs and documents from the Textiles Industry Museum of Vila Nova de Famalio. F&FI
The Portuguese Association of home textiles Industries attributes the deceleration in the home textiles market to a worldwide slowdown in the textiles industry. Officials and exhibitors are optimistic that promoting the Portuguese industry in general will mean progress for all its companies.
Casatextil is believed to be a viable means to do that, thus the organizer, Exponor along with Portugal's export promotion council, ICEP, are searching for solutions to increase the attractiveness of the exhibition in the eyes of foreign visitors.
Ribeiro Fontes, general secretary of the Portuguese Textiles and Clothing Industry Federation (FIVEP), said he hoped that Casatextil would grow.
One exhibitor said a larger Casatextil would mean better business. ''I would be happy if 20 or 30 new, strong companies opened tomorrow,'' he said. ''That way people will come to the trade shows.''
A consultant for Casatextil, Manuel Serr''o, recommended Portuguese companies continue investing in promotion of their products.
''It is important that exhibitors invest in exhibitions such as this, for this is the only way that it will be possible to surmount this recently formed pessimistic outlook.''
Meanwhile, the government has initiated a restructuring of ICEP. ''New initiatives, in terms of export and promotion strategies will begin in 2003,'' said Maria Alberta Canizes, deputy director. The organization said it plans to help explore new areas for export growth.
Alberto Costa of F·brica do Castanheiro said exhibiting at Casatextil remains important to his company. ''We must show that we are in good health. The situation worldwide is apparent in every sector of business. Home textiles is not an exception. We do not work much in the domestic market and, due to the current state of affairs, we have felt difficulties in the European market.''
Casatextil also featured a trend display, which consisted of four themed areas: Tea in the Desert; Japanese; Mediterranean and Childhood. Exhibitors supplied samples of articles for the display. Casatextil also received a traveling exhibition of panels with descriptive texts and reproductions of photographs and documents from the Textiles Industry Museum of Vila Nova de Famalio. F&FI
