Luís Onofre has been reappointed as President of APICCAPS (Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association) for another three-year tenure.
Leading a sole list comprising 26 business leaders, Onofre will steer this national business association, rooted in Porto since 1975. APICCAPS represents the full spectrum of Portugal's footwear industry – encompassing footwear manufacturing, component production, leather goods, and industry equipment trade. Joaquim Moreira presides over the General Meeting, while Domingos Ferreira heads the Supervisory Board.
Onofre notes, "The recent COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our operations”. Moreover, sectors with a high reliance on exports have contended with challenges from the Ukrainian conflict, notably inflation and a slowdown in key markets. Despite these hurdles, the footwear sector has introduced a new Strategic Plan for the coming decade, aiming to position Portuguese footwear as a leading player in sustainable solution development. Under the PRR, two major projects are in progress, with investments totalling approximately 140 million euros.
For the upcoming term, Onofre highlights, "We will have a robust team of business leaders at the helm of APICCAPS”. The focus will be on executing the strategic plan, particularly on internationalising Portuguese companies. “In an era of modest global economic growth, our success in penetrating new markets and segments with higher value will be vital.”
Onofre concludes, “In the forthcoming months, it's crucial for APICCAPS and its member companies to again display their resilience and investment capacity.”
The sector, which includes over 1,500 companies employing 40,000 people (per the Ministry of Labour), exports over 90% of its production. Last year, this amounted to 2,400 million euros. The past decade has seen a 50% increase in exports from the footwear and leather goods sector.
Geographically concentrated, the majority of this production occurs in two main areas: Felgueiras and Guimarães, and the municipalities of Santa Maria da Feira, Oliveira de Azeméis, and S. João da Madeira. These five areas contribute to over three-quarters of the sector's employment. Further south, the Benedita region, although smaller, plays a significant role.
