The German city of Düsseldorf is hosting another edition of the A+A Fair, which ends on 8 November and which is being attended by six Portuguese companies - A. Sampaio e Filhos Têxteis, S.A. -Axfilia -Endutex -Gulbena -Idepa -Ultra Creative - supported by the Selectiva Moda Association, as part of the From Portugal internationalization project.
Technical textiles made in Portugal continue to grow and consolidate their position in the international market. A. Sampaio e Filhos Têxteis, S.A. – Axfilia – Endutex – Gulbena – Idepa – Ultra Creative – are the six Portuguese companies representing Portugal at the A+A fair, an initiative organised by the Selectiva Moda Association, with financial support from the NSRF and Compete.
In organising the Portuguese participation in the A+A Fair, the Selectiva Moda Association has Citeve as a partner. CITEVE will be in the next A+A Fair on the FROM PORTUGAL stand, to promote its offer of integrated services covering the full development from the idea through to tests and trials and the finished product, always working towards the greater incorporation of value and innovation in its clients' products, particularly those aimed at technical and functional textile and garment markets.
“On display is the prototype of the STORM SYSTEM project developed for the Miguel Rios Design office, which had the original idea and developed the design, and the MY WEAR European project - Customised eco-friendly, safe, healthy and smart workwear and sportswear”, Hélder Rosendo, the Deputy General Director of Citeve, says. CITEVE is a textile technology centre based in Vila Nova de Famalicão, in Portugal, and with commercial branches in Brazil, Tunisia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Pakistan.
A. Sampaio e Filhos presents its Protection+ product range at the A+A Fair. “This range offers a complete set of knitwear certified for important needs: protection against heat and flame, electrostatic properties, protection against electric arcs, high visibility, amongst others”, João Mendes, the Company's Director, explains. Presence at this event is very important. “It is an European fair that deals with security and protection at a professional level. This is a growing market for our company and our participation at this fair is a must for our commercial strategy” he says.
Axfilia brings three collections to Düsseldorf with very different applications, technical requirements and designs. Products from the areas of Protective Wear, Workwear and Corporate Wear will be on display, special attention to knitwear products and accessories being common to all these areas. This is the Portuguese company's first appearance at this event.
“This is an event where the main players are present. Since the development of work clothes is Axfilia's main activity, our participation in this fair has become essential. Our company deals entirely with exports, hence the importance of our presence at the event”, Maria José Machado, the company's General Manager, explains.
“We want to bring to the fair a consistency in the range of high quality, 100% Portuguese products, in order to strengthen our image in Europe and increase the number of contacts, exports and sales”, she adds.
Ultra Creative, a specialist in Work Wear, considers A+A to be the ideal showcase for its products. “Since A+A is a specialist fair for work clothes, the event is just right to display Ultra Creative products, Work Wear being our target market”, says Andreia Carneiro, the company's Marketing Manager. She has high hopes for the company's participation.
“As a result of our participation, we hope to meet other more specific segments and see how they are positioned. To get to know clients' needs and new technologies, so that we can respond to requests from our customers” she explains.
A+A is the biggest and most important event specialising in health and safety at work. There will be about 1600 exhibitors from 54 countries in this edition, in an exhibition space of 57,000 square metres.
The participation of Portuguese companies in the A+A Fair is an initiative of the Selectiva Moda Association, with the support of Compete and the NSRF, as part of the From Portugal project. The Selectiva Moda Association is a body that promotes the internationalisation of Portuguese companies, and for 2013 it has a programme of international activities in 35 different markets, targeting the areas of yarns, fabrics and accessories, fashion, home and decorative textiles and technical textiles.