The Footwear Components Industry Meets Again at the 69th AYSAF

AYSAF, the major meeting point of the footwear sector, opened at Istanbul Expo Center with a Zeybek dance performance marking the 100th anniversary of the Republic. The 69th International Footwear Components Fair AYSAF, organized in cooperation with the sector's umbrella organization Footwear Components Manufacturers Association AYSAD and Artkim Exhibitions, brings together over 30 business lines from around the world, including manufacturers of footwear component materials, leather, synthetic leather, textiles, soles, heels, accessories, machinery, chemicals and molds. AYSAF, Eurasia's largest and Europe's second-largest fair in its sector, opened its doors with 371 companies. The fair opening was conducted jointly by Istanbul Deputy Governor Nail Anlar, İDMİB Board Chairman Güven Karaca, İTO Board Member Giyasettin Eyyüpkoca, AYSAD Board Chairman Sait Salıcı, and Artkim Group Founder and CEO Cengiz Yaman.

"371 companies participated, 55 of them international"

Speaking at the fair opening, ARTKIM Exhibitions Founder and CEO Cengiz Yaman, said: "Considering the current conditions of the footwear sector and our country, our priority was to bring our fair to the best point in terms of international visitors and participants. Within this scope, to attract more foreign visitors and participants, we attended exhibitions from Portugal to Italy, from Germany to Russia, and also visited countries such as Uzbekistan, Poland, Dubai, Egypt and Iran, conducting face-to-face meetings and presentations. As a result of these efforts, after many years, participants from countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, India and Taiwan have also taken their places at our fair," he said. Noting that 371 companies, 55 of them international, participated in AYSAF this year across an area of 23,000 square meters, Yaman stated: "Buying delegations from numerous countries, from Uzbekistan to Portugal and Italy to Bulgaria, are visiting our fair." "Buy domestic, support local. I threw away all the non-domestic shoes in my house." AYSAD Board Chairman Sait Salıcı said: "In 2022, global footwear production reached 23.9 billion pairs with a 7.6 percent increase over the previous year. 88 percent of global footwear production is carried out by a group of 10 countries. Turkey ranks 4th with 378 million pairs. Labor-intensive industries like footwear must increase automation to not lose ground against rising labor costs. We have extremely capable manufacturers. To prevent customers from leaving, we need to solve quality and stability problems and shift towards value-added products." Emphasizing that a national mobilization should be declared, Salıcı said: "Buy domestic, support local. I threw away all the non-domestic shoes in my house. If everyone behaves the same way for at least two years and gives importance to domestic products, I believe we will overcome the problems in our sector much more easily," and concluded his remarks with the words of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: "Buy Turkish goods, use Turkish goods. Let Turkish money stay in Turkish territory."