Plated jewelry made in Brazil extends far beyond earrings, necklaces and rings. Nowadays, the brilliance of precious metals is also present in clothing, shoes, and even pet shop products. All the variety in this production chain, and even the above mentioned trends will be on display in the sixth edition of Aljoias, a fair for the sector that will begin on the August 28 and continue until the 31st, in the city of Limeira, in the interior of the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo.
According to the event's organizers, 120 companies, all of them Brazilian, will showcase their new products and exchange information with more than 8,000 expected buyers, coming from 25 different countries. The fair is expected to generate 30 million Brazilian reais (US$ 15.4 million) in business deals.
The event will be held in the city that is the country's main production hub. According to í‚ngelo Percebon, president at the Jewelry Association of Limeira (ALJ), in the region there are currently around 450 companies making plated jewelry.
"Not counting those operating in informality," he says. Besides Limeira, Percebon claims that the cities of Guaporé, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (South), and Juazeiro do Norte, in the state of Ceará (Northeast), are the two other Brazilian hubs in the sector. Nevertheless, Limeira is the most expressive one. Not just in terms of the number of companies, but also in terms of sales: 60% of plated jewelry exports come from there.
Percebon says that, although the segment is still recent in Brazil – "it has not even celebrated its silver anniversary yet," he quips -, already it has consolidated itself in the domestic and foreign markets, despite the unfavorable exchange rates.
According to data supplied by the Brazilian Institute of Gems and Precious Metals (IBGM), this specific segment recorded a US$ 49,000 profit from exports in 2002. In 2006, the amount increased to US$ 87,700.
"Of course it is difficult to compete with China, for instance, but presently we already sell to the five continents," says Percebon. "And the Chinese products, as we all know, are better priced, but lack quality."
During the fair, there will be a business roundtable for international buyers. In addition to the finished products, the exhibitors will showcase unfinished products, production material, inputs, components, and specific machinery and equipment for the sector.
Buyers and professionals from France, Romania, Mexico, and the United States have already confirmed their presence.
New trends
The plated jewelry segment walks hand in hand with textile industry trends. And the opposite is also true. Percebon explains that it is increasingly common for textile companies to seek jewelry that matches their models.
"I am negotiating with a shoe factory that wants to use stones, and with a lingerie manufacturer that wants to make a bra strap with earrings to match," says the businessman. The pet shop segment also demands plated items to offer to pet owners stylish collars, bona fide canine necklaces.
"Nowadays we are paying attention to everything, most of all to what the shoe and textile industries are doing," Percebon sums it up.
Service
ALJOIAS
Date: From August 28 to 31
Place: Limeira Municipality Event Center, SP
Telephone: (+55 19) 3446-3700
www.aljoias.com.br
Anba – www.anba.com.br
