Editor in Chief of Exhibitions Magazine: Our Effort is to Raise the Iranian Flag in all Exhibitions
What happened at the Simac exhibition in Italy?
News Leather and shoe Industrial magazine was present at SIMAC exhibition for many years, but after the Covid epidemic and the postponement of the exhibition, it stayed away from this exhibition for a few years. And now after three years, it again participated in Italy’s Simac exhibition. The presence of this magazine in various exhibitions, especially foreign exhibitions, is not possible except due to its managing editor’s hard work and efforts, who has always tried to make the magazine as an Iranian specialized publication among the top magazines in the world. For this purpose, and of course, to ask around the Simac exhibition we have an interview with Afshin Shadimehr, which you will read below.
On attending the Simac, TanningTech and LineaPelle exhibitions, Afshin Shadimehr, Editor inchief of News Leather and shoe Industrial magazine, said: “We attended these exhibitions for the first time about 20 years ago. In the beginning, two separate exhibitions were held for Simac and Tanning Tech, in parallel with which LineaPelle exhibition was held as well. This year, five exhibitions were held next to each other, and the dates of which almost overlapped. In addition to the three exhibitions I mentioned, Micam and Maple exhibitions were also held. I need to remind you that the LineaPelle exhibition was related to shoe accessories, Simac was a shoe machinery exhibition, and Tanning Tech was a leather machinery and chemicals exhibition. The Mipel exhibition is the bag exhibition and the Micam exhibition is also the world’s shoe fashion exhibition. All of these exhibitions occupied a single hall, and finally they all became one unified exhibition.”
“I got a chance to visit the Mipel and Micam exhibitions. Of course, I visit the LineaPelle exhibition every year because it is related to basic equipment such as soles, fittings and … of shoes. But the gist was the exhibitions of Simac and Tanning Tech which are organized by Assomac (the National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Footwear, Leather goods and Tanning Technologies). At the invitation of this association, the News Leather and shoe Industrial magazine attends the exhibition and as a media is an exhibitor in the press section of the exhibition”, Shadimehr further noted.
Less visible presence of Iranians
In a reply to the question about the presence of Iranians in the exhibition, he said: “No Iranian exhibitor was present in the exhibition. 5 visitors were invited as VIP by Assomac. There were also a limited number of leather makers who were interested in seeing the technology of leather machinery and tools, but no shoemaker was present.”
Towards Robotization
Answering the question of how much the technologies of the machines in the exhibition had been updated, the Editor in chief of the News Leather and shoe Industrial magazine: “A Turkish friend who attended the exhibition in the previous era – the Post-COVID-19 – in which I was not present, stated that new technology was not present in the exhibition compared to the previous period. But what I saw and filmed was that everything had become robotic and it seemed that the human presence in the industry was becoming weaker. For example, Main group made a device that automatically glues around the shoe soles. The interesting thing was the sewing machines that worked without human help, so that the fabric was placed under the machine which itself did the embroidery. Or, ATOM Company brought an interesting system that put 5 to 6 cutting machines together, which were programmed, and one worker was enough to spread the fabric piece so that the machines themselves were dong the cutting. This robotization of machines was attractive, which we are far behind in Iran. In our country, apart from one factory, I have not seen any other robotic machine anywhere.”
Global recession
Also in an answer to the question of how other exhibitions of shoe accessories such as soles, fittings, etc. were in the main exhibition, and ShadiMehr said: “The companies had somehow merged together. It seemed that in the Post-COVID-19 era, the whole world is involved in the issue of sales, and everyone at the exhibition was somehow sad. This shows that the world is in recession and there are not so many sales for manufacturers. So the companies were merged together. For example in the field of media, three magazines were merged and became one magazine. Of course, the units were not closed, but they were merged.” Also, in replying the question of how many Asian visitors were present at the exhibition, he said: “Indians did not have a noticeable present. It seemed that there was a problem between the Indians and Assomac. Pakistanis were not present either. Of course there were not many Chinese as well. It seems that the whole world has been frozen in the Post-COVID-19 era, and they still haven’t had the opportunity to attend exhibitions.”
Attending other international exhibitions
In answering the question of which foreign exhibitions you will be attending by the end of the year, the editor in chief of News Leather and shoe Industrial magazine said: “Apart from the two or three good domestic exhibitions we have, we will go to the Garda exhibition, and most likely to the Indian exhibition. We also have plans for Iraq and Erbil, and finally, if possible, we may go to Africa as well. Of course, we are present in all exhibitions in Turkey, including AYSAF. We also have an exhibition in Hong Kong that it is not clear whether we will be able to attend or not. We attended the last two years in Dubai and it was a relatively good exhibition for leather.”
Attending the shoe industry family
On his presence at the exhibition in Milan, Italy, ShadiMehr also said: When I was at the exhibition, I felt like I had entered my family. Almost all the exhibitors knew me, except the newly established companies to which we were being introduced by the rest of companies as an Iranian magazine. In fact, this is a cultural work that we consider our mission. We have established a good relationship with Germans. Many friends welcomed us and it was a good opportunity to meet after the end of COVID-19. At the exhibition, we knew about 80% of the exhibitors. One of the reasons that we were attracted to the exhibition was that we can say that we are still alive and well-established.”
Last word
In the end, he pointed out: “I am very grateful to my team for supporting me and I appreciate the patience of each and every colleague. Leather and footwear industry news magazine enabled us to get a visa before the ambassador. I am also very grateful to the magazine’s sponsors, who have always supported us, and to the industry managers, who have always supported us and paved the way for us to go on such trips.”
