Editor’s Note
This article highlights Extenda’s strategic efforts to boost the international presence of Andalusia’s vital jewelry sector through trade fairs, missions, and training programs.
Due to the importance of the jewelry sector in Andalusia’s consumer goods industry and its particular relevance in the productive fabric of provinces like Córdoba, Extenda promotes numerous actions to support the internationalization of this field. This is achieved through participation in international fairs, trade missions, and professional training sessions, among other initiatives.
Among the main fairs where companies from the province participate to learn firsthand about sector innovations, present their products, and exchange experiences are those in Hong Kong, Vicenzaoro (Italy), and Bisutex, Intergift, and Madrid Joya, the latter three held in Spain’s capital.
At the ‘Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair’, a total of 13 jewelry companies from Córdoba presented their designs and sought business opportunities in the Asian market, in addition to learning about current trends in jewelry materials, diamonds, pearls, and precious stones. The event took place from September 14 to 18 and was supported by the Regional Ministry of Knowledge, Research and University, through Extenda-Andalusian Agency for Foreign Promotion.
The Hong Kong Jewelry Fair is held twice a year (June and September) and is organized by UBM Asia. It is divided into two events, although the grouped Andalusian participation takes place exclusively in the ‘Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair’, which hosts Asia’s largest gemstone market. The commercial influence of this event is reflected in its participation figures. The previous edition brought together over 3,600 exhibitors from 57 countries, visited by 59,122 visitors from 147 countries. The main visiting countries and regions were: Hong Kong, China, India, the United States, Taiwan, and Russia.
The Córdoba-based firms that attended the fair with Extenda’s support are: Aguilar de Dios, Alias Concept, Antonio Algar, Antonio López Montero, AM Gordillo, Crisolar, José López García, Larrea Joyeros, Pedro Romero Muriel, Pie de Rey Designs, Ragui, Samuga Union, and Talleres Isual. Extenda’s participation in this event was co-financed 80% with funds from the European Union, under the Andalusia 2014-2020 FEDER Operational Program.
At the September edition of Vicenzaoro 2018, one of the world’s most relevant events in the jewelry field which concluded yesterday at the Vicenza Fairgrounds (Italy), a total of 27 Córdoba-based companies from the jewelry and watchmaking sector participated. By supporting the firms’ presence at this event, Extenda aims to consolidate the presence of Andalusian companies in this sector in European continent markets and promote new business opportunities.
In its January edition, where the same Córdoba firms promoted their proposals, over 1,500 brands from 30 countries participated, along with buyers, journalists, opinion leaders, and trendsetters from around the world. The organization of this action by Extenda is also co-financed 80% with funds from the European Union, under the Andalusia 2014-2020 FEDER Operational Program.
Meanwhile, Madrid Joya is the leading commercial event for the jewelry sector in Spain, where the main companies and professionals in gold jewelry, silver jewelry, goldsmithing, watchmaking, fine precious stones and pearls, machinery, case making, and watch case making gather. Participation in Madrid Joya is a novel action in Extenda’s programming, joined by 27 companies from Andalusia, mostly from Córdoba, from where 22 firms originate.
Extenda’s CEO, Vanessa Bernad, visited the participating Andalusian companies on September 13 at both Madrid Joya and Bisutex and Intergift, all held at the Juan Carlos I fairgrounds in Madrid from September 12 to 16. These are three major international events for the consumer goods industry, held jointly, bringing together over 1,700 companies and brands from 30 countries, with around 42,000 professionals in attendance. Bernad also attended the presentation of the catalog ‘La Ciudad Brillante – Córdoba, Ciudad de Joyeros’ by the Córdoba jewelry sector.