GTC establishes marketing base in Sao Paolo, Brazil, on July 1

◇ Gyeonggi Province secured a marketing base for the Gyeonggi Textile Marketing Center (GTC) geared for the Central and South American markets in Brazil’s largest economic center, Sao Paolo. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

The Gyeonggi Textile Marketing Center (GTC), jointly operated by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Support Center, has established a beachhead to help knit and textile corporations in Gyeonggi Province advance into the Central and South American markets. 

On June 28, Gyeonggi Province announced that it had successfully secured a marketing base geared for the Central and South American markets on behalf of GTC in Brazil’s largest economic center, Sao Paolo. The marketing base will open on July 1. 

Sao Paolo, with approximately 10 million inhabitants, is the largest city in South America and is also Brazil’s economic center. The metropolis is home to one of the three largest Korean apparel wholesale commercial districts in the world alongside Jobber market in Los Angeles and Avellaneda market in Argentina. This Brazilian city is the center for the fashion industry in Central and South America, and is becoming a new ‘blue ocean’ for the Korean textile industry and its exports.

With its marketing base in Sao Paolo, Gyeonggi Province has successfully established a beachhead for expansion into the Central and South American markets, which bring in major trade surpluses for Korean textile corporations. The provincial government also plans to solidify the base as a platform for facilitating exchange between the textile industries in Korea and Central and South American countries. 

It is worth noting that the new GTC Sao Paolo was not established by sourcing new funds as was previously done for its counterparts in Los Angeles, New York and Shanghai. Instead, GTC Sao Paolo will be managed by an agent on a contractual basis with a corporation that already exports textiles to Argentina. Such an agent-based method takes advantage of the infrastructure already established by the exiting company. Gyeonggi Province expects to acquire information on the local textile market, secure sales, and reap optimum rewards in a cost-effective manner. 

Gyeonggi Province plans to add another base in the EU region next year by analyzing the performance of its new marketing base in Brazil this year and further researching the European market. 

GTC is an ‘export assistant’ that helps resolve difficulties and promote export activities for textile companies in Gyeonggi Province. Working on behalf of textile companies that have difficulties exploring overseas markets, GTC hires expert marketers locally to provide customized overseas marketing support for tasks that include finding and consulting with buyers in addition to finalizing contracts.

Since the first GTC branch was established in Los Angeles in 2011, new offices have been opened in New York (2012) and Shanghai (2013) for a total of three locations. GTC was able to generate USD 17.81 million in exports over the past four years. Last year, the three GTCs provided overseas marketing support to 33 textile companies in Gyeonggi Province, leading to USD 7.39 million in export contracts. As such, GTC has solidified its role as a forward base for overseas marketing that operates on behalf of textile corporations in Gyeonggi Province. 

Specialized Industries Division Directpr Kim Ki-se said, “Gyeonggi Province is the engine that drives Korea’s textile industry and a global center for high quality knit production.” Kim added, “Gyeonggi Province will actively support textile companies within the province to help them improve their competitiveness and find new markets.”

For more details on participating in GTC’s support projects, please visit the Gyeonggi Textile Total Support Center’s website (www.gtextopia.or.kr) or call the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Support Center’s Textile Business Team (031-850-3634).

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Lee Jun-kyun eyekle@hanmail.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201506291108099558C052&s_code=C052