User:Pusanshoes/BISS

The Busan International Smart Shoe & Parts Fair, also known as BISS and formerly called the Busan International Footwear & Leather Show or BIFOS is the largest footwear trade show in Korea. BISS is an annual trade show held every fall at BEXCO convention center in Haeundae, Busan, Korea. It is run by the Footwear Industrial Promotion Center, a government organization under the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, a branch of the Busan Metropolitan City, to help Korean shoe companies with marketing, promotion, research and development, and design.

=History= The show took its start in 1999 under the name BIFOS and was initially run by BEXCO and the Busan Metropolitan City government. In the early 1990s, the Korean government put regulations in place that pushed the labor intensive shoe manufacturing business to seek easier grounds to work in. By the end of the 90’s, Busan Metropolitan City realized the need to foster the companies still in Korea and created BIFOS. 2002 marked the first year the show was held in conjunction with BITFAS, Busan International Textile & Fashion Show, which added more dimension and versatility to the products offered to the footwear industry. The show has grown steadily over the past ten years and the 2010 show will mark the 11th show. In 2009, the management for the show was handed over to the Footwear Industrial Promotion Center, an extension of the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, a group made up solely of footwear professionals to focus and strengthen BISS. BISS 2009 saw 103 exhibitors from 17 countries and just over 80,000 visitors from across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. =International Smart Shoe & Parts Competition (ISSC)= The ISSC first took place with BISS 2009 and saw 33 new products from 5 countries compete. The goal of the ISSC is to improve and globalize shoe company’s specialized products using new technologies or materials as well create products that attempt to introduce a new lifestyle concept. Global sports companies have already launched IT fusion shoes such as Nike+, combining Nike and Apple iPod technology to calculate physical movement and Adidas1 with their automatically adjusting midsole in relation to workout time and performance. The review board is judged exclusively by 10 professionals from the Footwear Biomechanics Group (FBG). 2009 award winners: =Shoe Designer Hill= 2009 was the introduction of Shoe Designer Hill to BISS and provided designers the opportunity to display their work to other designers and manufacturers. There is also a large student design exhibition that is displayed but not considered part of the competition. 20 designers competed with each other and were judged by a panel of international judges, head by Nicoline Van Enter, of Y Trends. 2009 awards $1 US dollar = ~1200 won =OEM Primary Vendor Fair= 2010 sees the addition of approximately 40 of the best material supply companies in Asia to BISS. The OEM Primary Vendor Fair was formerly sponsored by a private global corporation in Busan, Korea. =Notes and References=
 * Grand Prize : Treksta Nestfit
 * First Prize – Commercialization: Lecaf Dr. Seroton
 * First Prize – Functionality: Samduk Stafield
 * First Prize - Innovative Technology: Sung Shin Taw & Toe
 * Illustrious Designer - 3 million won
 * EXR Korea - 1 million won
 * SRD - 1 million won
 * Stafild - 1 million won