Companies

Assomac supports internationalisation efforts

Mar 5, 2025 Italy

The Italian Association of Tanning, Shoe and Leather Goods Machinery Manufacturers (Assomac) is supporting the internationalisation efforts of the sector in key markets such as India, Hong Kong and Pakistan

The ‘Assomac Around the World’ initiative, aimed at strengthening the internationalisation process of companies in the sector, is back on track, in collaboration with the promotion strategy and activities of the ITA agency.

After the first appointment at the India International Leather Fair (IILF) in Chennai (1-3 February) and the presence at Lineapelle (25-27 February), the tour will continue at the APLF in Hong Kong (12-14 March), followed by the Mega Leather Show in Pakistan (11-13 April).

India is a key market for Italian companies in the footwear and leather machinery sector, as the country’s leather and finished goods sector was worth 17 billion euros in 2024, with forecasts of growth to 45 billion euros by 2030. In this respect, in the first ten months of last year, Italy was the second supplier of leather processing technology after China, with an export value of 14.62 million euros and a market share of 20.8%, a significant growth of 42.15% over the same period of 2023.

Hong Kong is a privileged gateway to the Asian markets, so its participation in the APLF is crucial and the data underlines this. According to Assomac, in 2024 alone, Italy supplied around 80% of the machinery components (excluding sewing machines) imported for the tanning of leather, hides and skins or for the manufacture and repair of articles to Hong Kong. Exports of machinery for the preparation or processing of leather, hides or skins or for the manufacture or repair of leather goods increased from 42.19% in 2022 to 77.46% in 2024.

On the contrary, Pakistan is proving to be an untapped potential market. The Asian country is the second-largest export sector after textiles with an annual value of 874 million US dollars, which highlights the importance of attending the Mega Leather Show in Pakistan.

“Despite Pakistan's well-established role in the global leather market, the sector still has wide margins for development, especially in terms of technological innovation and sustainability. Currently, Pakistani tanning technology is considered among the most advanced in Southeast Asia, with quality standards second only to those in Italy. However, the need to modernise production facilities and improve process efficiency makes the local market particularly interesting for Italian machinery suppliers”, said Assomac in a statement.

The African market is also becoming increasingly important for the Italian footwear and leather machinery sector. The association is committed to developing new business opportunities, consolidating the presence of Italian technology in North Africa and contributing to the sector’s development through projects and technological support in the centre and south of the continent.

Image Credits: internationalleathermaker.com