Held between the 19^th and the 21^st of September in Milan, Simac Tanning Tech officially returned to pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating the innovative capacity of a sector that was the leading European exporter in value last year. The latest edition’s figures illustrate this upward trend.

The Milan Rho’s premises welcomed in September 320 exhibitors and 6 500 buyers, reflecting an increase of 14% and 37%, respectively, on a comparable basis to the 2022 edition. In addition, 60% of the buyers were Italian, while the remaining 40% came from abroad, in particular, from Turkey, France, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Tunisia, and Asia. The increasing focus on innovations and services that can help create sustainable production ecosystems was highlighted in the 2023 edition of Simac Tanning Tech.

“The international attendance of visitors and the attention of technology manufacturers towards process organisation and digitalization confirm a significant change of pace towards a sustainable transition. We are certain that this road shared by all operators in the sector will soon generate satisfying results”, commented the President of Assomac and Simac Tanning Tech, Maria Vittoria Brustia. 

The results of this year's international exhibition are also evidence of the importance of the sector to the Italian economy, as well as the recognition of the country’s savoir-faire around the world.

The aggregate leather sector (tannery, footwear, leather goods and technology) employs a total of more than 130 000 people (4% of the Italian manufacturing sector) and generates more than 30 billion euros in turnover and an added value of 6 billion euros. As for international trade, the value of exports of the four supply chains in 2022 amounted to approximately 27 billion euros, up by 15% as compared to the prior year.  Of these, about 45% were footwear and 40% leather goods, with Europe, the United States, South Korea and China among the top destinations.

In total, the trade balance is around 15 billion euros (1.7 billion for tannery, 7.2 billion for leather goods, 5.4 billion for footwear and 300 million for technology). “We are talking about a 'national champion'”, concludes the organisation.

The next edition of Simac Tanning Tech is already scheduled to take place from the 17^th to the 19^th of September 2024, again at Fiera Milano Rho.  

Image Credits: Assomac