Current estimates UNIC on the performance of the Italian tanning industry in the first three quarters of 2024 show an overall drop of 8.5% in production volumes and 4.1% in terms of turnover compared to the corresponding period last year. The market moment appears extremely negative if we also consider the last year closed positively, i.e. 2022: in the last 24 months, in fact, the sector has lost 17.2% of production and 10.3% of turnover.

The ISTAT index relating to tanning production shows a smaller decline (-2.4% compared to 2023 and -12.1 compared to 2022) but this indicator refers exclusively to a sample of tanneries with more than 20 employees and therefore does not consider a large portion of companies in the sector (largely composed of SMEs).

Italian export flows of finished leathers also show an overall decline, with a decrease of 2.7% in euros and 5% in square meters in the period January-August 2024 (latest available), compared to the same period last year. Despite the negative sign of total exports, the analysis of individual shipments by main country of destination shows differentiated trends, even of considerable intensity.

Among our top 20 export countries, France (+3%, the first foreign destination for Italian leathers), Spain (+20%), China (+4%, including Hong Kong), Vietnam (+23%), Germany (+5%), South Korea (+7%) are growing in value, while Romania (-12%), the USA (-3%), Tunisia (-12%), Portugal (-15%), Poland (-9%), Albania (-12%), the United Kingdom (-3%), Slovakia (-16%), Mexico (-11%), The Czech Republic (-16%), India (-4%), Turkey (-20%) and Hungary (-13%). Serbia is stable.

From the analysis of the trend of the individual segments and production districts of the Italian tannery, unfortunately no exceptions to the negative picture mentioned above emerge. In terms of production by animal origin, bovine hides show less negative variations on average than sheep and goats, while, in terms of the sector of intended use, the difficulties appear to be widespread for all types of customers. The turnover of all the main national tanning districts is down.

The data relating to the use of the Cassa Integrazione Guadagni is also very significant, so unfortunately there is no specific survey for the tanning sector but only the aggregate relating to the Italian leather supply chain (tanning, footwear and leather goods). In the first 9 months of the year, the overall use of the CIG (ordinary and extraordinary) by companies in the Italian leather area increased by 140% compared to the same period of 2023 and by 154% on the 2022 consideration.

By the Economic Service UNIC – Concerie Italiane [email protected]