Low demand and order volumes are at the top of tanners’ concerns in the 2024 ILM Tanner Business Confidence Survey. By ILM.

In this year’s survey, 64% cited a lack of demand for leather on a consumer level as one of their biggest concerns over the past 12 months, while 63% included lower order volumes.

These far outpaced other choices, even general economic decline, which has been an ongoing pressure due to reduced spending for consumers and tighter margins for manufacturers.

However, fewer respondents included these options on their expected concerns for the next six to 12 months (57% for a lack of a demand and 54% for lower order volumes), which may mean that tanners are optimistic about the direction of the market for the coming year.

Economic decline and geopolitical issues remain high on the list of concerns for the next six to 12 months, however, as with ongoing election cycles and conflict in key trade areas, the world feels like a volatile place with no calm seas on the horizon.

Highlighting the pressure on tanners, 58% (up from 43% in 2023) of respondents said that it was not a problem for them to obtain finance and credit, which may point towards more tanners needing to access these facilities in order to weather the storm.

The full results of the 2024 Tanner Business Confidence Survey are available now on the website for all ILM subscribers, including more information from tanners on which trade shows they prioritise as well as a range of other data and hot button issues.

Subscribe to ILM today to access the full results as well as the latest leather industry news, technical and legislative updates, thought leadership and much more.