Italy showcases 49 companies in Dubai

Dubai: The Italian Trade Agency, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, the Consulate General in Dubai and ASSOMAC (the national association of Italian manufacturers of footwear, leather goods and tanning technologies), is hosting 49 companies at APLF 2022. After a gap of three years since its last edition in Hong Kong in 2019, APLF, the world’s leading international trade fair for the leather industry, is taking place for the first time in Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre from March 30th to April 1st 2022.

Italy is the leading European manufacturer of tanning machines, footwear and leather goods with a turnover of 440 million in 2021; the industry currently employees over 3,900 people across 235 enterprises and it exported around Euro 305 million worth of machinery last year globally, about 70% of the total turnover.

Asia is the main destination market for Italian manufactures with Euro 90 million of machineries exported in 2021, accounting for 30% of the total country’s export for this sector.

Italy is the second largest global leather machinery supplier to the UAE and increased its exports of machinery for tanning, footwear and leather products to the UAE by 80%, reinforcing the two countries strong trade partnership in the sector. This follows 2 years of steady consecutive growth of Italy’s market share with the UAE, with an increase to a quota of 35% in 2021 from 3% in 2019, showing how Italian advancements in technology in the manufacturing of leather is highly regarded in the UAE and how much Dubai and UAE are becoming an even more important trade hub for this sector too.

Commenting on Italy’s participation at APLF Dubai, Amedeo Scarpa, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, said, “This is the first time that APLF is coming to Dubai, and we are looking forward to reinforcing our strong relationship with the UAE and wider region. We are supporting Italy’s leading companies in leather machinery, and they will be showcasing some of the industry’s latest innovations and technology. Around 80% of the industry’s tanning machinery is produced in Italy, thanks to knowledge in tanning being passed down through generations. In recent years, Italy has made significant investments into innovation and technology in the sector, developing sophisticated technology and machinery to produce leather with a superior colour and texture. We are developing technology not only to create better products, but also to reduce the environmental impact of the tanning process”.

Roberto Vago, Manging Director ASSOMAC, said: “After last February in Milan, APLF 2022 marks the return of the widest international trade fair in the global leather industry. The hybrid formula, physical and virtual, will be the new strategic direction followed, to reinforce the connection between all the different actors of the supply chain. The expertise of the Italian industry is currently still leading the market, especially in terms of technology solution in the digital and sustainable domain. Occasion to meet our traditional and new customers; great opportunity thanks to the support of ITA (Italian Trade Agency) and MAECI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation).

I firmly believe that the event in Dubai, will play a potential role for the international market, as a prelude of the other well expected events of this sectors next September 2022 in Milan”.

The Italian Trade Agency is the Government agency which promotes the globalization of Italian firms, under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ITA helps to develop, facilitate and promote Italian economic and trade relations with foreign countries, focusing on the needs of SMEs, their associations and partnerships. ITA sustains Italian firms in their internationalization process, promoting the marketing of Italian goods and services as well as the image of “Made in Italy” products around the world, while facilitating outward Italian investments and encouraging FDI attraction into Italy. ITA provides information, support and consultancy services to Italian companies on foreign markets, in order to foster exports and economic cooperation in all sectors, with the objective of increasing the effectiveness of their presence on international markets. ITA works closely with the Italian Regions, the network of Italian Chambers of Commerce, business organizations and other public and private entities. ITA’s headquarters are based in Rome, and it works through a large network of offices around the world which are acknowledged as “Trade Promotion Offices” of the Embassies or Consulates of Italy.