Dubai, UAE: The Italian Trade Agency, in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in the UAE, the Consulate General in Dubai and ASSOMAC (Italian national association of manufacturers of footwear, leather goods and tanning technology), is hosting 49 companies at APLF 2022. After a lull 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 Center from 30 March to 1 April 2022. Italy is Europe's leading producer of leather tanning machinery, footwear and leather goods with a turnover of 440 million in 2021; the industry currently employs more than 3,900 people in 235 companies and exported machinery worth around Euro 305 million last year globally, about 70% of total turnover. Asia is the main destination market for Italian manufacturing with 90 million Euros of machinery exported in 2021, accounting for 30% of the country's total exports for this sector.
Italy is the second largest global supplier of leather machinery to the UAE and increased exports of machinery for tanning, footwear and leather products to the UAE by 80%, strengthening the two countries' strong trade partnership in this sector. This follows 2 years of steady consecutive growth of the Italian market share with the UAE, with a quota increase of 35% in 2021 from 3% in 2019, showing how Italy's advancements in technology in leather making are highly valued in the UAE and how much Dubai and The UAE is becoming an even more important trading hub for this sector as well. Commenting on Italy's participation in APLF Dubai, Amedeo Scarpa, Italian Trade Commissioner for the UAE, said, “This is the first time APLF has come to Dubai, and we look forward to strengthening our strong relationship with the UAE and the wider region. We support leading Italian companies in the leather machinery field, and they will showcase some of the latest industrial innovations and technologies. About 80% of industrial tanning machines are manufactured in Italy, thanks to knowledge in tanning that is passed down from generation to generation. In recent years, Italy has made significant investments in innovation and technology in this sector, developing advanced technologies and machines to produce leather of superior color and texture. We develop technology not only to create better products, but also to reduce the environmental impact of the tanning process.”
Roberto Vago, President Director of ASSOMAC, said: “After last February in Milan, APLF 2022 marks the return of the largest international trade fair in the global leather industry. The hybrid formula, physical and virtual, will be the new strategic direction to follow, to strengthen the relationship between all the different supply chain actors. Italian industry expertise is still leading the market, especially when it comes to technology solutions in the digital and sustainable realm. Opportunity 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 strongly believe that the event in Dubai, will play a potential role for the international market, as the start of another event that is expected from this sector next September 2022 in Milan”.
