TRENDS & FUTURE CHALLENGES
2nd World Leather Congress – September 8, 2015 Milan
Milan, the Capital of Leather
“Trends and Future Challenges” is the subject of the 2nd World Leather Congress, the international congress of tanners, scheduled for September 8th in Milan, on the eve of LINEAPELLE fair (September 9-11, Milan Rho Fair). The event, hosted by Palazzo delle Stelline in Corso Magenta 61, Milan, will analyse the situation of the global tanning industry and its future prospects. The sector is made up of 12,000 companies, 200,000 employees, with a turnover of about 50 billion dollars and is part of some hugely important value chains that include manufacturers of footwear, garments, handbags, furniture, cars, aeroplanes, equestrian and sports goods. The strategic function of the tanning industry, as a link between agriculture and industry, covers complex scenarios, involving secondary raw materials and technological innovation, protectionism and environmental protection, sustainability and fashion, international consumption and production models. The organiser is UNIC (the Italian tanners’ association), under the sponsorship of the European Commission, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development (MISE) and Lombardy Region. ICT, the International Council of Tanners, is headed by the Italian Rino Mastrotto, while the Vice President is the Chih Hsang Pai from Taiwan. Members are tanneries representing 37 Countries from Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
Background
UNIC (Italian Tanners’ Association) is the non-profit association, created in 1946 and member of the Italian Confindustria, that officially represents the Italian tanning industry (1,300 companies, 18,000 workers, 5.3 billion € of annual turnover, more than 75% coming from the export towards 121 Countries), worldwide leader in the production of leather (incidence: 66% on total EU and 17% globally). Since March 2014 Mr Rino Mastrotto, one of the most important Italian tanners and President of UNIC since 2011, has been also appointed as President of ICT (International Council of Tanners). Born in 1926, ICT gathers the main tanners’ associations worldwide, among which Italy, China, Brazil, US, Japan, Taiwan, Spain, UK, Germany, Comesa. The Council represents a fundamental meeting point for the exchange of information among tanners’ representative bodies and for the creation of common initiatives, besides being a relevant counterpart for international organizations, Governments, institutional stakeholders, etc. One of the missions of ICT is to internationally promote leather as a material; on this concern UNIC, as holding the ICT presidency, is organizing the 2nd World Leather Congress, an international event dedicated to the discussion among market operators, academics, institutions, consumers on leather and its use. The Congress will be held in Milan on next September 8th, during the Expo and the day before LINEAPELLE fair, the most important leather exhibition in the world. The location will be Palazzo delle Stelline and, in the light of the Italian leadership in the sector and the global relevance of the event, the EU Commission, together with the Italian Ministry for Economic Development and the Lombardy Region, has granted their patronage to the Congress.
Objectives
- To describe the present situation and the future outlook of the world tanning industry.
- To survey on the changing into a modern industry.
- To assess the risks and potentiality for development towards public and private institutions.
- To promote leather as a creative material and strengthen the communication to consumers.
