Bangladesh-Saudi Arabian agreements

The 8th Session of the Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia took place on the 14th and 15th June in Riyadh. Both countries agreed to promote cooperation and increase the flow of information on marketing and trade opportunities. Bangladesh proposed exporting leather goods and clothing, while Saudi Arabia wanted to sell various raw materials to its trading partner.
China expects to sell more in Italy

Massimo Donda, President of Federcalzature and the European Confederation Associations of Footwear Retailers visited China from 1st to 5th July. The hope is that this visit will improve bilateral relations, especially those related to the imports of Chinese footwear to Europe. One has to ask if the manufacturers of his peninsula are in agreement?
Europe initiates anti dumping measures against China

Based on complaints made at the end of May by the European Footwear Confederation, the European Union has initiated an antidumping process against imports of leather shoes from China and Vietnam. This has been the result of the innumerable complaints presented by footwear manufacturers from various European countries which see themselves prejudiced by the increase of imports of Chinese footwear. In the first four months of 2005 the imports of Chinese footwear into Europe grew by 700%. On June 15th around 500 European shoe manufacturers from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and other countries demonstrated in front of the European Commission building in Brussels denouncing the threat of Chinese imports to the European industry and symbolically handed the keys of their factories over the European Commissioner, Peter Mandelson.
We await further developments on this situation and will evaluate the measures implemented by Europe to protect its internal manufacturing base.
    
India: government support for the sector

The Committee of Economic Affairs from India's cabinet decided to invest US$66.6 million in a Plan of Integrated Development for the leather sector. The funds will be used to update technology and modernize tanneries and shoe and leather goods factories. It is hoped that these measures will increase productivity, improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Shoe imports to Japan grew by 12%

In the first two months of the year shoe imports to Japan grew by 12% meaning an increase of US$588 million compared to the same period 2004, of which US$388 million correspond to imports from China. The hungry Japanese market purchased a total of 519 million pairs. In 2004 total shoe imports topped US$3.260 billion, an increase of 6.31% over 2003. The 519 million pairs imported represent an increase of 6.38% more than the previous year. The average unit price of each pair imported was US$8.66, while the average unit price of each pair imported from China was US%6.77.
China: The size of the leather industry is even more impressive

The China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) declared that the number of companies or industries dedicated to leather is continually growing. CLIA calculates that for the end of 2008 there will be more than 6,500 companies of this type and the business they move will be billions of US dollars per year. CLIA is confident that the good results are due to the fact that the country is making efforts to improve economic performance in the North East by offering incentives for investors to move to this region. In addition, they recently inaugurated a commercial mall which should generate a business volume exceeding US$244 million per year.
    



New laboratory at Coruim Quimica

Corium Quimica Ltda., the exclusive agent of Hass Langro Chemie and Smit & Zoon in Brazil, has installed a new plant, a distribution center and new laboratories for the production of a complete line of products for finished and wet end. This complex is located in Novo Hamburgo in Rio Grande do Sul and enjoys the ISO 9001-2000 certification.

Wallace's Portal

Wallace Sacks, one of the main British suppliers of leather garments, has launched direct sales by Internet. The company expects to sell 25% of its products using this medium in the next three years. Wallace Sacks was founded in 1978 and is a family business.   
Increased staffing at Bruno Magli

The Italian Group Bruno Magli Spa has announced that it will implement an important increase in the number of employees at all levels in the US. "We continue to experience unprecedented demand for our shoes and accessories in the North American luxury products market", stated Aaron Schwartz, who was recently promoted to the post of President and Creative Director of the Bruno Magli Group.
 
A line for working women

Laurese NY, a small company making leather hand bags has launched a new collection of brief cases for women in colours such as pink, blue and lime green. The designer and partner of the company, Lerma Edwards, said that "women have important place in the world of business today. We should not be satisfied with masculine colours".
BOC is still open

The Botswana Ostrich Commission (BOC) has announced that the ostrich slaughter house which was to be closed indefinitely, will now stay open thanks to an agreement with the government. The installations were going to be closed since local ostrich farmers could not provide the 20,000 ostriches needed to comply with export quotas to the European Union (EU).
A New Man at Van Hoorn

Alter 60 years in the market, Van Hoorn Handelmij B.V has changed its name to Van Hoorn Trading BV. Van Hoorn is one of the main suppliers of pig skins for footwear, with a large stock on hand which allows it to deliver on time and quickly to different countries around the world. At the same time, the company announced the opening of a web site and a new logo. More information at www.van-hoorn.com
    
 


Adidas expects record profits

Adidas, the German sporting goods manufacturer has announced that it expects record profits from its football division next year. They believe that the results will be spectacular due to the furor awakened world wide for the Soccer World Cup. The event will take place in Germany and will attract thousands of athletes, tourists and visitors. Adidas will present the first products related to the championship in the second half of 2005. They calculate that sales in this sector will reach 1 billion euros in 2006. Currently, the Adidas brand has a 35% share of the world market for football equipment.
Kenneth Cole gets into sports

Kenneth Cole Reaction will enter the sporting goods market in 2006. The company has signed a contract with Bernard Claus to produce a collection for women and at the same time has associated itself with Paul Darvil to design a line for men. In both cases, prices will range from US$49 to US$79.
Web Site for Fila

Fila has opened a web site to market its Filativa collection. "Filative is the ironic and irreverent, but inspired face in sport of Fila brands", remarked company executive Rob McClellan. The portal was designed by Coremetrics, a Californian company.


Changes at Lear

Lear Corporation, a designer and manufacturer of automobile interiors will implement a global plan which, in the first phase, will involve the restructuring of five of its installations in the US and Europe. Closures and rationalizations are foreseen, including the relocation of some factories to countries where costs are much lower. The company aims to improve efficiency and increase its levels of competitiveness.
Luke

Recently created in the US, the Luke Leather Company sells upholstery made from Italian leather at medium prices. The owner and President is Scott Davis who has a warehouse from where he attends his clients.
Natuzzi keeps on betting

In spite of poor results and the restructuring of the company, Natuzzi has opened two new shops in Europe. One of them is in Stockholm and the other in the southern French city of Lyon. The Stockholm outlet will offer urban style and casual products and in Lyon they will sell classic leather upholstery.
Joining Universal Furniture

Bill Hall, an industry veteran has joined the seller of trunks and upholstery, Universal Furniture International as Vice President of Marketing. He will report to President, Randy Chrisley.
Two companies go to China

Kincaid Furniture and Pennsylvania House, two companies that belong to La-Z-Boy Case Goods Group, have opened galleries in Fullrich Interiors, a business located in Shanghai.

YOU ARE THE NEWS!

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BACK ISSUES

  



 All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE) 2005

On the back of China's continuing prodigious industrial growth in the leather sector, with production, exports and imports increasing significantly every year, the 2005 edition of the All China Leather Exhibition, to be held from 7 - 9 September 2005, is promising to set new records in terms of size and scope. Particular growth is noted in the materials, process chemical and tanning machinery sectors. Every year since its inception, ACLE has grown, experiencing significant increases in the number of exhibitors and the total exhibition area. It will be the same this year. A total of 16 group pavilions have already confirmed their participation - Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy (2 Pavilions), Korea, Pakistan, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey (2 Pavilions), USA. A major focus area will be upholstery leather, which is of growing importance all over the world and particularly in Asia. Indeed, upholstery is the fastest growing application for leather and Asia is keen to take a greater share of this sector, particularly as the footwear leather market has stalled. ACLE is now sold out for the 2005 edition and the fair looks set for an excellent and dynamic edition.


  


 A new leather fair in Africa

The Eastern and Southern Africa Leather Industry Association (ESALIA) with the support of the African Federation of Leather & Associated Industries (AFLAI) is organizing an international exhibition for leather, footwear and leather goods which will take place in Nairobi. Kenya. The fair is named the Nairobi International Leather and Footwear Expo and will he held from 1st - 3rd December 2005 in the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). The main international entities cooperating with the fair are the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the Centre for Development of Enterprises (CDE), al allied to the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Record in Expo Riva

Around 10,000 professionals from 83 countries visited the summer edition of Expo Riva Schuh which took place from 11th - 14th June in Riva del Garda in Italy. The organizers stated that the results were much better than expected since 1049 companies from 34 countries chose the event to present their collections for Spring/Summer 2006.


Fashion First postponed until further notice

APLF announces that the next edition of Fashion First - originally scheduled for 10-12 January 2006 in Brussels, Belgium - will be postponed. After careful deliberation and assessment of the prevailing market conditions, the organizers have decided in the interests of both exhibitors and buyers, to suspend the event until further notice. The organizers thank the many industry bodies that supported the first Fashion First and the industry professionals who contributed to the launch of this groundbreaking trade fair in January 2005, which brought together 180 exhibiting companies from 25 countries and regions and saw the debut of many new suppliers in the European marketplace.

 

SPECIAL REPORT

Wyny: a Mexican company with an international profile

With more than 26 years in the market, Wyny is a leading Mexican tannery using vegetable tanning processes. Leather Press had the opportunity to talk to one of the partners and founder of the company, the Brazilian-Mexican Thomas Nienow, who spoke about the growth of the company last year.
"Wyny is a company founded in Mexico using Brazilian human resources", explained Thomas Nienow. "We started in the vegetable tanning business in Mexico 25 years ago and now we are world leaders in the field. The company has two lines of production - the line which produces a great variety of soles, leather for belts and bags and 100% veg-tanned skins, as well as the division that elaborates upholstery for the automotive sector."
Last year the company increased its production by 15%." Currently we produce 420 tonnes of soles per month and around 2800 hides per day used for making the soles", explained Nienow. The growth of the company is directly related to the amount of products exported. "70% of what we produce is exported and we leave 30% for the national market", added Nienow.
Since 1995 the Wyny Group has a subsidiary in Brazil, in Parana State. "The Brazilian plant is dedicated exclusively to wet blue which we export mainly to Asia and Europe. Two months ago Brazil started producing leather soles and now we are aiming to complete all the production lines in Brazil as we have in Mexico", Nienow explained. The objective of the company is to expand rapidly and take on the South American market in the near future.
Wyny sells in more than 20 countries such as the US, Chile, Canada, Guatemala, Chile, Venezuela, Italy, Spain, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, India, Japan and Taiwan. The company's international presence is consolidated by exhibiting regularly in fairs such as Anpic in Mexico, Lineapelle in Italy and the Asia Pacific Leather Fair in Hong Kong.