Indian Shoe Bazaar - Fairs: Simac 2003

A visit to Simac to look beyond the crisis

The survival of the western world's shoe-manufacturing system, with Italy and Spain the countries of reference, has been made possible by the crutch provided by delocalization. The only ones who have not had this crutch have been the niche manufacturers of very high quality shoes. By now, it's China, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. who produce most of the world's shoes; and this has made Rumania, Slovenia, Albania, Poland, and in a certain sense, Turkey, Greece and all of North Africa nothing more than a system of communicating vessels that allow the western world to maintain control over a manufacturing system that grows weaker month after month.

The western world's leather goods system has started traveling over the terrain of products that are commercialized - needless to say - in the Far East. These subcontracting manufacturers work for top-flight designers, with the exception, of course, of the usual rare and equally praiseworthy niches.

This situation confirms the manufacturing difficulties of what has been the great European leather goods manufacturing industry. It also allows us to understand what difficulties the sector's mechanical industry has been undergoing, an industry that is continually having to deal with a clientele in constant movement and, as such, one that does not pay attention to the structural problematics. And what is even more of a problem is that this clientele has a tough time making a profit, which seriously inhibits any desire to invest in technology.

The difficulties in the western leather area

In the western system, the Italian manufacturers are the leaders as regards technology. Therefore, the analysis of what is happening in Italy is significant.

During the January-October 2002 period, although referred to a slackened 2001, the export business decreased by 2.6%, notwithstanding the good performance of the tanning-machinery manufacturers, with an increase of 10.27%, and the growths also shown in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Leather goods manufacturing machines received a nice breath of oxygen with an increase of 6.8%, all of which was due to export increases in Asia and Africa, with Europe and the Americas also showing growths.

Therefore, the heaviest load ended up on the shoulders of the manufacturers of shoe-making technology. The dip - which would better be described as a considerable drop - amounted to over 10%!

While the situation isn't dramatic, it should however be noted that as regards the domestic market (Italy is still the west's most prestigious shoe manufacturer and, therefore, the most important user of technology) the difficulties are even more serious. It's exactly for the reasons mentioned at the beginning that the Italian manufacturing industry is not in the best condition for investing in technology. This consideration holds for both shoe and leather goods manufacturers.

Therefore, the Italian technology builders for the leather area, each and every one of them, including the manufacturers of tanning machinery, while not smiling as regards their exports, are actually crying as regards the domestic market.

If the entrepreneurs don't have at least a trace of pessimism in their DNA, being optimistic at all costs could turn out to be very dangerous.

The best thing to do is get a clear picture of the situation and behave accordingly.
Awareness is the most correct attitude for the exhibitors and visitors who are planning to be present at Simac's 2003 edition.

Simac's role

The market and the manufacturing world is one thing and the Fair is another. Simac has consistently retained its role as the world's foremost fair leader as regards shoe and leather goods manufacturing technology. The structure of the event is solid and, while the exhibit layout is being defined, the numbers confirm the past edition in terms of exhibitors and surface area.

On the visitors front, there is every reason to believe that the number of attendances will be the same, since the number of accrediting requests is what it has been in the preceding years, and the usual number of foreign official and collective delegations are also expected. These visits will be defined in the very near future with the collaboration of the Institute of Foreign Trade.

The concomitance with Lineapelle - the leading world event as regards the presentation of leathers, materials, accessories and fashion proposals and is thus, an event that attracts considerable interest - is one more reason why no one can afford to miss this appointment in Bologna.

Thus, Simac confirms its role as the obligatory crossroads for all shoe and leather goods manufacturers who want to keep up-to-date as regards the most advanced technology proposals and who, in any case, want to give technology the importance it merits; that is, of being a factor of competitiveness.

From this point of view, Simac is not just an opportunity for machine manufacturers to meet the persons who use them, but also becomes a conceptual "laboratory" for understanding and using technology in the best way possible.

So, precisely because of the rather difficult moment we are experiencing and, also, because the world leather/shoe-manufacturing area is being redesigned, no exhibitor or visitor can actually afford to miss the Simac meeting.