Call from the leather industry to Europe: exclude leather from the EUDR
International organizations have sent a formal request to the European Commission
Keep reading...In the photo: Tobias Alando, CEO of KAM (center), and Mauro Bergozza, President of Assomac (right)
Assomac, the national association of Italian manufacturers of footwear, leather goods, and tanning, announces that it has signed strategic agreements with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), on behalf of the Italian supply chain also represented by UNIC (tanning) and UNPAC (tanning chemicals), and with Equity Bank Kenya Limited to promote, through the supply of Italian technologies and machinery, the development of the leather value chain in Kenya.
Italian technology for the leather-footwear-leather goods supply chain represents a strategic industrial asset, capable of transforming raw materials into high-value-added products that are highly competitive on global markets. With this in mind, the agreement—formalized on March 26 on the sidelines of the Leather Side Event in Nairobi, as part of the Kenya International Investment Conference, promoted by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry in partnership with the Kenya Leather Development Council and the Kenya Investment Authority—consolidates collaboration with KAM and local technical centers, aiming to create a competitive and sustainable ecosystem capable of integrating Kenyan companies into the sector’s global production chains. The partnership with Equity Bank Kenya Limited will, in turn, facilitate local buyers’ access to financial instruments for the purchase of Italian machinery and technology, giving them the opportunity to develop products that meet international quality standards in the future and strengthen their presence in foreign markets.
Mauro Bergozza, President of Assomac, explains: “This project promotes the development of a structured manufacturing system, in which Italian technology and machinery play a leading role, representing a true strategic asset for the global leather industry. ‘Made in Italy’ does not only mean excellence and quality, but also the ability to transform raw materials into high-value-added products. With our wealth of expertise and integrated supply chain models, we aim to make a concrete contribution to the development of sustainable and competitive production ecosystems worldwide, strengthening the potential for Kenyan companies to establish a presence in international markets.”
The initiative is consistent with the priorities of the Mattei Plan, representing a contribution by the Italian industrial sector to development dynamics and economic cooperation with African countries, and is part of the “Sistema Italia” approach, involving a coordinated effort by companies, associations, and institutions: from development cooperation, through the AICS Agency, to the internationalization and promotion of Italian companies with the support of the ICE Agency. All of this is closely coordinated with the Italian Embassy in Nairobi and local government bodies to ensure the concrete implementation of investment plans in the country.
The project is also part of a broader framework of ongoing activities by Assomac in Africa, with initiatives already underway in Egypt, Niger, Senegal, and Tunisia, and future prospects for Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, and Namibia.
Last week’s meeting followed an initial exploratory mission last June, during which Assomac, together with the Italian associations UNIC and UNPAC, analyzed Kenya’s potential in terms of raw materials, expertise, and industrial prospects, sharing a strategic document with local institutions and entrepreneurs that helped strengthen the dialogue between the two countries and laid the groundwork for launching the initiative.
The Italian footwear, leather goods, and tanning technology sector, together with the tanning industry and related chemical products, has a well-established presence in the world’s major manufacturing hubs and plays an active role in the development of the leather industry supply chains. Over 70% of the sector’s production is destined for international markets, with significant exports to Europe, China, Vietnam, India, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, and various African countries undergoing industrialization. In this context, Italian technologies provide concrete support for the emergence and growth of new supply chains, offering know-how, established regional clusters, and globally recognized technological expertise.
