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SIMAC TANNING TECH ACCELERATES ITS INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION AND OPENS UP NEW DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FASHION AND LEATHER INDUSTRY
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• Simac Tanning Tech records a 25% increase in attendance, with international visits accounting for 50% of the total and international exhibitors and brands for 30%, confirming its role as a strategic platform connecting technology demand, companies and new markets.
• The 52nd edition strengthens dialogue with Latin America by addressing the technological and production needs of 12 countries in the region, including the Mercosur area. A three-year Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Assomac and ACCAL, setting the stage for technical, educational, and industrial collaboration aimed at supporting the growth and modernization of local supply chains.
• The initiative launched in Africa with the Robbiki Leather City project and the partnership with AICS Cairo continues, opening up new opportunities for dialogue between Italy and Egypt on technology, expertise, sustainability, industrial cooperation, and investment.
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Milan, 10 September 2026 – Simac Tanning Tech, the leading international trade fair for machinery, technologies and solutions for the footwear, leather goods and tanning industries, organised by Assomac, the Confindustria association representing Italian companies in the sector, reaffirms its role as a strategic hub for the competitiveness of the global fashion and leather sector, with its 52nd edition cementing the event’s status as a platform where expertise, innovation and industry relations converge, giving rise to new development opportunities for the entire production chain.
The event, held under the patronage of the European Parliament, will take place at Fiera Milano Rho from 15 to 17 September 2026, alongside Lineapelle – the global benchmark for ‘Made in Italy’ in the leather sector – and will host, across an area of 12,900 square metres, 290 exhibitors, brands and innovative organisations from the sector, 30% of whom are international, hailing from over 20 countries.
This result confirms Simac Tanning Tech’s role as an international platform for the Italian tanning industry, at a time when geographic diversification, access to new markets, and the ability to meet evolving technological demands are becoming increasingly important drivers of business competitiveness.
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The work carried out with Latin America fits into this framework. During the event, Assomac and ACCAL— Agrupación de Cámaras de Calzado de América Latina —signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen industrial cooperation, technological exchange, and economic relations between Italy and the region. The agreement concerns a network that brings together footwear industry associations from twelve countries and aims to more directly align the needs of local production systems with the expertise of Italian companies.
Initial findings across the different markets show a clearly defined demand for technology, including the upgrading of cutting systems, with CNC, laser and automatic die-cutting machines, as well as programmable stitching and greater digital integration. Strong attention is also being given to CAD/CAM software, ERP and MES systems, traceability and production data collection. This demand for modernization therefore concerns both factory technologies and the digitization of processes, and directly aligns with some of the key areas of specialization within Italian industry.
The region’s significance amplifies its prospects: with approximately 1.5 billion pairs of shoes produced in 2024, Latin America is the world’s second-largest producer and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, accounting for about 6% of global production—a sector that includes over 30,000 factories and more than 600,000 employees, within a regional economy valued at approximately 7,400 billion dollars.
The agreement with ACCAL now aims to build on this work through B2B meetings, trade and institutional missions, and investment-focused initiatives, transforming an understanding of local needs into new business opportunities for companies. A first stop is already scheduled for Mexico in October, during the ANPIC trade show in León, and further activities are planned for Colombia and Argentina.
In Africa, Simac Tanning Tech continued the work begun in 2025 with |
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Kenya, focusing in 2026 on Egypt and the Robbiki Leather City project, developed in collaboration with AICS Cairo and the institutional and
industrial partners involved.
The project forms part of the programme “Support for the development of the Robbiki Leather City tanning district”, funded by Italian Cooperation to the tune of 6 million euros, which has supported the modernisation of the district through infrastructure, training, technology transfer, technical assistance and skills development. Within this framework, Assomac has helped to strengthen the link between the Egyptian production system and Italian companies in the sector, facilitating the transfer of technology and know-how and supporting the sector’s evolution towards more advanced production models. Around 90 per cent of the technology used in the production workshops at Robbiki Leather City is, in fact, ‘Made in Italy’, reflecting the well-established role of Italian companies in the modernisation of the local supply chain.
At Simac Tanning Tech, this initiative provided a further opportunity for dialogue with an Egyptian business and institutional delegation, comprising, amongst others, representatives from the Ministry of Industry, the Leather Technology Training Centre (LTTC) and Cairo for Investment and Development (CID), during a Study Tour dedicated to the leather and footwear supply chain and related technologies. The visit also led to the signing of an agreement between Assomac and the LTTC to develop joint training programmes for technicians and young professionals, as well as research into new tanning processes and sustainable chemicals, with the aim of enhancing the quality and competitiveness of Robbiki Leather City and facilitating its integration into international value chains.
The initiative will continue with a second phase, dedicated to the development of the footwear sector, with the aim of supporting the creation of an area specifically dedicated to footwear production and thereby expanding the opportunities for growth and integration of the supply chain at Robbiki Leather City.
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Mauro Bergozza, President of Assomac, commented: “Internationalisation is a key driver for growth in the technology sector and for our companies’ ability to establish a presence in increasingly diverse markets. Simac Tanning Tech plays a decisive role in this process: it does not merely bring together operators and technologies from around the world in Milan, but creates the conditions for building lasting industrial relationships and opening up new avenues for development. This year, 65 delegates arrived from Latin America with the support of Agenzia ICE, a region where the demand for production modernisation aligns directly with the expertise of Italian companies. The agreement with ACCAL, together with the new trade framework between the European Union and Mercosur, further strengthens our focus on markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia – strategic partners given their size and technological needs. At the same time, our established work in Egypt confirms the value of a sustained presence in these markets and of collaboration with local partners. This is the direction in which we wish to continue investing: making Simac Tanning Tech an international platform that is increasingly capable of connecting demand, technology and businesses. In 2027, this journey will continue with a particular focus on India, another strategic market for the development of the supply chain.”
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Assomac
Assomac is the National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Footwear, Leather Goods and Tanning Technology. Founded in 1982, it represents a global reference point for technology applied to these sectors, with over 130 member companies exporting to more than 130 countries. Assomac's mission is to promote and enhance the technological expertise of its member companies, providing customers worldwide with customised solutions, sustainable technology, all-round support, optimal control and management, and continuous innovation. Assomac is a dynamic organisation, which is committed to fostering the growth of its member companies through the promotion of Made in Italy, opening up to new markets and access to innovative technologies. It is also active in creating a modern business culture, disseminating knowledge and sectorial skills and activating supply chain synergies, with the aim of becoming an international reference ‘Technological Square’: a place of meeting and comparison for all operators in the sector.
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