Italian leather industries’ profits slightly slow down in 2016(-0,5%). Yet on the whole accessories and components annual balance is positive: +2% on the European mean. Especially metallic small parts go up: +4%, still on the European mean. Looking at figures, Spain (+4%), Romania (+7%), France (+8%) and Poland (+10%) have been the best performers. Tough times for the UK: all sectors go down. Good performance for EU fabrics, synthetics and substitutes in 2016: +4,5% average increase in the EU. It is important to emphasize the core contribution given by synthetics sales; on the other hand, trend for reconstituted leather and fabrics is still uncertain. Mainly due to Italy, Portugal and Romania bad performances, not to mention France (-20%) and the UK (-2%): 2016 fabrics trend was by all means negative. Raw materials trends are to be taken into account as they actually affect the overall sector performance: over the year price of petroleum has slumped (-29%), as well as aluminium (-4%), copper (-12%) and nickel (-19%). Good outputs instead, in 2016, for wool (+10/11%), cotton and natural rubber (+5% for both of them). Download here the free version of the overall economic situation analysis, edited by Lineapelle Economic Department.
