There could be many starting points to start the conversation on the Annual Assembly of UNPAC chemists, held at Po.Te.Co in Santa Croce sull’Arno. We choose this one: “For years, sustainability was addressed mainly as a matter of compliance, reporting, and communication. Now we are witnessing the emergence of a new paradigm: from an interpretation of an additional cost, to an approach to accelerate the evolution and bring industrial efficiency”. President Pierluigi Braggion stated in a report, highlighting more than just the technical aspects of what UNPAC accomplished during 2025.
A thousand-year-old heritage
Braggion, in fact, emphasized a fundamental need: “We must be able to explain the role of the tanning system as a strategic lever of a thousand-year-old heritage to be preserved”. This is therefore “a cultural value to be defended, by sharing visions, experiences, and perspectives on the future of one of the sectors that symbolizes circularity”. A sector “that at the same time helps to greatly limit the use of materials of purely petrochemical origin, also through awareness-raising initiatives and trainings, especially for new generations”.
Topics of discussion
Fulvia Bacchi, general manager of UNIC – Italian Tanneries, highlighted how the collaboration with UNPAC is “now well established”. So much so that the association of Italian tanning chemists has joined Cotance as an associate member and will have a desk in the confederation of tanners’ new Brussels headquarters. Paola Ulivi (Danger and Safety) presented the Guidelines on Microplastics, a technical document with a specific focus on issues relating to tanneries and the chemical industry. Francesco Troisi emphasized the critical issues of the new ZDHC protocols currently being defined. Arianna Civiletti (SPIN360) presented the main drivers of the UNPAC Raw Materials Database. This is a project developed to define the LCA of tanning chemical auxiliaries, by analyzing and scientifically defining their real environmental impact.
The re-appointment of Pierluigi Braggion
UNPAC Assembly re-appointed Pierluigi Braggion (Corichem) as president. The Board of Directors will be completed by Massimo Baldini (Biokimica), Gianmario Cazzola (CGRD), Diego Cisco (GSC Group), Marco Frediani (KLF Tecnochimica), Francesco Lapi (FGL International), Andrea Meucci (Dermacolor), Andrea Montecalvo (Alanchim), Luca Pelfer (Alpa), Eric Poles (Silvachimica), Claudio Rosati (LMF Biokimica), and Laura Vantin (Chimica Vemar).
The landscape of Italy’s chemicals for the tanning industry
This Assembly made it possible to outline an updated landscape of Italian tanning chemical segment, one that in 2025 consists of 194 companies and 1,900 employees. These figures translate into turnover of around 810 million euros (export share: 39%). Seventy-four of these companies are members of UNPAC. Companies that, as Braggion mentioned in his Report, consolidate revenue of 427 million euros, while their exports are estimated at around 260 million. Meanwhile, the number of employees of the companies involved in UNPAC is around 1,450”.
The market
“Current market data”, says Braggion, “indicate a negative projection for 2026 on company revenues for the leather supply chain at international level”. The reason? “This economic situation caused by geopolitical and economic tensions that influence the procurement of raw materials, as well as energy dynamics, which significantly affect the supply chain. The striking figure concerns a contraction in consumption of auxiliaries and commodities in the automotive and luxury sectors, which is expected to determine a negative impact on revenues at national level, which should settle for the current year at around 13%”.
A situation that weighs like a boulder on the leather supply chain and that, in the case of chemical companies, “leaves us burdened in our structures due to stagnant demand and the increases suffered on basic chemical materials”. But also, Braggion concludes, “because of energy tensions, which are estimated to have a further 15% impact on our costs compared with the previous year”.
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- Italian tanning closes a complex 2025, confident it can recover from it
