Italian shoe makers are not confident in the dynamics of growth

From 6 to 9 March, the leading international exhibition was held in Milan in the pavilions of the Fieramilano Rho exhibition center MICAM, which presented collections of shoes and accessories for the season "Autumn-Winter 2011/2012".

The largest consumer of Italian shoes remain the EU countries. Among them, the top three procurement leaders include Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Three countries account for 24,5% of total Italian shoe exports or 1,18 billion euros.

Germany for the 9 months of the 2010 year, bought 29,7 million pairs of Italian shoes (+ 13% compared to the same period of the 2009 year). The total purchase value amounted to 683,4 million euros.

All key market figures are rather vague.

Over the 9 months of the 2010 year, exports grew by 13,9% in terms of the number of pairs and by 11,1% in value. At the same time, the average price per pair decreased by 2,4%.

Globally, Italians have 6 main sales markets. 4 of them grew last year: French - by 11,8%, German - by 13,4%, American by 20,9%, Russian - by 10% in price, by 19% in volume. 2 - Japanese and Arabic - showed no dynamics. 

All Italian provinces significant for the shoe market announced export growth: Tuscany - by 14,9%, Veneto - by 7,7%, Marche - by 5,6%, Lombardy - by 5,4%. The export of footwear is growing even in regions comparatively far from the shoe industry such as Campagna (+ 13,9%) and Puglia (19,9%).

On the one hand, according to the president of the Italian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (ANCI) Vito Artioli, the economy has grown, orders are growing, American and British buyers have returned to the exhibition. On the other hand, there is no certainty that this dynamic will be sustainable.

Over the three years of the economic downturn, the number of Italian companies has decreased and continues to decrease: 6263 (2008), 6028 (2009), 5840 (2010). Employment in the sector is also steadily decreasing: 85,9 thousand people in 2008, 82,9 thousand people in 2009, 79,7 thousand people. in 2010

In 2010, production remained unchanged at 1,1%. As well as retail prices in Italy itself - they rose by 1%. Retail prices abroad increased by 1,9%.

According to polls ANCI, 51% of Italian manufacturers will slightly increase production in 2011, about 15% of them will increase production by more than 10%. At the same time, 35% announced a reduction in production this year.

Traditionally during the exhibition MICAM the best buyer was awarded - the exhibition management together with ANCI they choose the store owner whose contribution to the promotion and sale of Italian footwear they consider above all else. The competition has two nominations - for Italian and foreign buyers. In March 2011 the award Micam Award received by Leonardo and Giuseppe Angiolucci, owners of the Florentine company Gilardiniand Adnan Chaaito and Manovaru Jeswani from the Dubai company  Valencia Shoes.

For your information:

MICAM in numbers

Exhibition Area: 71 050 square. m

Number of exhibitors: 1623, of which 607 from abroad

Number of visitors: 38 812, of which 19 588 are from abroad