A press conference presented Simac Tanning Tech 2025 was held on 11 September 2025 as industry leaders highlighted how Italian technology is supporting the global fashion system.
Simac Tanning Tech is the leading international trade fair for machinery and technologies for the footwear, leather goods and tanning industries.
Organised by Assomac, the association representing Italian companies in the sector, the 51st edition of the event will take place at Fiera Milano Rho from 23 to 25 September 2025.
Covering 13,400 square metres, the fair will host 312 exhibitors with 25% coming from outside Italy. Around 200 foreign delegates will attend, including 97 official representatives supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the ITA Agency.
“In a particularly difficult year, with a 12.8% decline in exports in the first five months of 2025, our sector is showing solid resilience”
Mauro Bergozza, President, Assomac
The global economic slowdown, trade barriers and protectionist policies have hit Italian technology exports across Europe and Asia.
Yet Italian companies remain leaders in advanced mechanical, automation and digital solutions for the leather, footwear and leather goods supply chain. Many are now targeting new markets to drive growth.
This year, special focus is on Africa in line with the Mattei Plan for Africa. During Simac Tanning Tech a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between Assomac, UNIC – Italian Tanners, UNPAC – National Union of Italian Tanning Auxiliary Manufacturers and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers.
The agreement will support the development of Kenya’s leather supply chain from livestock to finished products, sharing know-how and promoting sustainable technologies.
The 2025 programme will include key themes such as environmental compatibility, artificial intelligence and skills development for Industry 5.0. By bringing together research, industry and the market, Simac Tanning Tech confirms its position as a vital meeting point for the sector with a clear vision for the future.
