Mauro Bergozza, the recently elected president of Assomac, has outlined his strategic vision for the association’s next four years. “Collaboration and unity among our members will be crucial for our collective strength,” says Bergozza.
“We must focus on identifying and developing new markets while also amplifying Assomac’s voice within Italian and European institutions, particularly regarding legal and regulatory matters.”
Bergozza, a Vicenza-based entrepreneur, was elected president of the Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery for Tanning, Footwear and Leather Goods in late November. In a recent interview at the Arzignano headquarters of Bergi, his family’s business, he shared his comprehensive plan for the association’s future, extending through 2025 and beyond.
How crucial is the strength of the group?
“The collective strength of Assomac will be incredibly important,” asserts Bergozza. “To amplify our voice within institutions and across the entire production chain, we must present a united front, ensuring our representation of the sector is both impactful and effective. This requires actively engaging in policy-making arenas, contributing to the development of business-supportive strategies, and forging strong relationships throughout the supply chain.” He continues, “By doing so, we can solidify our stance on critical issues like the green and digital transition, advocate for technological neutrality and effectively communicate the value of our industry expertise. Unity and collaboration are essential. We must foster strategic partnerships amongst manufacturers, challenge ourselves to exceed expectations and place our trust in the associations and institutions that represent us.” Bergozza acknowledges the challenges ahead. “The coming years will undoubtedly be complex, demanding dedication and hard work. However, I am confident that our collective cultural and scientific knowledge, coupled with our robust industrial base, will empower us to navigate any crisis. Success is a shared endeavor.”
What are the key advantages of increased international representation for Assomac?
“The EU’s new Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), with its leather-specific restrictions and traceability requirements, presents a significant challenge,” explains Bergozza. “Italian tanneries face the risk of increased costs to update software, machinery and potentially staffing levels to ensure compliance. This could negatively impact their competitiveness against tanneries operating outside the EU. Given our close ties to European tanneries, this is a major concern for us. Evolving ISO standards at the European level are another area we’re closely monitoring. As the sole remaining EU-based manufacturers of leather processing machinery, we believe we should have a greater voice in shaping these standards. Currently, we’re categorized under the broader textile machinery sector within European regulatory frameworks. We’re exploring options, from full integration to a strategic alliance with CEMATEX, the umbrella organization for nine national European textile machinery associations. Our director, Agostino Apolito, has already been actively involved in addressing these issues, participating in a working group within COTANCE, the European Tanning Association.”
How is Assomac organized, and what institutional connections does it have?
“Our headquarters are in Vigevano, where a team of approximately twelve manages our daily communications, including website and social media content. They also distribute member newsletters, sharing internal updates and news from Confindustria (of which we are members), Federmacchine and other institutional partners. Our Milan office, located in the city center, serves as our official representative office. We maintain space within the ACIMIT building (National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery for the Textile Industry), providing convenient access by public transport. This office features a spacious meeting room that hosts our general council meetings and presentations for the fashion sector. We have established a direct channel of communication with the Italian government. In January, we met with Minister Urso in Rome at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Italy’s diverse fashion industry.”
Technological product development is another priority…
“Aligned with Industry 4.0 and the evolving 5.0 landscape, we must develop our technology, in the interest of all stakeholders, while keeping pace with emerging funding opportunities. Our long-term vision is to empower every tannery with seamless, end-to-end traceability across their entire production process. While not yet a mandatory EUDR requirement, it’s certainly on the horizon. Implementing these technologies will provide tanneries with comprehensive insights into every facet of their leather production, from the specific machines used to the personnel involved at any given time. This granular data will enable them to quickly identify the root cause of any issue arising with a particular batch of leather, should a claim be made. Achieving this requires widespread access to advanced machinery equipped with real-time production monitoring systems, providing actionable data that drives continuous improvement in both the quality and volume of leather output.”
What timeframe can we expect?
“While the timeline for mandatory implementation remains uncertain, one thing is clear: there’s no turning back. We anticipate that Assomac members will be ready when the market demands it, offering purpose-built machinery. This includes equipment equipped with certified sensors capable of analyzing key data points, such as resource consumption relative to leather output, monitoring emissions to ensure environmental compliance and tracking machine performance to minimize downtime and facilitate proactive maintenance strategies.”
Concerning sustainability, how will you put your commitment into practice?
“Our approach will be highly effective. Recent discussions with key brand representatives have reinforced the increasing demand for sustainable technologies, machinery and systems. However, these conversations have also revealed a need for greater expertise in utilizing these technologies sustainably and in a connected ecosystem. Our influence in Europe will be amplified by forging strategic partnerships with European associations. This underscores the importance of designing machinery and processes that minimize energy consumption. The European digital product passport will be instrumental in facilitating the transition to a sustainable economy, benefiting both the machinery and technology itself, as well as the final consumer goods they help produce. The future is green and we must lead the charge in this transformation, which requires intelligent data management throughout a product’s lifecycle.”
You are dedicated to empowering the next generation …
“Absolutely. We prioritize education and training that empowers individuals to effectively manage, control and drive value creation within companies. This includes process re-engineering, data analytics and order management, all key areas of focus in our training initiatives. Investing in these areas is essential for the sector’s future and we’re committed to starting at the secondary school level, collaborating closely with technical institutes and universities to cultivate a robust talent pipeline. Our objective is to forge a strong partnership between education and industry, enhancing the perception of the Italian leather sector and showcasing its cutting-edge technologies and production processes to young people. We also provide continuous professional development for our employees, keeping them up-to-date with the latest industry advancements and have opportunities for career advancement. By working together, we can build a more robust and competitive future, developing professionals prepared to tackle market challenges and lead our companies toward greater sustainability. Finally, we must also support training programs for young people from abroad, particularly from African nations.”
How crucial is it for our country to be competitive abroad?
In today’s dynamic global landscape, it’s crucial that our interconnected ecosystem, including the technology, component and accessory sectors for leather goods, leather and footwear, not only maintains but enhances its international competitiveness. Achieving this requires close collaboration with ICE Agency, our primary partner for internationalization efforts. ICE already plays a vital role in supporting our participation in key international trade events. This year, we’ll be exhibiting within the ICE-Assomac pavilion at events in Chennai, India (February), Hong Kong (mid-March) and the Anpic trade fair in León, Mexico (second half of the year). A trade fair in Pakistan is also being evaluated.”
What about the Milan trade fair specifically?
“For Italian manufacturers, Simac Tanning Tech represents a strategic opportunity that we must capitalize on. We need to broaden our vision of the Milan show, going beyond simply showcasing machinery. We should develop a new model for presenting our technologies, making it a year-round, 365-day endeavor, similar to what other associations are doing. This involves informing visitors about the specific technologies offered by individual companies through written materials, interviews, and videos, all complemented by workshops and practical demonstrations.
What are Assomac’s key target markets worldwide?
“We need to increase our presence in Africa, not just as individual companies but as an association. In December, we sponsored a conference in Tunisia, and we plan to organize similar events in other Mediterranean and Central-East African countries, targeting entrepreneurs and clients. The Eastern markets are ‘saturated.’ Italian businesses dominated these regions in the 1990s and the first decade of the 2000s, but then Korean and Chinese companies made significant inroads. Today, Chinese firms dominate the area from India and Bangladesh to the Baltic countries. Italian companies are developing strong business relationships in Vietnam, particularly in footwear and leather goods, but less so in tanning, where existing tanneries are subsidiaries of multinational corporations based elsewhere. Burma and Cambodia are potentially interesting markets, some of which still need further development.”
What is the primary challenge for this year?
We must confront the current economic climate. Following a disastrous second half of 2024, marked by deeply negative figures, we anticipate a challenging first half of this year. Matching performance with the same period last year would be considered a positive result. A recovery is forecast for the latter half of the year, potentially concentrated in the final quarter, according to analysts. While we’ve seen some tentative signs of improvement early this year, a cautious approach remains prudent.”
Are the duties announced by the US president also among the possible risks?
“Trump took office on January 20th, let’s give him a couple of months to take stock of the situation. Undoubtedly, many potential clients are awaiting clarification on the specifics of how and when these duties will be applied. We are cautiously optimistic. However, it’s important to note that the trade balance between Europe and the United States currently favors Europe, suggesting a potential rebalancing. Regardless, US economic policy warrants close attention. The US market for the leather sector presents a dual reality. It’s significant for machinery manufacturers serving the primary sector, up to the wet blue stage. However, it’s less crucial for those in the finished leather sector, as American tanneries are predominantly located elsewhere, particularly in Mexico, South Africa, and to some extent, Europe and Asia. Ultimately, if consumer demand for leather products increases, those products will need to be manufactured somewhere. We are therefore hopeful for growth in consumption, as this will inevitably drive demand for our machinery.”
Mauro Bergozza
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY: URGENT CONCERNS EMERGE
Assomac President Mauro Bergozza expressed grave concerns about the deepening crisis in the automotive sector, echoing the anxieties of his members. “We’ve been intertwined with the auto industry for decades,” he stated, “and now its future is decidedly uncertain, especially given the downward trend of European manufacturers. Frankly, it’s perplexing how we went from being among the world’s leading car producers – and the same holds true for Germany and France – to essentially ceding the field to the Chinese, who organized themselves much earlier, just as they did with solar panels. The European Parliament has demonstrated a lack of long-term vision. This is partly a consequence of democratic processes, where everyone has their say, parliaments change, and everything resets. The EU’s 2035 Program was, in fact, the only concrete initiative, but it now risks backfiring on us. Is there any hope of reversing this trajectory?
We have to try, collectively, given that Europe is the only region that’s gone down this particular rabbit hole.” Bergozza acknowledged, “It’s true that vehicles contribute to pollution, but a complete shift to electric vehicles is not going to happen overnight. The problem is that we’re not ready for several reasons: the charging infrastructure is far from complete; battery range doesn’t yet allow for the kind of long journeys that conventional fuels provide; and, finally, few people have the means to charge electric vehicles. Even the cost savings are questionable, as numerous tests have shown. And let’s not forget that the price tag of an electric car, euros 40,000 to euros 50,000, is beyond the reach of most people. Perhaps a more sensible approach would have been for member states to incentivize the scrapping of older, more polluting vehicles and their replacement with newer, more efficient models.”