There are the “no problem” companies at Mipel Lab. Or actually, they do have one problem: that of keeping up with the demand, because their main concern is the low availability of skilled workers to employ. Even with this challenge, “this is a segment that is going well and will go even better in the future”, summarizes the president of Assopellettieri, Franco Gabbrielli. Because if it’s true that costs are rising, it’s also true that orders are increasing.
The “no problem” companies have one problem
“We are happy of how Mipel went, and we are just as pleased with Mipel Lab, a container created from the know-how synergies of Italian manufacturing enterprises”, says Gabbrielli, adding that the only problem is tied to recruiting skilled laborers and training them, in a segment with “incredible outlooks”.
Everything increases, including orders
“We are investing on brands with great growth potential, in order to accelerate the organic development of the group”, says Stefano Giacomelli, CEO of Tivoli. “The main problems are tied to the increased energy prices and the future of China, but the segment has clearly turned a page and many visitors came to Mipel Lab. Are there signs of reshoring? The jump between made in China and made in Italy is wide. A first step usually considered by companies is to invest in Vietnam and Cambodia. Another possibility is Turkey or Tunisia, as they could indirectly benefit from the made in Italy chain. We saw a lot of interest from US-based apparel brands at Mipel Lab, as they want to enter the leather goods’ segment”.
Sartorial adjustment
“We have been contacted by startups and new brands that often have small orders to place that don’t reach our minimum quota”, points out Giulia Tessadri of Frassineti, leather goods maker of the HIM group (70 employees and about 70,000 handbags produced in one year). “The relationship with luxury brands? They ask us to share data and information more and more often, to ensure traceability and transparency. Out goal is to be able to satisfy brands even if the demands tied to managerial and organizational aspects has increased. At a production level, there has been a sartorial adjustment, as you need to understand what the clients are truly looking for. For example, a small nuance on leather that could be a value-adding detail for us, may be a defect for luxury brands”.
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