The tensions surrounding trade with China, though it has hit the raw material for the tanning segment irregularly, has left a mark. And so, the balance sheet for salted and wet-blue US leather, for the January 2018 – October 2018, has decreased sales in the aggregate region of China-Hong Kong, by 12% in volume and 31% in value. The data was reported by USHSLA, reference association for US hides’ traders. Numbers that photograph a dark 2018 for the sector. 19.6 million hides (or 4% less, on yearly base), have left to go abroad in the first 10 months of 2018, while revenue has fallen from the 1.2 billion USD for the same period in 2017, to the current 939 million USD: a -24% performance. Looking towards the other reference countries for the USA: South–Korea (-3% in volume and -25% in value) and Taiwan -28% volume and -43% in value), lost ground. While Europe, as a whole, gives countering results, losing 8% in volume but gaining 5% in value, yet Italy decreases by 24% in volume and 25% in value. Within the top-10 clients of US hides, only Mexico (+16% in volume, and -1% in value) and Thailand (+41% and +4%) are in the green.
A dark 2018: US raw material for the tanning segment loses 24% of foreign revenue in the first 10 months of the year, according to USHSLA
