The message is very linear. In a situation, such as the present one, “very unlikely, which we never thought we would have to face”, there must be two fixed point. First: that, as is already happening, “a particular and reciprocal solidarity of the supply chain. Second: that all of this is aimed at saving the real Italian economy. That economy that represents the great value of national know-how”. The analysis of Gianni Russo, owner of the Russo di Casandrino tannery and president of UNIC – Italian Tanneries, is based on these two premises.
Solidarity of the supply chain
“We are experiencing an unlikely situation – comments Gianni Russo -. A situation that we never thought we would have to face from both an entrepreneurial, personal and social point of view”. Something that has no “precedents, but which is, however, bringing out a particular and mutual solidarity of the supply chain. I constantly receive messages from customers who prove to be close to us. And who thank us for the service we have offered continuously. And we, tanners, are doing the same with our suppliers”.
Save the real economy
“In the air, in the midst of this terrible experience – continues UNIC president -, I feel the possibility of a change in attitude towards the world and towards others. The possibility of something more true and fair. The whole chain must be united, because only this way the real economy of our country can be saved. Because in Italy, real economy is our great value. I am thinking, for example, of artisans and tourism which undoubtedly, among the many sectors, are the ones suffering the hardest blows in the short term”.
Long jump
A real economy and know-how of which Italian tanneries are the protagonists of excellence. “Obviously, I think of the excellence of our tanneries – Russo continues -, for which making forecasts is very complicated. Cruise collections are in absolute danger, and the summer has never been the reference season for tanning production. So what we can do today, at the end of March, is a long jump to the forecast of next November”. Estimates that, concludes UNIC president, “according to a very elementary analysis, observing that the possible recovery of China on the winter occurs before that in other countries, that still have different lockdown times, lead us to hypothesise a -35/-40 % of revenues on the previous year”.
