Market report 23.12.2022

Even though there are actually two weeks left in the year, the week before Christmas is actually the one that ends the financial year and the sale of raw hides. That’s the way it looks this year too, even though there is only one official holiday next week and theoretically overseas customers could use the opportunity to test the sellers’ position. This year it sounds a bit unlikely, because the current pandemic situation in China seems to indicate that the tanners want to wait and see how things develop. In Europe, almost all factories are closed for the next one or two weeks. Looking back on the year, everyone will probably remember that it started relatively optimistically. In the end, everything turned out differently with the 24th of February, although the invasion of Ukraine remains only part of the problem. Leather continues to lose its importance in widespread use as a material. This is not because the material has become worse or more problematic, but because it has long since been abandoned due to technical production decisions and, last but not least, of course, because many manufacturers expected sales success from it in the course of ‘greenwashing’ marketing. However, if we look at the world, we see that this effect only exists – if at all – in very few markets. Nevertheless, the consumer can only buy what is offered to him in the end and if the global economic situation slows down consumption, this has a double effect on the leather industry. The only ones who can be satisfied are those who are in the areas where leather is not even a topic of discussion. Luxury and performance!  Accordingly, prices have fallen by between 10 and 30 % on Euro basis since the beginning of the year. The better the quality of the raw material, the smaller the effect. Fortunately, many leather factories did not decide to reduce their production significantly last

The kill

The kill now continues to decline as expected. The first days without production have already been reported and we do not expect slaughtering on all days next week either. From what is known so far, the warehouses of beef are well filled and we do not expect any lasting change in the first weeks of the New Year.

What do we expect

In the next two weeks we do not expect much activity or any significant price movements. It will probably take some time before demand, productions and prices reach a stable equilibrium again. Fortunately, the problems and pressures in Europe are still less than in other markets, but we will not escape at the end. Merry Christmas to all our readers and business friends and we think of the people who have to experience war and hardship now thanks to ruthless persons without being able to do anything about it!