Internal figures from German leather chemicals firm Lanxess have confirmed that 2006 was a difficult year for the Brazilian leather and footwear industry. Speaking to journalists at the FIMEC exhibition in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, Fábio Belloti da Fonseca, marketing manager for Lanxess’ Leather Business Unit in Brazil, said the company’s internal statistics suggested a large drop in exports of crust and finished hides last year. Exports of finished hides also fell 24%, whilst the number of semi-finished hides for the external market dropped 12%. Exports of wet blue, on the other hand, rose by 6%.
