The APLF Leather&Materials+, hosted last March 13-15 at the Dubai World Trade Center, was successfully held for the second time outside the borders of Hong Kong.
Despite the easing of travel restrictions related to the pandemic announced last December 2022 for the Asian area, the organizers did not want to take any risk and preferred to confirm the show to be held in the nearby Middle East, considering the broad praise registered last year.
The strategic position of Dubai, internationally renowned commercial placed between Europe and Asia, makes it an ideal meeting place, being also perfectly served by air connections all over the world, with fleets flying to and from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the United States and South America.
This year’s edition recorded the return of the so much missed operators from China and South-East Asia, who took part in the event both as visitors and as exhibitors, with national stands from Vietnam and China.
Among the other areas dedicated to the regions of the world, stood out Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, France, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, which presented the latest innovations both in terms of finished product and technologies related to the world of leather.
Italy, that attended the show with a large group of exhibitors mostly representing the technological and chemical sector under the aegis of ASSOMAC, was a real catalyst for machinery manufacturers and tanneries from all over the world, who were able to touch Italian production first-hand and face-to-face with some of the most excellent companies in the sector.
Although the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region is registering significant increases year after year and despite Dubai’s convenient geographical position, it is the common will of both organizers and exhibitors to return to Hong Kong next year, as it is more inside the Asian market. The dates are already set: March 19-21, 2024.
