Italian eyewear: double-figure growth in export in the first half of the year 2006

After the positive close in 2005, Italian eyewear is also achieving great results in the first half of the year 2006, with an overall share of exports amounting to over euros 1,063 million, an 18.7% increase compared to the same period in 2005.

Exports in the sector of sunglasses (over euros 716 million to +24.7% compared to the first half of the year 2005), and the significant growth in the export of frames, which have risen by 8.5 percentage points, with euros 327 million, are the protagonists of this performance.

In terms of quantity, Italian businesses from the sector exported 25 million and 200 thousand pairs of sunglasses and 14 million and 173 thousand frames around the world in the first half of the year 2006.

'With these initial results, Made in Italy eyewear seems to be out of the worst phase of the crisis that had engulfed it in recent years. It is hard to say whether this represents a new boom for the sector. Despite the positive trend since last year, the growth of exports is still extremely tied to the performance of the great leaders. However, if we also consider the positive signs from the historical eyewear district of Belluno, both in terms of production and employment, it is possible to look to the future of the whole sector with optimism.' - declared a relatively satisfied Cirillo Marcolin, the President of Anfao

The areas that most value the creativity and quality of Made in Italy glasses, and reference for sector exports, are, first and foremost Europe that takes over 48% of exports, which grew in value by 12.8% in the first half of the year 2006, followed by America, which holds a share of approximately 33% of Italian eyewear exports, with an even more significant growth in eyewear of 26.4% in the six-month period (particularly remarkable is the performance of exports in Central and South America with +80% compared to the same period in 2005). The prospects are also good for the Asiatic area, where 14.4% of all exports from the sector of sunglasses/frames was directed; here, there was a growth in exports in the period January-June 2006 of approximately 34.1% compared to the same period in 2005, in particular, there was a growth of 46.7% in East Asia.
The countries are analyzed separately as follows:

In the United States (the first market of reference for Italian eyewear with a share of over 28%), overall sun-vision exports amounted to +20.5% compared to the first half of the year 2005. A significant difference between the two sectors: while frame exports increased by just 1.5 percentage points, the sunglasses segment registered +32.3% in the six-month period.

After the United States, particularly sensitive to the appeal of Italian glasses and a reference for the sector in Europe are France, Spain and Germany: in France, in the first half of the year 2006, frame exports grew by 4.1% and sunglasses exports by 17.8% compared to the same period in 2005; similarly in Spain there was a growth of +5.7% for frames and +26.3% for sunglasses, in Germany +4.2% for the vision sector and +27.1% for the sunglasses sector.

The trend of exports for Italian eyewear in Russia, a market of particular interest for the whole sector because of its potential, is excellent, with a total of +19.9% compared to January/June 2005, drawn by +27.1% for sunglasses.

The performance registered by total exports of sunglasses and frames in a number of countries is particularly interesting, and despite their relative values, they could represent important future potential outlet markets: Mexico (+130%), Brazil (+45%), Arab Emirates (+30.3%).

The vitality of the market is also proven by the equivalent vitality of imports, fixed at around euros 314 million in the six-month period, with imports mainly from the Asiatic area and Europe in second place.

Finally, within the I-Style sector, despite this positive six-month period for all Made in Italy sectors, eyewear (+6.7% all world exports) represents the sector with the most significant growth in exports (+18.7%).
This growth becomes even more significant in the United States (+20.5%), where other sectors have had a more difficult upturn, causing a 1.4% drop in exports for the whole of I-Style.