The market for padlocks - Italy

1.2 World market for padlocks

The following data are extracted from UN comtrade under code "****** - Padlocks; (***), made of base metal."

Exports

Ranking of exporting countries by value and quantity of padlocks World, ****, in US$ million and million kg

Source: ****

This table shows the ranking of lock exporting countries, which also gives an idea of the main producing countries. Not surprisingly, China leads the ranking by far, with *** million euros in exports for ***.* million kilos, which is almost * times more in value and ** times more in quantity than Mexico, which is second in the ranking.

Italy appears in the export ranking, at *ᵉ world and *ᵉ European place in terms of value while not buying among the top ** countries in the world with regard to quantities exported, this means that the value and price of locks is higher than the same products exported by other countries.

Imports

Ranking of importing countries by value and quantity of padlocks World, ****, in US$ million and million kg

Source: ****

The U.S. imports $*** million worth of padlocks for ** million kilos, which is almost * times more than Mexico's imports by value and * times more than Indonesia's imports by quantity.

Italy does not buy in the top ** countries for padlock imports, this means that ...

1.3 Italian Market

To give an idea of how valuable the Italian padlock market can be, it is possible to look at the turnover of companies with ATECO code **.**.**, or "Production and manufacture of locks and hinges."

Turnover is growing strongly; between **** and **** it increased by *** million euros, or an increase of ** percent.

Italian padlock sectors turnover Italy, ****-****, millions of euros Source: Istat Ateco **.**

Through the Eurostat website it is possible to see the value of the exact production of padlocks and the number of padlocks produced, via code **.**.**.

Production fell sharply in ****, decreasing by ** percent from the previous year, while there was a recovery in the value of production between **** and ****, reaching *.** million euros, or an increase of ** percent from ****.

Italian production value of padlocks Italy, ****-****, million euros Source: ****

The quantity of padlocks produced followed the same trend as the value of production, with a major drop in production in **** and a recovery in the following three years. Note that the value produced in **** is lower than in ****, this means that the price of production has increased.

Quantity of locks produced Italy, ****-****, thousands of pieces Source: ****

Imports VS exports of padlocks in Italy Italy, ****, millions of dollars Source:UMComtrade HS: ...

1.4 Impact war in Ukraine

The War in Ukraine is causing price increases all over Europe, especially in energy and subsistence raw materials-electricity and metals such as steel and pig iron, from which locks are made, are on the rise.

In particular, the cost of electricity has increased by *.** percent in one year, and steel and pig iron are up *.** percent and *.** percent respectively.

Price of some raw materials needed for padlock production Italy, August ****-August ****, base price ****=*** Source: ****

2.1 Padlocks and theft

One of the major uses of padlocks is to protect one's motorcycles or bicycles.

Number of Bicycles Sold in Italy Italy, **** - ****, in millions of bicycles sold Source: ****

The market is rather steady, with a slight fluctuation in the number of sales between **** and **** of -*.*% from *.* million bicycles sold to *.* million, while between **** and ****, complicit in the decrease of the bicycle bonus, the number of sales decreased by -*.*% . Despite this, the bicycle market is doing very well, thanks mainly to the growth of the EAB (***) segment, with nearly ** percent more sales each year between **** and ****. This demand is expected to have a bright future, accentuated by the confinements caused by the COVID-** health crisis, which has raised people's awareness of environmental issues and led them to rethink the way they travel. See Businesscoot's studies " The bicycle market in Italy "or " The electric bicycle market in Italy

Axelle Coulange, EMEA marketing director of Mas Master Lock Europe (***), also noted this in an interview in **** for LSA Conso: "Since the end of containment, we have seen strong sales growth across the entire two-wheeler category and particularly on our higher value-added products-that is, locks that offer a higher level of security or ...

2.2 Other Usage of Padlocks

Another important use of padlocks is for the protection and locking of luggage during travel. Precise padlocks, namely TSA padlocks, are used for this specific purpose. TSA padlocks not only allow the luggage to be protected, but also make it easy to inspect during screening. In fact, each TSA lock is easily opened by security officers, who possess universal keys. In this way, inspections are smooth and, most importantly, the lock will not be broken in any way by the officers.

To get an idea of how many padlocks may be needed to cover the demand for suitcases, one can look at the number of suitcases and travel bags sold (***). Production sold dropped sharply in **** due to the Covid pandemic, while **** saw a boom in suitcase production, *.**% more than the previous year. **** sees a recovery in the market and *.** times more production sold than the previous year.

Suitcases and travel bags sold Italy, ****-****, pieces Source:Istat Ateco ********

Finally, to understand how the production of padlocks may vary, one can look at the production of metal lockers, such as those used in the gym, which require locking by padlock. The trend in production value does not follow a definite trend: **** and ...

2.3 Padlocks and technology

The advent of technology has also entered the world of padlocks, giving rise to real padlocks-intelligent, connected to APPs, which can be tracked, which are self-charging and customizable. Moreover, with the increasing use of apps, such as Airbnb, where access to a place must always be shared with more people, more and more locks are remotely controllable.

Source: ****

2.1 Operation

There are mainly two types of padlocks, combination padlocks (***).

Operation

A padlock is a locking system that conceals a somewhat complex system: it consists of a metal case containing two pistons that lock and unlock a hook. When the lock pins are aligned, the piston releases the hook, which opens the padlock. The operation is the same whether it is a code lock or a key lock, for the former the alignment of the pins is done by the barrel of the number combination, and for the latter it is the notches in the key that align them

Source: ****

Measuring and constructing a padlock [***]

The measurements of a padlock allow them to be differentiated, and to accentuate certain aspects, a manufacturer can thus play on :

Handle size The diameter of the handle -Protecting the handle The height of the handle The width of the handle The width of the body

The materials used also play a role, depending on the area of use, the environment, or the level of security of a lock, different materials can be used:

- Solid brass: the most common material for universal padlocks - Stainless steel for locks exposed to the elements - Case-hardened or treated ...

2.3 Manufacturing padlocks in Italy

The production of padlocks in Italy is identified by Ateco code **.**.** "Manufacture of locks and similar hinges and hardware," this category is slightly broader, since it also takes into account manufacturers of security doors and locks, since they have the same mechanism. In addition, many companies diversify production, producing both products.

The number of companies active in this industry is *** in ****, and the industry's turnover is *.* billion.

The number of companies grew slowly between **** and ****, by *.** percent, while between **** and **** the growth was exponential, with the number of companies increasing by ** percent from *** to ***.

Firms active in the production of locks, hinges and padlocks Italy, ****-****, units SOURCE:ISTAT Ateco **.**

Number of employees in the lock, padlock and hinge production sector Italy, ****-****, units Source: Istat Ateco: **.**

The sector is mainly in the hands of small and medium-sized enterprises, ** percent are small enterprises with *-* employees, *.* percent are companies with **-** employees, and the remaining **.* percent are companies with more than ** employees.

Type of companies in the locks and fixtures industry Italy, ****, Percentage Source: Istat Ateco **.**

2.3 Distribution channels

The main distribution channels for padlocks are small specialty retailers, such as hardware or bicycle stores, and GDSs, such as large do-it-yourself stores or large sports stores.

Although small retailers, such as hardware and bicycle stores, are a reality in Italy, an important part of the sector, especially in terms of turnover, is that of the chains of specialized product distributors (***) in do-it-yourself and construction, which, offering poroducts such as locks, also sell padlocks.

The number of GDS, large specialty retailers, has been increasing by *.** percent since ****, reaching *** stores in ****.

Number of GDS stores Italy, ****-****, units Source: ****

The main players in the sector by turnover are Leroy Merlin Italy, Obi Italy, Eurobrico and CSC.

Source: ****

it is also possible to buy padlocks in hardware stores. The ATECO code **.** can be used to identify the number of hardware stores in Italy.

The number of businesses has remained fairly constant over time, with approximately ** thousand companies active in the sector.

Firms active in the do-it-yourself sector Italy, ****-****, units Source:ISTAT ATECO**.**

it is also possible to buy padlocks in sporting goods stores, being used, as mentioned in Chapter *.*, to combat bicycle theft.

In Italy, the distribution of sporting goods takes place ...

3.4 Companies

Most companies in the industry diversify their production and tend to offer, in addition to padlocks, security doors, safes, locks, and hinges. The companies with the highest turnovers are those that have most diversified their offerings and have the most stores or dealers on national soil.

4.1 Products offered

As we have seen, the sizes, materials and types of locks can vary. Here are the different types of locks according to their use

Key or code?

Code locks are often used when it is necessary to share access with a large number of users, for example, for access to a common area, or when possession of a key can be a problem, as in the case of gymnasium locker rooms, where an aramdietto must be shared by several clients, or as in the case of luggage, when the risk of losing the key can be a major problem.

Weather conditions: corrosion, frost resistance...

The material of the padlock becomes a criterion to look at before purchase depending on whether it is used indoors, outdoors, in wet or dry places. For example, in a wet place, typically near the sea, padlocks in which all components are made of corrosion-resistant materials are preferred, or frost-resistant materials are needed if the padlock is subjected to very low temperatures

The level of security

In some situations, the mere sight of the lock may deter and protect items, but in other places, such as isolated areas (***), a higher security lock may be more useful, to ...

4.2 Prices

Manufacturing prices

The processing price of padlocks, locks and hinges is ***.* as of August ****, with base ****=***. It is interesting to see how the price has also increased due to the increase in the cost of raw materials. As shown in the following graph, raw material prices have increased, especially between **** and ****, causing the price of padlocks to increase.

Producer price of padlocks and raw materials to make them Italy, ****-****, base prices ****=*** Source: ****

Selling prices

This price table illustrates the diversity of padlock prices, which can range from a few euros to thousands.  

                                                                                                                                  Source: ****

5.1 Regulations

European Requirements

European standard EN-*****, which specifies requirements and describes test methods for mechanical strength, security, durability, performance and corrosion resistance of padlocks and their accessories.

The padlock is subjected to ** strength tests, ranging in intensity from * to *.

Most locks are not rated (***). This can be explained because the tests must be carried out by an approved body, which is extremely expensive, so manufacturers reserve them only for their high-end products. For example, CISA, offers this certification only to ***% steel padlocks.

Among these tests, we can find the minimum number of different keys, or the tensile strength of the shackle, here are some examples taken from the EN-***** test table

Source: ****

Mechatronic padlocks

UNI EN *****:**** specifies the requirements and test methods for new mechatronic padlocks. The standards body explains that the standard specifies the performance requirements and test methods for mechatronic padlocks and their associated keys and/or electronic keys. It establishes the categories of use based on performance tests and degrees of security based on design requirements and performance tests that simulate attack. If the design incorporates mechanical means of security in addition to mechatronic means, these are also tested. This European Standard does not cover any other elements of ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Leroy Merlin Italia
• Bricocenter Italia
• EuroBrico Spa
• Decathlon Italie
• Borea Spa
• Master Lock Europa
• CISA S.p.a
• ISEO Serrature
• Viro S.p.a