Pittards firm up Asian base

Published: 07 April, 2006

During the APLF show, Pittards signed a partnership and licensed manufacturing agreement with the Taiwan-based leather group Tehchang Leather Products Co Ltd. This is part of the Pittards restructuring programme which will see the closure of the Leeds tannery with production of bovine leather switching to Yeovil and also to Taiwan. A similar move was undertaken a year earlier with some of the Yeovil production of hairsheep reverting to Ethiopia.

The choice of Tehchang is an excellent one. Owned and run by the Pai family, this is a progressive organisation which found success by pursuing the global footwear brands. Founded in 1982, they use US raw and wet-blue hides (70-75% raw) and work throughout the year, only shutting down for the New Year holidays. The beamhouse operates on a 24-hour daily basis while the rest of the tannery conforms to a normal five-day working week.

They expanded into China eleven years ago by opening a finishing plant in Dongguan. A tannery in Zhuhai followed in October 2003 and they are now building the second phase which includes a beamhouse. Completion is scheduled for July/August this year. They currently finish from crust in Dongguan using some of their own production and importing basic colours from New Zealand and Argentina.

Pittards and Tehchang have been working together for more than a year to broker the deal. 'We see the new arrangement as a marriage of the strengths of Pittards and Tehchang which will bring real benefit to both parties', says Pittards footwear leather sales director Chris Sudborough.

'Product development will continue to be driven from our UK manufacturing facility which will become our long planned centre of excellence. Through our Asian partnership with Tehchang, we will be producing premium category bovine leathers with all the unique technical advantages that have made Pittards the world leader in specialist leathers.'

Establishing a key Asian partnership is one of the key elements in Pittards long term business plan which includes moves to reduce UK costs whilst offering a broader range of services to customers.

Stephen Boyd, executive chairman of Pittards, said: 'Tehchang has an excellent reputation and we have already developed a strong partnership. The new agreement will help both our businesses to progress and will also be of real benefit to our customers. It really is a win win situation for everyone concerned.'

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