Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- As part of the business mission of the delegation of the Uzcharmsanoat Association to India, negotiations were held at the Central Research Institute of Leather Business CSIR to establish cooperation. CSIR has recently decided to open a new research institute in Uzbekistan.

CSIR is a network organization with a research and development base in the field of leather processing. The organization includes 37 national laboratories, 39 information and research centers, 3 innovation complexes. About 3,500 scientists are working on new developments under the auspices of this organization. CSIR, the 46th largest global institution in the world and the first in Asia, plans to open another research center in Uzbekistan.

The opening of the next organization center in our country, first of all, will allow local enterprises to get acquainted with innovative developments in this area, to obtain the technical knowledge necessary for their activities. The new center will provide services not only to our enterprises, but also to the leather enterprises of Central Asia and the CIS. Thanks to the center in Uzbekistan, they will have access to research, laboratory tests and patents at the international level. This, in turn, will contribute to the introduction of scientific achievements and innovations in the leather industry of our country.

The delegation of the Uzcharmsanoat Association met with representatives of large tanneries and companies in the industrial capital of India - Kanpur.

It should be noted that Kanpur is considered one of the largest economic cities in India and the center of leather companies. This city also accounts for 30% of the country’s leather trade. Only in Jajmau district of Kanpur city there are about 300 processing enterprises, ranging from raw hides to finished products (finishing leather), most of which are export-oriented.

Today, there are 932 leather and footwear manufacturing enterprises in Kanpur, which are in high demand in many foreign countries due to their quality and affordability.

The delegation from Uzbekistan held talks with representatives of Penza Exports. During the meeting, representatives of the company said that they intended to purchase recycled “wet-blue” buffalo leather in Uzbekistan, which is necessary for the furniture and automotive industries. The parties agreed to hold negotiations with the participation of producers from Uzbekistan.

Penza Group was founded in 1990. Its activities began with the production of "wet blue" from the skins of cattle for local industries in India. Further, the company began work on the processing of recycled leather into finished products and the production of leather goods from it. In an effort to gradually enter the international market, in 2004 the company began to export finished leather to the Republic of Korea for the automotive and furniture industries. Since 2006, Italy has shown interest in the company’s products. Today Penza Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of finished skin.

The company produces 3.5-4 million square meters of finished leather annually. The enterprise works on the principle of a cluster, in a single chain there are all processes from leather processing to finished products. Today, the company has an increased demand for semi-finished wet-blue leather products. Therefore, she intends to cooperate with Uzbekistan, a country with a large production potential in this area. This will have a significant positive impact on the export potential of our country.

The next topic of discussion was the training of qualified specialists for domestic enterprises. The delegation of the Uzcharmsanoat Association at a meeting with EAST WEST TANNERS exchanged views on the creation of scientific laboratories in our country, as well as an educational institution specifically for the leather industry. According to the head of the company, the work was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but at the moment there is ample opportunity to move it forward. 

EAST WEST TANNERS is a manufacturer of leather goods and accessories that meet international standards. Today, most of the export-oriented leather and footwear products from India are produced at this plant. All products of the company fully comply with the required standards. Thanks to this, we can say that it is one of the leaders in the European and American markets.

HOMERA TANNING INDUSTRIES has taken the initiative to open a new joint venture in Uzbekistan. During the negotiations, it was noted that the opportunities and benefits provided today to foreign investors in our country are a determining factor for the effective launch of new projects. 

HOMERA TANNING INDUSTRIES is a large cluster in Kanpur. It has 6 tanneries dov, 3 production plants and a logistics center. More than 900 people work in the cluster. During its 35-year history, the company has become the largest cluster enterprise in India. HOMERA TANNING INDUSTRIES Supply finished leather for the automotive, furniture, fashion, security and safety industries. It also supplies a wide range of footwear and leather goods to the global market. 

The main reason for the company’s success is that it operates in a cluster system, i.e. in the system "leather processing production + production of finished products + delivery". This leads to a reduction in the cost of production, resulting in an increase in demand for it around the world. Today, Homera Tanning Industries is able to meet the worldwide demand for accessories.

Another enterprise with Indian capital will start operating in our country. The delegation of the Uzcharmsanoat Association had a fruitful dialogue with CLE. At the meeting, the head of the Indian company said that he was glad to cooperate with Uzbekistan and was ready to invest in such business-friendly country.

The Leather Export Council (CLE) is the fastest growing and largest organization in the Indian leather industry. The Council is working on all possible support and development of leather enterprises in India. Also thanks to CLE, India’s share in the global leather trade is increasing every year. It is gratifying that CLE has begun work on establishing mutually beneficial relations with Uzbekistan.

The business mission of the Uzcharmsanoat delegation to India served as a convenient platform for a fruitful dialogue, search for new partners and, most importantly, to demonstrate to the world community, in particular to leading companies, the potential of Uzbekistan in the leather and footwear sector.