The future of the Turkish tanning sector
Industry experts claim the number of active tanneries in Turkey has fallen by around 50% over the last ten years. However, it is believed three key clusters will help to prevent any further declines.
The first is the Tuzla leather zone in Istanbul, which is mainly for tanneries producing shoe upper leather. There are around 30 tanneries in the zone, each of which can process approximately 10 to 30 tonnes of hides per day.
The second is the Corlu leather zone which houses more than 40 double-face tanneries with capacities of between 2,000 and 5,000 pieces per day.
The third is the Usak mixed industrial zone, which has recently shown rapid growth. Almost 50 tanneries are in operation there, mainly producing nappa garment leathers. Some are new companies, while others have been transferred from clusters in Tuzla and Menemen.
Other important clusters can be found in Bursa, Biga, Gerede and Gonen; however, the three zones listed above are expected to experience the most growth.
