MD of family-run tannery in France wins award for women entrepreneurs
16/07/2013
Marie Hiriart-Carriat, who runs the Carriat tannery, founded by her grandparents in 1927, has won the award in the Entrepreneur category of the 2013 La Tribune Women’s Awards. She will receive the award at a gala event later in the year.
Carriat started off making saddle leather before moving into furniture upholstery. When the current managing director took over from her father in the 1990s, she made the move into making leather for interior design and, especially, high-end luxury accessories and now counts luxury brands such as Hermès among her clients.
She says the Carriat team has also worked hard in recent years to boost its business outside France. The tannery is currently turning over almost EUR 18 million a year, with almost 40% of that coming from exports, with the US as its main export market. It employs 56 people.
On speaking about the award on a local television news programme, Ms Hiriart-Carriat paid tribute to the French tanning industry federation, FFTM, for its support in allowing the tanneries that remain in France to take part in events such as Le Cuir À Paris and, through that, attract new customers.
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