French tannery has fresh confidence
20/11/2013
During a visit to the tannery in Le Puy-en-Velay by the head of the regional government of Auvergne, Michel Fuzeau, in mid-November, new managing director, Denis Lemercier, said the tannery had increased its revenues by 29% since he took over, growing from EUR 20 million to EUR 26 million.
Mr Lemercier, representing a holding company called EPI, which has close links to luxury footwear brand Weston, was awarded the right to acquire Les Tanneries du Puy in the summer of 2011 after the courts weighed up a series of bids for the business. Under its previous ownership, the tannery went into administration in April 2010.
He told Mr Fuzeau that the new owners had invested heavily in new technology to make production more efficient, including energy-saving technology. “We are now able to recycle the energy we use,” he said. This investment had the support of funding from Auvergne and from the European Union. In addition, Les Tanneries du Puy has cemented its role as a supplier, principally of French calf leather, to many of the major luxury brands.
Denis Lemercier said the more stable platform the business now has will allow it to keep responding well to the changing demands of these customers.
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