Südleder sets up its own apprenticeship programme

21/04/2015
Germany’s main tanning school at Reutlingen closed its doors in 2011, but Bavaria-based tanner Südleder has found a solution by setting up its own apprenticeship programme.

Working as a contract tanning partner for customers in a number of countries, Südleder has a capacity to process 3,500 hides per day to wet blue and crust at its facilities in Rehau and employs around 250 people. To meet its future skills needs, the company has taken on apprentices in its beamhouse, in its laboratory and in its administration teams.

A group of 11 apprentices in the current programme travelled to Worms in the west of the country at the start of April to carry out a tour of the factory run by leather chemicals manufacturer Trumpler.

Accompanied by four Südleder mentors, the apprentices toured the Trumpler fatliquor production plant, its powder packaging facilities and laboratories.