Connolly ‘delighted’ at progress of relocation
Less than six months on from the idea first being mooted, Connolly Leather has advised that the relocation of its wet blue and wet white dressing and finishing operations to Northampton is nearly complete.
Undertaken as part of the company’s wider strategy to concentrate on its traditional market for top quality, full grain leather, the relocation has seen the business effectively become a Northampton-based company, where it has taken up residence in the former W. Pearce footwear tannery. (See Leatherbiz.com story "Connolly pulls out of US joint venture, cuts jobs in UK", December 5, 2001).
"We’re delighted with the way things are progressing," commented Chairman Joseph Connolly. "The workforce we’ve recruited here know exactly what they’re doing and the plant itself has more than lived up to our expectations. The fact that we’ve moved into an existing tannery meant we were able to power up our equipment with few problems, whilst the building’s location directly over an aquifer means the quality of the water is excellent."
In describing the company’s wider intentions, Mr Connolly said the management team was now ‘Living the Brand’ in that the focus would be on high end leather. Production would be centred on hides in the 31-35 kilo range, with a throughput of 5000 to 6000 hides per week. The trend towards dealing directly with the prestige automotive producers - as opposed to seating manufacturers serving the mass-produced sector - would also be continued.
"Once you start getting involved with at that level of the market, price then becomes the deciding factor," Connolly said. "That’s definitely not what we’re about."
