German specialty chemicals company TFL will celebrate its 10^th anniversary in 2006.

Set up in 1996, when Ciba separated its leather business from its other business units and brought it into the newly-founded TFL Ledertechnik GmbH & Co. KG together with the leather departments of Röhm and Stockhausen, both daughter companies of Hüls, the company has enjoyed enormous success in its first decade.

By joining together the leather know-how of several innovative companies, and by expanding the local service with an integrated process approach in many countries, TFL has been able to offer added benefits to its customers. It is also the only globally active company of this size gearing its products and technical services exclusively to the leather industry.

Although it is a fairly young company, TFL’s has long roots in the industry through Ciba (retanning and dyeing), Röhm (enzyme and beamhouse) and Stockhausen (fatliquoring). Since its foundation in 1996, additional know-how in finishing has been brought into the company thanks to the acquisitions of Deacolor and Novaria in Italy, Wilmington Chemicals in the USA and of Quinn in India.

Presidents Dr. Heider G. Krenz and Peter Schaller noted, Not only have we brought together three efficient founding enterprises and four acquired companies during the first 10 years, but we have also managed to put together a seamless offering that covers every area of business from untreated hides to finished leather. The balance sheet is healthy thanks to a careful management of resources and to our capability to constantly adapting our organization to the ever changing requirements from our customers.”