Mr M.M. Hashim of Indian company KH Group, and a former chairman of Council for Leather Exports (CLE), has announced that the Indian Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) and the county’s leather industry plan to establish a non-profit organisation to develop new technology and improve the industry's technological capabilities.

Speaking at the 40th Leather Research Industry get-together (LERIG) held at the IILF leather fair in Chennai, he said that the company, CLRI India Leather Industry Foundation, will be established with an initial investment of Rs500 million ($11.3 million).

CLRI officials and industry leaders will tour various leather centres in the country to highlight this new partnership concept.