Dire Tannery winner of Tannery of the Year 2014 – Africa region

Tannery of the Year Award was launched by the World Leather to provide a platform for good news about the leather industry, detailing positive initiatives that tanners from Tannery of the Year Award was launched by the World Leather to provide a platform for good news about the leather industry, detailing positive initiatives that tanners from every part of the world have engaged in with their workers, their neigbourhs and the environment.

Finalists of the 4th TOTY Award:

Dire Tannery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Bojos Tanning, Santiago, Dominican Republic

JBS Couros, Itumbiara, Goias, Brazil

Saigon Tan Tec, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam

Packer Leather, Narangba, Queensland, Australia

Henan Prosper, Mengzhou, Henan Province, China

Zhejiang Mingxin Automotive Leather Company, Jiaxing Zhejiang Province

Couro Azul, Alcacena, Portugal,

Wollsdorf Leather, Wollsdorf, Austria

Story of the Dire Tannery started in 1972 and it was a long and not always direct way until it was nominated for Tannery of het Year Award 2014 for African region.  Dire Tannery was among 6 tanneries nominated by the World Leather for the Tannery of the Year Award 2014.

It was founded by Bedada Chali in 1972. It processes locally sourced bovine hides and. sheepskins to make finished leather for shoe uppers, shoe linings, gloves and garments. Dire Tannery has been a pioneer in Ethiopian tanning by taking its production all the way through to finished leather and by setting up primary and secondary effluent treatment on site. The tannery is now part of a wider industrial group that includes a second tannery, a footwear manufacturer and a farm that cultivates flowers.

Dire Tannery was among first tanneries in Ethiopia with Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). ETP was installed 10 years ago with UNIDO support. The present volume of treated effluents is approximately 250 cubic meters per day.

Tannery of the Year 2014 winners:

Global winner: Wollsdorf Leather, Wollsdorf, Austria

Africa region: Dire Tannery

America region: Bojos Tanning, Santiago, Dominican Republic

Australia & Asia: Saigon Tan Tec, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam

China: Zhejiang Mingxin Automotive Leather Company, Jiaxing Zhejiang Province

Award for innovation: Couro Azul, Alcacena, Portugal,

For more information see also the World Leather issue August/September 2014 and Tannery of the Year 2014 the Awards Book 2014 and www.leatherbiz.com

Pictures credit to R. Daniels/World Leather