TÜV SÜD South Asia inaugurates its state-of-the-art leather and leather product testing laboratory at Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

TÜV SÜD South Asia join hands with South India Tanners and Dealers Association (SITDA) to support leather exporters in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

The lab is set to change the leather export landscape in Tamil Nadu with investment worth Rs.10 crore

4th March 2015, Chennai: German testing and certification giant, TÜV SÜD, today inaugurated a state-of-the-art leather and leather product testing laboratory at Ranipet, Tamil Nadu. Ranipet is one of the leather processing hub of India and accounts for about 27% of leather exports, which has created a growing need for the leather manufactures and exporters to be compliant with the international quality and safety requirements. With an objective of providing premier testing services within the proximity of the industries, the
partnership between SITDA and TÜV SÜD South Asia was formalised to run the testing lab in Ranipet for the benefit of the leather industry. The world class lab is equipped with modern facilities for testing physical and chemical properties of leather, ensuring superior quality and safety standards to help the manufacturers to rapidly improve their export capabilities and grow their businesses exponentially.

This will be the second lab for TÜV SÜD South Asia in the region, post the setup of its first testing laboratory for footwear and leather products in Ambur, Tamil Nadu in July 2010. By being closer to the customers, the lab has boosted growth for Ambur and its cluster of leather and footwear manufacturers and exporters, meeting international quality and safety requirements through faster delivery and cost efficiency.

Speaking at the occasion of the new lab, Mr. Niranjan Nadkarni, the Chief Executive Officer of TÜV SÜD South Asia said, “Our association with SITDA for setting up a testing lab in Ranipet is an important milestone for the company and a vital addition to our portfolio of operations. We have received an overwhelming response from customers at Ambur, and we will continue to add value to the enormous leather industry in Tamil Nadu which accounts for nearly 40% of India’s leather exports. We are confident that the new lab will give impetus to the leather export from the region and result in year on year growth. Moreover, the sector has consistently posted a CAGR of 8.54% for the past five years. Therefore, we truly believe the Indian leather industry is ready to make the leap to touching international standards and boost its growth.”

Commenting on the opening of the new lab, M.R. Abdul Rahman Sahib, President, SITDA said, “Ranipet is an important export centre for leather and leather products in India. We have sought the expertise of TÜV SÜD to run the testing lab for the Ranipet Leather cluster to address the requirements of exporters for leather testing prior to shipment. This is currently demanded by all buyers seeking to comply with the norms prevailing in the importing countries particularly with respect to EU, REACH and CPSIA substances, and product performance according to defined standards and specifications for the product. Hence, an effective physical and chemical testing laboratory for quality control is essential in the modern competitive environment and TÜV SÜD helps us facilitate these requirements.”

Additionally, the high-tech lab is equipped with certified test equipment by SATRA, a leading technical authority for footwear and leather industry.

The implementing agency for the establishment of this lab is Council for Leather Exports (CLE).The CLE has subsidised the investment towards the lab by providing a grant of Rs.7.3 crores under the ASIDE scheme of Government of India. Additionally, SITDA has invested Rs.3 crore for the establishment of the lab.