By IANS,
Chennai : Indian and Italian tanners’ associations Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve skills and efficiency of the leather industry in Tamil Nadu.
According to the agreement, signed between the Indian Finished Leather Manufacturers and Exporters Association (IFLMEA) and Italy’s Associazione Conciatori, both sides will promote technology transfers, joint ventures and business partnerships.
Funded by the Italian government, the project will be implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido).
The agreement is expected to bring cleaner production technologies to Tamil Nadu’s more than 900 tanneries and make them “globally competitive”, said IFLMEA officials.
It is hoped that the MoU will also “foster joint ventures and business partnerships” between the tannery units of the two countries.
A tanners’ team from Italy is expected to visit Tamil Nadu in July to explore possibilities of setting up joint ventures under the MoU, the officials added.