Our featured Tannery company
Name of Company : C. M. Duran Tannery
Owner's Name - Cora M. Duran
Address - #249 Bancal, Meycauayan, Bulacan
Longevity in the Business - Since 1972
History of the Company:
The proprietor, an engineering graduate, was trained in Hermoso - Hermanos Tannery, which is probably the first tannery in Meycauayan, and worked in the company's finishing department from 1964 - 1968.
She was then forced to quit the job due to health problems, mainly caused by job stress and exposure to chemicals. The staff insisted that she continue to work. They suggested that she should be given a lighter and less straining job, a quality control inspector or auditor for instance. Unfortunately for them, for Ms. Duran decided to quit.
Some time in 1972, her cousin, a rawhide dealer, said to her, "Why not start your own business and be the boss? You have the knowledge of the industry anyway". Thinking of it, she asked support from the National Cottage Industry Development Authority (NACIDA) for the capital and started processing tooling leather and "softies". Due to NACIDA's support, the company was exempted from tax for 5 years.
In October 1973, they were able to incorporate machineries in the production line. In no time, she got consistent customers, one of them is a Chinese trader who exports the goods to China.
Up to now, steady orders are coming in from different parts of Luzon and some in Visayas. Though they experienced some difficulty during 1999, the company still carried on and continued to be one of the finest tanneries in Bulacan. One proof is when they were chosen to supply leather for the "World's Largest Shoe", which was made in Marikina in 2002.
Advertisement for the Company
- Trade Fairs
- The Company is a part of the Tanneries Association of the Philippines (TAP)
Classification of Products
- Cow tooling
- Carabao tooling
- Cow Softies
- Split Suede
New Products
The company's newest addition to their line of products are bag handles, these are leather handles with abaca cores.
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS:
1. What are the problems you have encountered in the business nowadays?
The high exchange of dollar imposes high prices of imported goods such as chemicals (dyes, oils, chrome sulfate, sulfides, mimosa). And of course, bounced checks, because not all transactions are on a cash basis.
2. What are the advantages and benefits this kind of industry give to the people of Meycauayan?
The company supports the laborers and their immediate family. The chemical suppliers and dealers are dependent on the tanneries, as well as the customers and traders.
3. Why did you decide to put up this business?
As mentioned in the history, I used to work in a tannery and I gained knowledge as I moved on. It was also because of my cousin's influence.