Last Saturday, March 28th 2020, Spanish tanners mourned the loss of one of the leaders of the segment in Spain and Europe: Silvino Navarro Vidal. He would have turned 93 this coming June 16th. Mr. Navarro was important in the segment and will be remembered for its efforts at various levels: from that in the Valencian community, to Spain and Europe.
From one tannery to a group
Born in Monóvar (Alicante), on June 16th, 1937, Silvino Navarro became a chemical engineer at the Sarrià Institute, in Barcelona. Later on, he specialized in tanning by studying at the Escuela Tenería de Igualada, after which he worked for a number of German chemicals enterprises. The father, Silvino Navarro Rico, becomes majority shareholder of Valencia-based tannery Hijos de Vicente Vicens (founded in 1932), in 1940. Navarro Vidal starts working here in 1952, transforming the company to Incusa. Throughout the following years, the tannery grows and becomes the Lederval Group, made of Incusa, Inpelsa, Tenerias Argent, Tenerías Alfa, Espiel and Dercosa.
Efforts in the associations
Silvino Navarro Vidal is also of great importance for Spain’s tanning segment due to its efforts with reference associations. Beside from being an entrepreneur in Spain, Navarro was also the president of AQEIC (Asociación Química Española de la Industria del Cuero) from 1960 to 1966. Then, from 1978 to 1982, he was a member of the Consejo Español de Curtidos. From 1990 to 1994 he was vice-president of COTANCE, Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community.
Images from industriasdelcurtido.es and lasprovincias.es
