Investments have already been made, and more are on the way. Business developments in the Asian market are promising. Most importantly, the company is preparing to close its 2025 accounts with growth between +10% and +15%. The synergy with Henan Prosper — the Chinese group that Conceria Ausonia joined through Spain’s Colomer 1792 — has now reached its first anniversary, and both parties express satisfaction with the results.
“We immediately found common ground in our shared goal of growing the company”, says Simone Ciardi, plant director at Conceria Ausonia (pictured left). “Being part of an industrial group enables synergies and flexibility”, adds Gil Font Puig, general manager of both Colomer 1792 and Conceria Ausonia (pictured right). This is also a crucial factor in a market that has seen major consolidation downstream in the supply chain. “Large clients”, Font Puig continues, “want large suppliers for reasons of stability and security of supply”.
The synergy with Henan Prosper
Since autumn 2024, when the deal was officially confirmed, the new ownership has invested in Ausonia’s Tuscan tannery, particularly in the finishing department, and introduced new technologies to reduce environmental impact (including a photovoltaic system). Plans are also being studied for possible improvements “to the production structure to increase capacity” — and given the current climate, that’s significant news. “We’re feeling optimistic”, explains Ciardi. “Ausonia produces high-quality leathers for which there is strong demand, and there’s scope to increase output while maintaining the standards that have distinguished us over the years”.
The partnership with a Chinese powerhouse could, moreover, open new horizons. “Asia and the People’s Republic could be highly interested in Ausonia’s vegetable-tanned leathers”, notes Font Puig. “We are also considering expanding into semi-vegetable tanning”. And is the Chinese group considering further investments in Europe? “Investing where costs are higher than in China or the rest of Asia requires careful thought”, concludes Font Puig. “But we are always looking ahead to future opportunities. For the group, the strategic goal is to get closer to our European tannery clients by investing in service provision and logistics”.
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