VICKSBURG, Miss.–A new leather tannery has opened in Mississippi, and with it there are 360 new jobs. ISA Tan Tec held its grand opening in Vicksburg Friday. The German-owned company is recognized by the world’s top footwear brands as a supplier of premium quality leathers.
The company announced in May 2014 it would locate the operations in the Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex. The project, known as Mississippi TanTec Leather, Inc., represents a $10.1 million corporate investment.
“Just over a year ago, ISA TanTec announced its plans to bring its first U.S. leather tannery to Mississippi, and today we celebrate as the project comes full circle. This will create hundreds of new jobs for the area’s workforce,” said Gov. Phil Bryant. “I look forward to watching the growth and success of Mississippi TanTec Leather in Vicksburg and congratulate the company on this exciting milestone.”
The following comments are from a news release from Bryant’s office:
“I am thrilled to see this vision of Made in USA come true,” said President and CEO of ISA Industrial Ltd. Thomas Schneider. “Manufacturing in the U.S. allows us to be much closer to raw material suppliers and customers. We are also pleased to bring our LITE philosophy to the U.S. market, minimizing environmental footprint while providing premium quality leather to customers.” Schnedier expressed his gratitude towards the state and local government for their ongoing support and collaboration on this exciting project.
Prior to the facility’s opening, the Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project for the purchase of the building, building improvements, and the construction of a waste water pre-treatment facility. The Warren County Port Commission and Warren County provided assistance, as well.
“The state of Mississippi is pleased that ISA TanTec chose to open its first U.S.-based leather tannery facility in Vicksburg. The company’s decision to locate in Mississippi speaks volumes about our supportive business climate and qualified workforce,” said MDA Interim Executive Director Manning McPhillips. “MDA is glad to have assisted with this project, and we thank our partners in Warren County and at the Vicksburg-Warren County Port Commission for their hard work in bringing this great company to our state.”
ISA TanTec supplies leathers to globally recognized footwear brands such as Timberland, Wolverine, Deckers, Clarks, Merrell, Sperry, Rockport, The North Face, Keen, New Balance and a lot of others. Together with its award-winning sister facilities in Saigon, Vietnam, and Heshan, China, ISA TanTec now has three tanneries in the key geographic manufacturing regions. The company created the LITE® (Low Impact to the Environment) concept, defining a high standard on environmental responsibility in the manufacturing process. ISA TanTec is under ISA Industrial Ltd. For more information, please visitwww.liteleather.com.
