About Leather UK

The first national leather trade association ‘Federation of Light Leather Trades of the United Kingdom’ is formed at a meeting held at the Leathersellers’ Hall.

The association changes its name to Federation of Curriers, Light Leather Tanners and Dressers (Incorporated).

Formal incorporation of the United Tanners Federation.

The Sole Leather Publicity Committee of the UTF is working hard to promote the industry.

25 July 1950. Name changes again to British Leather Federation (BLF).

The Leather Institute is formed, bringing together the Sole Leather Publicity Committee, the Full Chrome Publicity Committee and the British Tanning Extracts Manufacturers’ Association, to carry out the vital leather marketing and promotional activities for the industry.

BLF merges with the United Tanners Federation (UTF), the heavy leathers tanners association to cover the trade as a whole, while retaining the BLF name.

BLF merges with the British Leather Manufacturers’ Research Association (BLMRA) to form the British Leather Confederation. The Leather Institute transforms into the BLC Marketing Committee, and now works under the name of the UKLF Marketing Group.

BLC restructures itself into BLC Research, the parent company (which holds the historic assets of the former BLF and BLMRA) and BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd, the commercial operating company which encompassed the UK Federation activities.

In September the UK Leather Federation splits from the BLC, to form a separate operating company to allow both organisations to focus on their individual core activities.

UK Leather Federation adopts the trading name Leather UK.

Dr Kerry Senior
Director

As Director of Leather UK, Kerry has responsibility for operational management, development of the strategy, and coordination of activities on behalf of the organisation.

Dr Kerry Senior took over as Director of Leather UK in 2013. His role includes the secretariats of the Leather Producers’ Association, the Dr Dorothy Jordan Lloyd Memorial Trust and the British Industry Development Trust. In 2019, he became secretary of the International Council of Tanners.

Expert on BSI standards development panel, TCI/69 – Footwear & Leather, and CEN Committee TC289 (WG4) contributing to the development of standards for labelling and terminology for leather.

Observer on FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, a multi-stakeholder initiative that seeks to improve the environmental sustainability of the livestock sector through harmonized methods, metrics, and data.

Industry representative on Footwear, Leather, Textiles and Clothing Health & Safety Commmittee.

Contributor to International Leather Maker and World Leather Magazines.

Kerry’s previous work experience was with BLC Leather Technology Centre, working on UK & EU funded research projects addressing environmental and raw material issues facing the leather industry, and dealing with technical and policy aspects of environmental legislation.

Projects included assessment of insecticide residues on raw materials, enhancement of microbial diversity in effluent treatment systems to improve efficiency, novel preservation systems for raw materials and enzyme-based tanning technologies.

Involved in the development of the EU Product Environment Category Rules for determining the environmental footprint of leather.

His PhD in Microbiology was awarded by the University of Kent at Canterbury – thesis title ‘Biotreatment of Industrial Effluents containing Naphthalene Sulphonate’.

Former motorcycle racer, former diving instructor (worked in Australia, Seychelles, Cyprus and the Turks & Caicos Islands), lives in North Wales, enjoys walking, trail running and climbing.