The Indian Leather Products Association (ILPA) is a premier representative body of manufacturers and exporters of leather and leather products in the country.  Set up in 1987, the Association, today, has in its membership over 150 reputed establishments from this sector, which have all come out with products that have strong brand equity and enjoy wide international acceptance.

The Central Secretariat of the Association operates from its headquarters in Kolkata, and it also has a Regional Office located in Chennai.

The ILPA has, since inception, been working  very actively for promotion of Indian leather products in overseas markets and is a regular participant at international exhibitions and fairs such as the IILF in Chennai, the International Leather Goods Fair in Kolkata, the Offenbach, A+A and the Atlanta Fairs, the Kiev Fashion Fair, and at major buyer-seller meets held in the country and abroad.

One of India’s fastest growing sectors, the leather goods industry is among the top eight export earners for the country.  With this, the improved domestic demand for leather products and footwear is expected to grow for the next few years at a significant 20 per cent.

The Association was selected by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Government of India, the Council for Leather Exports and the Government of West Bengal for setting up of the new Leather Goods Park in Bantala, where a major section of the industry would, very soon, be located.

The Association has been closely involved in the setting up of the Calcutta Leather Complex, which is the largest project of its kind in the world. A 50-acre Leather Goods Park " the first of its kind in the country " is being created in the Complex with assistance from Government of India and the Government of West Bengal. A Design Studio and Common Facility Centre will also be coming up in the Complex almost simultaneously, to be exclusively managed by the Association.

Leather goods exports from West Bengal, is around Rs. 2300 crores.  Apart from the sector being one of the major foreign exchange earners, it also provides livelihood to more the 2,00,000 persons.  It is expected the operationalisation of the Leather Goods Park at Bantala would result in a quantum leap in employment numbers, by at least 50 to 60 thousand, by industry estimates.  In sum, the sector contributes in a very major way to fulfilment of the national and State priorities.

The fact that the state of West Bengal, and, in it, the city of Kolkata are major production centres for such products in Eastern India puts on the industry and the State Government the responsibility of devising support systems and policies most attuned to the nature and specific needs of the sector.

In Bantala, where new production capacities are being created for the leather goods sector, the Association would be operating

·         A training centre, which would cater to providing basic training to unskilled labour from the surrounding rural areas ensuring future placement for these people, thus creating new jobs,

·         Classrooms/seminar halls to hold skill development courses on Good Manufacturing Practices, safety norms, environmental awareness and other matters relevant for the industry,

·         A Common Facility Centre, with machinery and equipment which the smaller manufacturing units could use on payment of nominal user charges.

As part of its ongoing efforts in creating greater customer awareness of the various products its members have on offer and the expertise available with them, the Association regularly publishes the ILPA News Bulletin and runs an independent website which have now come to be accepted as informative sources of information on the Indian leather products industry.  The journals are mailed to overseas buyers and relevant trade information is also put up on the Association website http://www.ilpaindia.org. It has been possible, through these well-planned market promotion efforts, the superior finish of goods and timely adherence to delivery schedules to present the ‘ILPA connection’ as the hallmark for quality and dependability.