Kangaroo Leather
KANGAROO LEATHER
Packer Leather - Brisbane, Australia
For five generations the Packer family has been proudly associated with the Australian leather industry can be traced back to 1891. Today, the 5th generation management team includes Lindsay Packer (4th generation Jnt. Managing Director) Graham Packer (4th International Marketing Director, David Packer (5th generation Jnt. Managing Director) and Susan Packer (5th generation Customer Service Manager).
The Packer family has been a leader in the Australian leather industry for over 120 years and is the global leaders for kangaroo leather (K-Leather). The flagship product of the Packer Leather products, kangaroo leather, is ‘weight for weight’ the strongest and lightest natural leather fiber readily available.
“It takes great skill to create luxurious, full grained kangaroo and bovine leathers, yet at the same time reduce our carbon footprint,” notes Graham Packer.
“With the introduction of Packer Leathers ‘PURE’ processing initiatives, we have refined our effluent handling techniques to a fine art. As proof of this, we were recently rewarded and recognized for improved environmental stewardship by the Queensland Government with an EcoBiz Partnership.” Over a 3 year period, with the support of the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), Packer Leather was able to further reduce our Narangba operations’ environmental impact.
OUR VALUES AND BELIEFS
MISSION
To remain the leading Australian manufacturer of high quality leathers for Australian and World Markets
BUSINESS SUCCESS
The Company must be profitable and provide enjoyment from creating products of value from a unique raw material. Christian ethics and morals are the standards.
CUSTOMERS
Our strategy is to build long term relationships with customers, resulting in long term (rather than short term) profit margins. We listen to what customers are saying and work to fix all our problems before accusing customers of their shortcomings.
EMPLOYEES
All people deserve a go, irrespective of background and each will be given every opportunity to reach their potential. Our expectation is that all employees will seek to understand why decisions are made and will actively work towards a better operating environment. Our concern for the employees extends to a concern for their family. We wish to develop a sense of belonging to this family company. Employees should be rewarded over and above any legal entitlement to their commitment to achieving desirable Company outcomes.
SUPPLIERS
Our strategy is to build long term relationships with suppliers, resulting in long term (rather than short term) cost savings. We believe a supplier’s true worth is seen through their ability to remedy problems, not their price list. We want to focus on the leather business and subcontract non-core business.
ENVIRONMENT
As a current LWG-Gold Status level holder, Packer Leather continues its responsible and cost effective environmental management.
COMMUNITY
Commitment to the local and wider communities by putting back some of the monetary rewards from this business.
WHO WE ARE
Five generations of leather expertise since 1891 a true Family Business remaining today. The origins of the business began on the 26th January 1891, coincidently the 26th day of January is celebrated nationally as “Australia Day” each year.
Today, Packer Leather’s reputation is enhanced globally as the major kangaroo leather tanner and also for its specialist Bovine leathers for Sports – Cricket and Australian Rules football.
GETTING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
We believe that in a period since 2008, the conditions faced for an Exporter and Manufacturer in Australia, were the hardest to survive.
There has never been much Government support to keep the doors open, just some Policies in R+D / Innovation that as we were able to access to provide technological advancement of products to meet the challenges from man-made fibres.
Whilst this heavy investment has not yet resulted in turning losses into profit, it has enabled and built a platform for the future.
Credit has been an enormous challenge as Banks are loathe to support loss making ventures even though there is a customer relationship going back 122 years. Continued strong family support in the financial area even though there are always limitations, has been a show of strength to credit suppliers and suppliers alike. During this period when production decreased, no actual staff was made redundant.
Today we continue with a workforce of some 95-100 employees, all working together to continue the reputation and the position that Packer Leather enjoys in the world leather market.
Family businesses are unique in what and where they see their futures lie.
We are very proud to see the 5th Generation already in Senior Management roles, directing the Company into our future.
Graham Packer
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