Robin always aimed to join the leather industry. Tanning was the main industry in the town where he grew up and all his family worked in leather manufacture. Although he applied for a job at 16, he was unable to join the industry until he was 18 and spent the intervening two years working in a shoe factory. However, as soon as he was able, he moved back to leather. From the very beginning, he has viewed this as his career and has worked his way from the shop floor up to his current position of Technical Finishing Manager.

In addition to keeping the production flowing in the finishing department, Robin is also responsible for creating new ranges of leather that the company will use for marketing and for shows. He creates new finishes based on inspiration from trades shows and new products offered by chemical companies and enjoys the process of taking an idea from concept to finished product. This can be a pressurised role. However, there is great variety in the technical work that he is involved in and always something to deal with. As Robin says, his ‘Brain is fizzing all the time’. He is proud of his job, especially when he creates products that attract new customers.

His advice to anyone considering the industry as a career option would be to get formal technical qualifications as this opens up options for employment all round the world and there is demand for qualified leather technologists.