Speaking at the recent Delhi International Leather Fair, Caroline Brinkmann from German test and research institute PFI, based in Pirmasens, announced the company’s plans to open subsidiaries in India and Vietnam in order to provide research facilities, certification and guidelines for local leather, footwear and leather goods manufacturers exporting to Europe.

At the event, Ms Brinkmann told www.leatherbiz.com that the regulations and quality requirements in Europe and/or Germany regarding footwear, which were first introduced in the 1970s, are now being updated, and although she declined to comment on whether any country was likely to fail to meet the new standards, she did say that the new quality requirements would have to be fulfilled by all exporters.