LeatherXchange.com

About LeatherXchange.com

LeatherXchange.com operates as an online business-to-business marketplace tailored for the global leather industry. Founded in 1999 by Jose Suarez, who also served as the CEO, the Barcelona-based company aimed to digitize the traditionally fragmented process of buying and selling leather.

The core of its business model is a transaction service that facilitates the buying and selling of leather on its online platform. The company caters to a global client base, and by 2001, it had approximately 500 clients across more than 40 countries. To support its digital marketplace, LeatherXchange also provides essential offline services, including product inspection and general consultancy for the leather sector. Furthermore, it developed customized ASP services, enabling larger leather companies to establish their own private exchanges.

The company demonstrated early traction in securing institutional funding. In October 2000, it raised €11.5 million. This was followed by a second financing round of €7.5 million in October 2001, led by Netherlands-based Gilde IT Fund and with participation from Amadeus Capital Partners, CRI, Latin Rim, and LogiSpring. This subsequent investment was intended to fuel business growth and achieve breakeven status, a notable achievement during a challenging economic climate for young enterprises.