Looking to a brighter future for students
Townsend Leather is very proud of our progressive and forward thinking community. This year, the surrounding counties, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Fulton, have a shining beacon of… Full Aritcle
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Townsend Leather is very proud of our progressive and forward thinking community. This year, the surrounding counties, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Fulton, have a shining beacon of positive-future-influence right in the heart of the area, our own PTECH school.
The PTECH program is a unique 4 to 6 year school program. Kids apply to be a part of it and only 50 from the area were selected. Entering as 9th graders, the students work simultaneously toward earning a Regents High School Diploma and an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science from Fulton Montgomery Community College — at no cost to the student’s family!
The school is working closely with 14 local business. The businesses will participate with the school, acting as mentors and providing internship type engagement with interested students.
Townsend Leather is so proud to be a business partner with HFM-PTECH and has excitedly been involved with their startup year. Various Townsend partners have been involved in the creation of the program and have attended a few of the events they have held so far, including a business partner meet and greet day.
But Townsend has an especially meaningful connection. Townsend Leather is a family business, in the creation of our business, in the leadership team, in how we do business, and in the makeup of our team. We have a lot of families, fathers and sons, husbands and wives, cousins, aunts, and so on all working together alongside each other toward Townsend’s goals. One of these super teams is our own Graphic Designer and Sample Department Supervisor, Joe and Linette Paciolla. Their son was one of the self-motivated, high-potential students that was accepted into the HFM PTECH program. Linette and Joe have been veryinvolved in the school with helping at events wherever they can, baking delicious things, and even helping to tune the music room’s instruments.
The program is focused on project-based work, so there is not the standard teacher-over-the-shoulder while students are working – in fact very little about this school is standard. The school is progressive in technology; each student was given a laptop and some kids have even remarked that it feels like “going to school at Google” because they have so much state-of-the-art effective technology equipment to aid their studies. They use this technology to its fullest striving to become a paperless environment. They also utilize local facilities like the YMCA for gym class where they engage in team-based games.
It is genuinely exciting to see such an impressive place, and the team behind it, working so passionately to create greatness in the area. Townsend has worked hard to develop a culture of problem-solving and self-motivation within its own walls and is excited at the potential greatness that will come from these kids being taught those same things at such an early age.
Townsend believes in our community and the strength, history, and wisdom of this area. The “leather-making region” has been a hotbed of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and determination for years. With the numerous leather tanneries and the enormous and ever-growing family trees that are deeply-rooted in the area, it has been easy to share and spread knowledge, experience, and wisdom. But as times changes and those opportunities become less, we are excited to see a program like PTECH picking it up. Giving students a chance to share – in real words, time and, experience – their thoughts. Bringing diverse students together to problem solve, enhance their soft skills, and build new experiences. We believe strongly this will be a positive force for our community’s future.
If you want to learn more about HFM PTECH visit www.hfmboces.org/PTECH.htm or follow them on facebook, www.facebook.com/HFMPTECH
Congratulations are in order for one of our esteemed Townsend Leather partners, Taslim!
Taslim has been studying and working hard in preparation of his recent US Citizen exam, and we are very proud to say he passed with flying colors!
Taslim joined team Townsend a couple years ago, coming to us from across the ocean with vast leather experience, education and passion. He has quickly become a go-to person on our team for solutions and expertise. Taslim is passionate about doing great work, doing it intelligently, and creating the best possible leather. And he has been able to apply that passion for greatness and pursuit of knowledge to his studies of America.
Earlier last month Taslim was able to put his knowledge to the test and take the official United States of America Naturalization Citizenship Exam. This is an in-depth and comprehensive exam of American politics, culture, history, and society – it is hard and it is likely many native-born citizens wouldn’t even be able to pass this test! (having to answer questions like, “How many amendments does the Constitution have?” and “The House of Representatives has how many voting members?” or even just “Name your U.S. Representative.” all without Google!) (Townsend Leather partners do know their US Rep though, Bill Owens at Townsend Leather). But Taslim passed without any concern, he knows his stuff!
Taslim completed the test and was honored to participate in his official Oath Ceremony. His words and feelings of that day are below…
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
“It was a special day and moment for me when I was at my oath Ceremony, was feeling proud to be an American Citizen now. For me it was a promise I made to be loyal and work hard to participate in economy/prosperity of my new land. I have been asked several times after becoming citizen how I am feeling being born and raised in different country and living now in different one. I always reply there are biological kids and adopted kids. By knowing the biological parents you always praise that they gave you birth and brought you in this world at the other hand most important job is done by those who raised with care and given opportunity to grow up and become a successful person in society. I think same way about my mother land and my new parent land.
At my Oath Ceremony I meet 50 more people who were invited for the ceremony to take oath, and they were from 15 different nationalities. They were all happy and proud. Their faces were telling me a story that we accomplished something really good.
I am very happy I am part of well organized and disciplined society, now I will travel and go everywhere with my new identity and by having my citizenship I will vote in election to participate in democratic process of land where I live & belong now. Also happy that my next generations will have more opportunities for education and work to live and serve better.
I am very thankful to my lovely wife, and my Townsend family for supporting me, to achieve my destiny.
Yaahooooo…
Cheers
Taslim”
Taslim we are all very proud of you and your accomplishments
and very proud to have you on our team!
This past weekend Townsend Leather celebrated 45 years, in a big way!
Townsend Leather had a 45th birthday blowout party on Saturday and it was a blast. There was so much to do and see and so much fun to have, it went by in a blur.
The day opened with lots of conversation and more appetizers than you could fit on a plate!, and then the party was officially opened with some touching words by President, Jared.
Jared spoke to Townsend’s storied history and how it has led to the greatness of today. Jared also spoke directly to the impact of Townsend Leather leader and legend, Terry Kucel. Terry and Townsend Leather are synonymous with each other and because he has been here since the beginning, we also celebrated Terry’s 45 years of service, words, actions, and wisdom.
It is easy to be filled with pride, at being a Townsend Leather partner, when you see events like this. It is not often you get to attend a party that is planned and organized by coworkers who are so powerfully passionate about creating such great memorable times. And are more than willing to spend hours planning, preping, calling, organizing, setting up, and decorating. But the passion for creating a great time isn’t only with the incredible Events Committee partners, it extends to everyone there. Townsend has partners that are passionate about every thing you need to make a great party. Like our in-house master carpenter quickly building a custom photo booth and games, party-patrol-people getting horseshoe tournaments going, children and children-at-heart starting singalongs, even our very own President of Townsend is also the star DJ – “D-Ja-Rad” ,was spinning some slamming tunes all day and even included music from our very own graphic designer and in-house rock star (Enertia, and on Facebook at Enertia Facebook)!
Passion is a word commonly associated with Townsend and it is always very prevalent and obvious at Townsend events like this one. This is not just a collection of people, it is a family. A family passionate about making memories, having good times, helping each other grow, and being there for each other. A family passionate about understanding where we have been and whose shoulders we stand upon. And passionate about looking forward, keeping the good times coming and being excited about where we are going.
The day continued with spectacular food catered by the famous Dinosaur Bar-B-Que,
photo slideshows,
a guessing game that featured many celebrities and world famous places that Townsend has provided leather for,
pin-the-mustache-on-Steve game,
bigmouth-beanbag-toss with Jeff game,
polish horseshoe tournament,
a magician show,
cupcakes, prizes, gifts, stickers, chocolate, swings, merry-go-round, slides, music, balloon animals…
and even an in-house made photo booth!
It was a jam packed day of fun and memories!
Jeff was happy to provide his “big mouth” for some fun with this beanbag game!
Steve was a bit less happy to provide his face and iconic mustache (or rather lack there of!), but still willing to join the fun, with this wacky pin-the-mustache on Steve game!
The magician not only kept all the kids enthralled, but the adults too!
Always one to take a unique approach, Townsend went for a variety of beautiful cupcakes in place of a cake.
With plenty of giveaways and prizes, no one had to go home empty handed.
Probably the biggest hit of the day! our very own Townsend Leather photo booth, complete with Polaroid photos and a surplus of costumes! The one with the black hair is the creator of this crowd please-er, thanks Roy for your fantastic work (and your hair looks great like that!)!
The tradition continues, a Polish Horseshoe competition was hotly battled.
All the kids received a one-of-a-kind stunning balloon “animal” from Whizzy the Clown and magician.
The day was spectacularly fun and we are already looking forward to planning and attending our 50th!
See many more photos of all the fun by clicking on the images below…
Some brave and caring Townsend Leather partners got together to raise money for ALS and join in on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!
Many joined in the fun with a “domino of bucket dumping” and many got involved with collecting buckets, gathering ice, spreading the word, and cheering everyone on.
We have tapped our friends at The Leather Institute and Studio Vizto to take the challenge as well! We look forward to seeing those videos!
Some Townsend Leather partners have family members afflicted by this terrible disease and we come to this challenge with a desire to truly raise awareness and spread good vibes to those in need. If you don’t know much about the disease, please visit www.alsa.org and find out more about how we can all make an even bigger impact.
Townsend is passionate about our community and about helping each other. It was heartwarming to see a group of passionate, mindful, caring individuals come together – to get uncomfortable, get cold and wet, have their breath taken away for a moment, feel the stiffness in body and mind for just a split second. All in an effort, to have a tiny bit better understanding of what it is like to live with ALS and the crippling effect it has on their brain and spinal cord.
Townsend Leather loves getting involved, bringing attention to things that matter, and having fun along the way. That is why we were proud to gather for a couple minutes, show collective support for a valuable cause, take on a minor challenge, and raise some money for a much larger challenge.
So without further ado, here is a video of our Townsend LEather ALS Ice Bucket Challenge…
(it may take a minute for it to load, you can also view the video on our Facebook page)
A big thank you is deserved for HR Director, Ben Towne, for organizing our Townsend Leather Ice Bucket Challenge. And many more thanks to all the Townsend Leather partners who participated!
Townsend Leather proudly wears this badge of honor…
We are proud to have become a USGBC Member. Townsend Leather believes strongly in sustainable practices and focusing on the “triple bottom line” – Social, Economic, and Environment.
Townsend Leather recognizes the ever-increasing importance of being socially and environmentally responsible along with creating a business that can continue to support our customers for years to come. Which is one of the many reasons we have joined the United States Green Building Council.
TOWNSEND LEATHER, PROUD USGBC MEMBER
From the USGBC website,
“The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and its community are changing the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated.
We believe in better buildings; places that complement our environment and enhance our communities. Places that give people better, brighter, healthier spaces to live, work and play.”
Townsend’s products have been used in thousands of buildings and we are proud to know that we have helped them become a bit more green in their creation.
“Your USGBC membership designates you as a leader in sustainability, a driver of green building innovation, and an advancer of smarter, more healthful communities.”
Townsend is committed to sustainability and environmentally positive practices from start to finish.
TOWNSEND LEATHER SUPPLY
All of our hide supply is a byproduct of the meat industry. If the hides were not reclaimed from the meat industry and kept out of the waste stream, they would be sent to an incinerator. So, leather is inherently green, right from the start.
Every part of the hide is used. The hide is a byproduct of the food industry, and as the hide is produced every byproduct of that production is used as well. Byproducts of hide production are used in the pet food and cosmetics industries.
Townsend’s Bulls and Cows are raised in temperate climate in environmentally safe and socially responsible ways – they are free range and allowed to mature naturally.
All of Townsend’s suppliers use the most technologically advanced machinery and processing to ensure they are using the minimum amount of energy to tan the leather. Our leather is sourced from suppliers located primarily in countries in Europe. The hides are already tanned and the tanning process is strictly regulated in the European Union to assure minimal environmental impact. TOWNSEND LEATHER’S GREEN STATEMENT
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Everything in Townsend Leather’s production is highly monitored and anything that leaves the building, through the air or water, is highly regulated and monitored with very strict requirements. Townsend utilizes its own water treatment plant and effluent waters are monitored and pre-treated before they leave our factory to remove any compounds that do not meet state and federal standards, and then receive additional purification in a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility engineered to meet the needs of the leather industry, assuring complete environmental compliance. Townsend uses vegetable based re-tanning agents and water-based finishing systems in its entire leather making.
Townsend is the manufacturer of the leather and therefore has the ability to create just what is needed and reduce waste in real time. Townsend is flexible and has the ability to change things in the middle of an order to ensure the least amount of waste.
Recently we have gone through lots of efficiency investments and improvements like brand new high efficiency spray guns. These are a vital piece of machinery in our production and have helped use reduce material use and energy use by as much as 40% annually! We also have new energy and time savings machines like an automatic rolling machine and hide stakers. We have eliminated some steps of productions by finding new and improved ways, which allows us to use less energy, materials, and time therefore reducing chemical consumption and emissions by 30%.
Townsend’s products are made with water based finishes, free of dangerous chromes, are post-consumer recyclable and are low VOC. Townsend is always keeping on top of the latest in industry trends and information we are the first to try new methods and explore more efficient ways. GOING GREEN TOWNSEND LEATHER BULLETIN
TOWNSEND CULTURE
Townsend has a culture of “going green” with our volunteer “Green Team” and many efforts throughout the company. We are constantly looking for ways to improve and reduce waste. We recycle everything we can including hundreds of thousands of pounds of cardboard, paper, and plastic. As well as leather scraps. Leather scraps can be reused and made into small leather goods like keychains and wallets. Therefore over the past few years Townsend has drastically reduced its waste output.
And by focusing on the best providers, instilling a culture of no-waste, and utilizing low energy machinery and equipment we have also reduced our energy consumption.
Townsend Leather enjoys its own Adirondack-adjacent scenic park and pond and has a small physical footprint of buildings. We participate in annual Earth Day events and cleanup activities, we reuse everything we can and we “strive to make a positive environmental impact.” TOWNSEND LEATHER CLEAN-UP EVENTS
OTHER WAYS TOWNSEND IS SUSTAINABLE
Townsend’s leather is a durable, long-lasting product that does not require replacement or re-processing in order to retain its beauty and serviceability. Unlike fabrics and textiles, leather is easily repaired. Often it can be restored to its original condition when worn or damaged.
Leather is mankind’s oldest textile and is naturally durable. Leather can handle wear and tear that would easily destroy other materials. It is estimated that leather lasts an average of 4 times longer than fabric coverings; the endurance of leather is unmatched. Many leathers will develop a beautiful patina over time, making leather-upholstered pieces “heirlooms” that are cherished and passed down from generation to generation. LEATHER IS ENVIRONMENTAL
Townsend Leather and its sister company, The Leather Institute, are dedicated to providing leather care products and maintenance solutions that preserve the beauty and prolong the life of fine leather seating. The Leather Institute is the premier leather care and restoration training facility in the world, offering training courses in leather care, maintenance and restoration. They use a carefully formulated special line of care and cleaning products that are compatible with today’s water-based leather finishes and will not damage the leather surface. LEATHER IS EASY TO REPAIR
TOWNSEND LEATHER’S CUTTING PROGRAM
Townsend’s Cutting Program is a waste-slashing program. TOWNSEND LEATHER CUTTING PROGRAM
It is designed to reduce waste in a variety of ways. By utilizing the most technologically advanced cutting system and nesting software you can reduce the amount of hide material needed to fulfill your project. And by using less leather the order weighs less, which means lost cost and energy for shipping. And the small amount of scrap leather that is leftover from the cutting process can be reused by Townsend, making the Cutting Program and fully green process.
By utilizing the waste by-product created by another industry as a raw material, by using the latest technology to exceed all federal, state and local standards for environmental protection, by providing after-marketing support solutions for maintenance and restoration, and by manufacturing a durable, long-lasting product of high quality, Townsend Leather continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving and preserving our planet.
USGBC’s mission: which we proudly adhere to as well…
“To transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.”
We work hard to make our customers happy and to make things easy for them. One way we aim to please is by understanding our customer’s customers.
This week, we are happily packing up a bunch of Classic Cowhide Sample Sets, with love and care and shipping them out to many Designer Customers.
Our customers will be able to use these curated, highly popular, Townsend product selections in presentations to their customers and make the decision process even easier.
These sets feature some of our most popular leathers. They are selected and arranged to provide a sophisticated neutral color range.
Townsend loves hearing from our customers about what they need to make their jobs easier. We want to get you the right tools to make sure your customers are as informed as possible.
Contact us to let us know how we can make your job easier for you. We also strive to provide as many useful tools and information as we can on our Resources Page, where you will find a variety of pdfs, presentations and other info pieces.
We’ve enjoyed a few red hot summer days so far this summer – out in the beautiful surrounding nature and in leather production.
But the true joy of summer comes in an even broader color scheme.
This summer Townsend Leather has been busy crafting all kinds of custom colors. It has been a colorful season! Take a glance at just a handful of some of the summery colorful custom leathers Townsend has been working on.
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We work hard to make our customers happy and to make things easy for them. One way we aim to please is by understanding our customer’s customers. This week, we are happily packing up a… Full Aritcle
