"Hungarian people brought the techniques of leather making with themselves from Asia. Leather making, hide manufacturing and skinner works became of such great importance under the rule of the Arpad-house kings, that Hungarian finished leather goods became in demand also abroad. The rule of the Anjou kings spurred this industry even further. In former times the cow leather impregnated with tallow was known throughout Europe as Hungarian leather.”
Our company was originally established as the branch office of the long-lived state owned Hungarian leather trading company called „BŐRKER” in the 1980’s. At that time the company was run by Vilmos Grünwald sr. after which in the early 1990’s its ownership was transferred to the Grünwald family and was reorganized as a family business. This can be the continuation of a fine and long lasting tradition as the Grünwalds have dealt with the trading of leather for more than 100 years.
In 2008 Vilmos Grünwald jr. took over the running of the company who has started the management of the business through a completely new approach based on his previously learnt professional knowledge from his father mixed with the most up-to-date market and management expectations.
In 2013 under his management BŐRKERHÁZ was established which consists of 5 companies (Best Leather Ltd., Grünkon Ltd., Sipos Shoes Ltd., Grünwald Leather Ltd. and For Leather Ltd.). The main reason of this merger was the establishment of a uniform, well funded company which can cope with today’s market expectations.
Best Leather Ltd. which was established in 2008 is the oldest member of this group of companies. It has a branch office both in Budapest and Szeged. This company deals both with retail- and wholesale trade as well as provides shoe repair services in its Szeged unit. Its main clientele comes from orthopedic shoemakers.
Grünkon Ltd. has also branch offices both in Budapest and Szeged. The main profile of this company is the distribution of shoe industry sole materials and upper leathers.
Sipos Shoes Ltd. is the orthopedic shoemaking enterprise of BŐRKERHÁZ and furthermore its “test facility” because the newly imported leathers are being tested here for the first time. This company imports chemical materials, shoe care products and shoe industry tools.
Grünwald Leather Ltd. as the youngest member of BŐRKERHÁZ has also targeted the supply of orthopedic shoemakers with appropriate raw materials as its main task.
Since the establishment of its predecessor in the 1980’s BŐRKERHÁZ has been one of the most stably progressing companies of raw material distribution for leather and shoe manufacturing which has already emerged into the leading middle-size companies of this industry in Hungary. The number of our regular customers is more than 200, while the financial stability of this company is outstanding among the Hungarian companies with similar profile.
The main profile of our company is the retail- and wholesale trade of leather and shoe industry products, while gaining significant market share in the field of distribution of these kinds of products. Its activities have been extended to the whole territory of Hungary and partly to the neighboring countries. Our young and well trained team currently consists of 15 staff; our skilled sales personnel and own truck fleet make it possible to satisfy the emerging orders through personal delivery all over the country.
We continuously extend our product portfolio according to the actually emerging wholesale and retail demands. We purchase nearly all of our products from abroad: from Italy, Slovenia and Spain. We aim to shape up our sales policy and prices as favorably as possible based on this.
We supply several sectors of the light industry while we consider the supply of raw materials to the orthopedic and conventional shoe manufacturers as our main profile. Besides we also supply the upholstery, leather goods and traditionalist industries. Furthermore our retail store aims to fulfill the demands of clothes- and shoe repairers as well as of individuals.
Our mission is to completely fulfill the actual demand of our partners and customers with appropriate, simple and quick solutions through long-term business connections; while gaining dominant market share, thus working profitably, under a balanced financial and intellectual progress to the satisfaction of our partners and staff.
Grünwald Vilmos Zsolt
Managing director
