Adapts to the form and function of a finished good.
Company Showcase · Leather Manufacturing
Berger Company
Leather goods made for work that matters.
A manufacturing overview of leather sheaths, accessories and flexible production capabilities for B2B channels.
01Company Context
Leather Manufacturing
Berger Company
A leather goods manufacturer specializing in knife sheaths and related accessories, with product development and production capabilities across leather and fabric constructions.
Molded PocketFoldoverPancake StyleDouble MoldedAxe Sheath
Manufacturing methods include die-cutting, stitching, riveting, sanding and molding. Fabric options include polypro laminate material and Nylon or Polyester webbing.
USADomestic manufacturing · Atchison, Kansas
MexicoLeather production · León, Mexico
AsiaLeather and textile production · Established operations since 1985
01ADistribution · Materials · Specifications
Wholesale leather, thoughtfully sourced
From hide to
the hands that make.
Berger’s distribution network supports manufacturers, wholesalers and retail channels with leather from represented tanneries, practical product knowledge and flexible fulfillment across the United States and Canada.
01 / WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION
Regional reach.
Regional reach.
Channel-ready supply.
The primary distribution center in Atchison, Kansas serves customers across the U.S. and Canada. A secondary Houston, Texas location supports direct shipment of full-pallet loads.
Wholesale specialties include vegetable-tanned and chrome-tanned leathers for manufacturers, custom shops and retail partners.
Atchison, Kansas Primary distributionHouston, Texas Full-pallet shipments
02 / THE STORY BEHIND LEATHER
A material shaped by
A material shaped by
time and use.
Leather is commonly sourced from animals raised for food, so supply can move with broader meat-market conditions. Reuse and recycling can extend the useful life of a durable material and reduce waste.
Natural leather is flexible, soft and resilient. With wear, handling and sunlight, it can develop a distinctive patina that reflects how it has been used.
Offers a tactile surface with character and depth.
Built for repeated handling and long-term use.
Develops a unique appearance as it ages.
03 / MATERIAL GUIDE
Know the
Know the
leather in hand.
Four common constructions, each with a different surface and use profile.
Full Grain
The surface remains largely intact, preserving the hide’s natural grain and character.
Corrected Grain
The surface is lightly buffed or otherwise finished to create a more uniform appearance.
Split
The lower layer separated from the top grain during hide processing.
Bonded
Leather fibers or offcuts combined with binders into a consistent sheet material.
04 / TANNINGTwo established
Two established
tanning approaches.
Vegetable Tanning
Uses plant-derived tannins, including extracts from trees such as quebracho and mimosa. The process is typically longer and more craft-intensive.
Chrome Tanning
Uses chromium salts in a controlled tanning process. It is generally faster and can produce leather that is softer and thinner.
06 / THICKNESS REFERENCELeather thickness
Leather thickness
conversion chart.
A quick reference across ounces, irons and metric measurements.
| Ounces | Irons | Fractional inches | Decimal inches | Millimeters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.75 | 1/64 | 0.016 | 0.41 |
| 2 | 1.50 | 1/32 | 0.031 | 0.78 |
| 3 | 2.25 | 3/64 | 0.047 | 1.19 |
| 4 | 3.00 | 1/16 | 0.063 | 1.60 |
| 5 | 3.75 | 5/64 | 0.078 | 1.98 |
| 6 | 4.50 | 3/32 | 0.094 | 2.39 |
| 7 | 5.25 | 7/64 | 0.109 | 2.78 |
| 8 | 6.00 | 1/8 | 0.125 | 3.18 |
| 9 | 6.75 | 9/64 | 0.141 | 3.58 |
| 10 | 7.50 | 5/32 | 0.156 | 3.96 |
| 11 | 8.25 | 11/64 | 0.172 | 4.37 |
| 12 | 9.00 | 3/16 | 0.188 | 4.78 |
Supply Chain · B2B · Leather Manufacturing
Building resilient supply chains for leather manufacturing.
I help B2B and channel partners navigate sourcing, fulfillment, supplier quality and changing lead times with practical, relationship-led operations.
Kansas City · Missouri
02 / PROFILE
02Professional Profile
People, product and processA practical partner for complex supply chains
Clarity in the details.
Continuity in the supply.
My work sits at the intersection of leather sourcing, cross-border logistics and customer delivery. I focus on building operating routines that help teams respond quickly while protecting quality and long-term customer relationships.
From safety stock planning and supplier specifications to differentiated channel fulfillment, I bring a hands-on approach to the issues that shape day-to-day performance.
Connect with Jennifer>92%OTIF for key B2B clients
<48hUrgent in-stock fulfillment
~30%Fewer quality disputes and returns
−25Inventory days reduced
03Selected Experience
Supply Chain & Channel Outcomes
Turning constraints
into workable plans.
A selection of initiatives spanning disruption response, fulfillment design, quality systems, inventory health and trade compliance.
01
2021–2022 · Continuity Planning
Mitigating cross-border shipping disruption
Established safety stock and buffer mechanisms for core leather categories during port congestion and freight-rate spikes. Secured capacity on key routes and developed alternative port-of-entry clearance paths.
>92%OTIF for key B2B clients
02
Channel Operations
Segmented fulfillment support
Restructured MOQs and delivery routines for wholesalers, custom manufacturers and retail channels. Created an expedited response path for strategic procurement clients ordering in-stock raw hides and semi-finished leather.
<48hUrgent response, down from 7 business days
03
Supplier Quality
Reducing leather quality disputes
Introduced pre-shipment standards for color, thickness and elasticity, a tiered return and exchange process, and direct technical-specification reviews with key tanneries.
~30%Fewer bulk-order disputes and returns
04
Inventory Optimization
Improving warehouse turnover
Moved long-stagnant specialty-coated leathers and aged raw materials through bundling, discounted liquidation and just-in-time stocking to free tied-up capital.
−25 daysInventory turnover improvement
05
Procurement & Compliance
Managing cost and import requirements
Reviewed U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications for imported raw leather to reduce clearance delays and additional-assessment risk. Centralized bulk negotiations helped hedge raw-material inflation.
HTSClassification and documentation review
04Academic & Community
Learning through participation
Leadership &
Finance.
Academic and peer-led communities have been a place to exchange market perspectives, practice research and make technical ideas more accessible.
SUFE Graduate Student Union
Co-organized the Annual Financial Forum and invited industry professionals and alumni for macro-market guest lectures.
SUFE Finance & Investment Club
Led equity research group discussions and co-managed the simulated portfolio investment challenge.
CFA / FRM Study Group · SUFE Chapter
Organized weekly quantitative modeling workshops and financial-market case studies.
05Get in Touch
B2B · Channel Support · Supply Chain
Let’s make the
next step clear.
For supply chain, sourcing or channel-support conversations, reach out directly.
Jennifer SwithSupply Chain ManagerKansas City, Missouri