Pearl is the perfect partner because we understand your business, and we know your customers. The automotive industry relies on thousands of suppliers all coming together and getting products and parts to the same place at the critical time. There is no room for error. We understand this process, we know your customer, and we meet those vital deadlines. At Pearl, we’ve merged concepts from Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma to create our own approach to doing business.

Key concepts of the Pearl approach:

• Exceed expectations of quality products and service
• Embrace customer-driven thinking
• Streamline management and value employees
• Rely on top quality tools to produce top-quality results
• Honor the deadline
• Always improve the process. Always.

When you do business with Pearl, you’re doing business with an industry leader determined to meet your needs. We perform, on-time, every time, at the lowest possible cost. [ Return ]

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide our customers with superior quality and service by developing innovative solutions that improve the process while continuously finding ways to drive down costs. We will most competitively meet our customers’ needs through superior products, outstanding service, and economical prices.

To accomplish this mission, we will:

• Constantly find innovative ways to drive down prices while producing superior products.
• Implement management and manufacturing philosophies and processes to help us achieve and surpass our business goals.
• Rely on state-of-the-art machinery and top quality research and development to produce exceptional products and services.
• Understand our customers’ needs and businesses to better provide solutions, surpass expectations, and continuously improve. [ Return ]

Key Management With more than 140 years of combined industry experience, our Key Management has the expertise you need to get the job done on-time and on-budget, every time. Key Management Carmen Ruggiero, (IN MEMORIAM) John Ruggiero, President/Chief Operating Officer Susan Johnson, Vice President of Administration Chuck Frascatore, Plant Manager Tim Hohler, Production Manager Kimberly Holt, Quality Manager [ Return ]

History

Pearl Leather was founded in 1976 in Johnstown, New York, an area rich in leather history on the outskirts of New York State’s famed Leatherstocking Region.

Carmen Ruggiero started his business as a side leather contract finishing operation for the garment, shoe and furniture trade, and soon he and his son John had built a thriving company that supplied leather for many name brand products.

The advent of NAFTA changed the industry. To survive, Pearl had to define a new niche. So in 1995, with Carmen as chief executive office and John as president, Pearl entered the automotive seating market as a Tier 3-4 supplier of finished leather to both original equipment and after-market seating manufacturers.

Today Pearl’s 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility is a state-of-the-art plant with 130 employees. With current finishing capacity at 35,000 whole hides per week, Pearl has become one of the largest suppliers of automotive leather in the world. [ Return ]