PUNJAB (Summery report)
Punjab tanneries are mostly scattered in four main clusters:
Sialkot, Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore-Sheikhupura-Muridke,
(treated as one cluster). These clusters are further divided in
to sub clusters and isolated tannery units. Out of 218 units,
18 are large, followed by the 85 medium and 115 small units.
Major raw material used in tanneries is hide.
  Majority of tanneries in all the four clusters is surrounded by small and large human settlements. However some of tannery agglomerations are also found along the main corridors leading to city centers, natural water bodies and also besides the prime agriculture land. Although municipal corporation/ local bodies have established planed industrial zone in three cities, Sialkot, Multan, Gujranwala, but due to improper facilities, trend of tanners to relocate their units is not appreciable. Most of the human settlements in the surroundings of tanneries are devoid of civic facilities and paint a pathetic picture of sanitary conditions and the quality of life. Inhabitants of these communities, after farmers, consist of labor population and work in the tanneries and other industries located close-by.

 
GUJRANWALA
Major tannery agglomerations in Gujranwala referred as "Gujranwala Tannery Cluster", are located in two different geographical areas. These include 'Hide market, Ferozwala road' and 'Naroki Village Tannery Estate', at Gujranwala-Sheikhupura road. One individual tannery unit is located in 'Butranwali' at Sialkot-Gujranwala road. Out of total 32 tanneries of Gujranwala, 29 units have been ranked as small tanneries where as rest of three tanneries fall under the category of medium units. Except one, all the tanneries of Gujranwala process hides by old tanning method, i.e., vegetable tanning. Sole leather is the major end product of the tanneries of Gujranwala, which is generally supplied to local market.

 
SIALKOT
Tanneries in "Sialkot Cluster" are located in both cluster formation and individual and tanning units. Major sub-clusters are located along "Wazirabad-Samberyal road", "Malkay Kalan, Head Marala road", "Pul Aik, Hajipura Lahore-Daska road" and "Chiti Sheikhan". Whereas individual tanning units have been established along "Defence road", "Pasrur road", "Nakapura", "Sadpure Gondal road" and "Pakikotli, Lahore-Daska road".
With 117 operational tanning units, Sialkot is the second largest tanning cluster of Punjab after Kasur-Lahore. Out of total 117 tannery units, 60 (51 %) fall under the category of medium units, whereas 53 units (45 %) are small tanneries. Remaining four units are large tannery establishments, which generally process wet blue to finished leather and leather garments.

 
MULTAN
Major tannery agglomerations in Multan referred to as 'Multan Tannery Cluster', are located in four different geographical areas. These include 'Nawabpure road', 'Sooraj Miani road', 'water works road' and 'industrial estate'. Out of total 43 tanneries of Multan, 30 units have been ranked as small tanneries being engaged in vegetable tanning process. Rest of tanneries fall under the category of large and medium with 3 and 10 units respectively. All the medium tanneries process leather by old tanning method i.e. vegetable tanning, however all the three large units process cattle hides with chromium. Sole leather is the major end product of the tanneries of Multan, which generally supplied into the local market. 

LAHORE-SHAIKHUPURA-MURIDKE
Lahore cluster is an aggregation of three different sub clusters including Muridke and its environs, Lahore-Sheikhupura Road, and the Ferozepur Road area (including Batapur tanneries). Out of 26 tanneries in Lahore cluster, about eleven are large, followed by twelve medium and three small units. Major raw material used is hide.
Most of the tanneries are located in industrial areas away from major human settlements. The only human population nearby tannery establishments consists of rural communities located, in most cases, in the middle of the cultivated areas as well as along the road network. All these areas are devoid of civic facilities and paint a pathetic picture of sanitary conditions and the quality of life. Inhabitants of these communities, after farmers, consist of labor population and work in the tanneries and other industries located close-by.

 

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