MANY of the world's best cars, both luxury models and high-performance supercars, are inextricably linked by one company which supplies the very best leather upholstery: Connolly.
Still very much a family controlled company - run by four family members, Tim, David and Joseph Connolly and Anthony Hussey (whose mother was a Connolly) - Connolly Leather Ltd dates back to 1878 when two Connolly brothers, Joseph and Samuel, set up the business to produce leather fittings for carriages.
Previously the two brothers had been involved in a boot repair business. The service prospered but was eventually sold so they could concentrate on harnesses, saddles and seats for horses and carriages.
Recognition of their craftsmanship came in 1902 when Edward VII requested Connolly leather for the seats of the majestic coronation coach. The early motor industry was also starting to take an interest in Connolly leather and when C. S. Rolls and Henry Royce built their first car in 1904, Connolly leather was specified, as it is to this day, for the world's best known luxury model.
Range Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar, Ferrari and Aston Martin demand Connolly hides for their upholstery, as do other car makers such as Renault, De Tomaso, Lotus and Lamborghini. In all, about 25 car manufacturers currently offer Connolly leather interiors.
Connolly has a huge department dedicated to cutting hides to patterns either supplied by the customer or designed by the company. It is very labour intensive as much of the work can only be done by a trained human eye. To make maximum use of hides, different patterns are assigned to each hide, selecting the best surfaces for those areas which are highly visible, and leaving the remainder to parts normally hidden from view. As an example, the driver's seat of a Rolls-Royce is cut from 24 pieces of leather.
The London firm prides itself in its commitment to environmental principles. Nothing of the original skin is wasted. The hair is used for fertiliser, surplus flesh and fat for glue and gelatin, and even the hide trimmings make an excellent plant-growing medium or are used in the photographic industry.