History

Innovative leather finishing since 1990

HELCOR was founded in 1990 by Phillip Schaefer, Hans-Wilhelm Strebost, and Rudolf Ebeling and has since specialized in the finishing of split leather, microfiber, leather fiber fabrics, and other carrier materials.

The patent developed by Phillip Schaefer was a real milestone when the company was founded – and remains so to this day. It forms the basis for a globally unique product that is used in particular in the manufacture of shoe uppers and bag materials – unrivalled in quality and functionality.

Over the years, HELCOR has also achieved significant success in the automotive sector. Our materials are used in door panels, seat covers, gear knobs, and more, offering vehicle manufacturers considerable advantages in terms of design flexibility and cost efficiency.

Today, HELCOR uses state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly technologies to produce high-quality materials from leather, microfiber, and leather fiber fabrics – for the automotive industry, the shoe and bag sector, and the upholstery and contract furniture industry.

At the heart of our production is a patented finishing process: an extremely thin layer of polyurethane is applied to the material using specially manufactured silicone matrices. This ensures that our leathers remain breathable and permeable to air and water vapor – and meet all relevant testing standards. The result: a natural product that continues to be designated as “genuine leather.”