LAW TANNING HISTORY

An American Success Story

Founder – William Bancroft Law, Jr. – Lynnfield, Mass. worked in tanneries before enlisting in the service in 1917.  He went to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York after discharge to attend leather-tanning school. In 1920, William was employed by Pfister & Vogel in Milwaukee.

In 1936, with long hours of hard work, Law Tanning Company was founded. From the beginning there was success and Law Tanning was profitable and expanding. The Law family purchased the Cudahy Tanning building in 1942. Leather was tanned for army boots and gloves in WW2 and Korean wars.

William L. Law entered the firm on discharge from 42nd Infantry Division, in 1946 and on the death of WBL. Jr. took over management and founded the Cudahy operation. In spite of the low wage foreign competition, which saw the liquidation of 80 per cent of U.S. shoe and leather industries, the quality and efficiency was such that the Law and Cudahy operations both prospered and grew.

William R. Law (BJ) joined the family business in 1976 after graduating from Southern Methodist University and managed Cudahy Tanning Company until it was sold in 2007.

BJ’s son, Ryan Law graduated from University of St. Thomas and joined the business in 2003.  He is currently the President of Law Tanning Company.