The Moroccan leather sector between modernity and authenticity: what problems? What solutions?

The leather sector remains one of the sectors that encounters a multitude of problems on an international scale, particularly in Morocco. Therefore, we carried out a literature review through which we were able to identify the major problems found within the leather sector. After that, we conducted a case study on the Chouara tannery in the Fes Meknes region where we studied the problems found within the sector by using the 5M and SWOT methods as well as the proposal of certain improvement actions with a view to revitalizing the sector. The novelty of our work lies in the proposal of certain functionalities that could play the role of product lifecycle management (PLM) within the sector, such as life management, complaint management and cost management since the notion of PLM is absent within traditional tanneries. In addition, we propose integrating ecological PLM to limit the amount of garbage generated during the execution of tasks. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify key problems within the leather industry.A case study was undertaken at the Chouara tannery in the Fes Meknes region to analyze sector-specific challenges via the 5M and SWOT methodologies.The proposed improvement strategies were then developed to enhance the sector's performance. A notable aspect of this study is the introduction of functionalities that could serve as product lifecycle management (PLM) tools within the sector, including life management, complaint management, and cost management, which are typically absent in traditional tanneries. Furthermore, the integration of ecological PLM practices is recommended to reduce waste generation during operational processes.