A thermal compression plant with heat recovery for vacuum dryers of industrial leathers and similar products with one or more drying chambers (4) each one composed of a heated table (2), on which the products to be dried are laid, and a hermetic cover (3). A circulating fluid in a first closed circuit (6, 7) heats each table and each drying chamber (4) is connected to a second open circuit (14) for the suction and the condensation of the steam generated by the products. The second steam circuit (14) includes at least one vacuum pump (16) of relatively low capacity placed downstream from a condenser and compression means made up by at least one blower (19) with a higher capacity of the one of the vacuum pump (16) able to compress and superheat the steam to a higher temperature to that of the heating fluid of the working tables at continuous running. The condenser (21) uses for refrigeration the heating fluid circulating in the first circuit. The advantage is the recovery of most of the energy supplied to the compression means.