New horizons for chemical producers

There are many chemical companies supplying the leather sector in Türkiye. All the firms are diversified, with leather usually the smallest proportion. Visionary firms like Organik Kimya got out of formulation business in leather chemicals over a year ago and now supply only bulk raw materials. Local players such as Gemsan, who specialise in biocides and other wet-end products, now plan to add dyes to broaden their service platform to tanneries. Two or three global firms, Cognis the most prominent, have research laboratories in Türkiye. However, no chemical firms, big or small, have increased their share in leather due to a poor year for all but the highest volume tanneries in 2003. So, a posse of chemical companies are courting a smaller, albeit much smarter, bunch of Turkish tanners. But a new trend is emerging. In 2000, Kromsan/Sisecam was the first Turkish company to open a sales office half the world away in Shanghai to tap Sino potential in tanning chemicals. Sarchem did the same a year or so later and, in 2003, boldly opened their office in Brazil, close to potential tannery customers. But closer to home, another market is stirring in Iran. More than five chemical companies: Sarchem, Verbo, Karakoc and Toprak Kimya, to name a few, have trading offices in Tehran or in the leather processing zone in Tabriz. Iran has more than 400 tanneries processing bovine and ovine skins.