Oxfam - making a difference

With the assistance of outside consultants, the aim of the Oxfam programme is to design and construct a small purpose built tannery which will allow six of the internally displaced leather producers to combine their production, while still maintaining a degree of independence. Oxfam carried out initial research into the feasibility of the project and when initial findings looked promising they approached leather consultants Richard Sanderson and Kim Murphy to help design the tannery and effluent treatment plant. The design of the tannery will allow the producers to initially increase their production from 4,000 skins, to 10,000 skins a month, with additional expansion built into the design. This increase in capacity will provide valuable employment to other IDPs and put thousands of dollars into the local economy with obvious benefits. Due to the savings made in chemical costs, wool recovery and improved leather quality, initial costings indicate that the producers will be able to repay the loan in full over five years. If successful, it is hoped that the project can be used as a model for similar ventures, not only with other leather producers but also for manufacturers of other products including leather garments. The leather currently being made by the majority of these tanners is black garment leather, produced from local sheepskins. There is a large sheep population in Azerbaijan, as it is the main meat eaten by the Azeris, and this provides a plentiful supply of excellent quality skins, which Türkiye has been aware of for many years and buys in large quantities. Production takes place in outbuildings, often attached to their home dwellings but the current working conditions of these leather producers, even by tanning industry standards, are appalling, with untreated effluent being discharged directly on to the surrounding land, contaminating both the land and the nearby river, into which it runs. This poses a significant health risk to the local inhabitants, particularly when they eat the livestock or chicken and geese, which feed on the waste. The tanning equipment is also extremely basic: soaking takes place in old water tanks, followed by lime painting, unhairing and liming in discarded bath tubs. Small drums are used for tanning and dyeing, but the equipment's limitations, together with the lack of capital to purchase the expensive raw material, restrict their capacity. After tanning, the skins are hung to partially dry before being taken to a local workshop, which contract shaves the skins for all the local producers. Following shaving, the leather is retanned, partially dyed and fatliquored, before being nailed to wooden frames for drying outside. A pad dye coat is then applied, before finishing with a hand spray gun. Given their limited equipment, difficult conditions and use of poor quality production chemicals, these tanners are producing a remarkably good finished black garment leather, which is sold both to the local Azerbaijan market as well as being exported to Türkiye. Some of the producers have also started to produce garments from the finished leather, as profits from the leather coats are considerably better than the finished leather. It is hoped that if the new tannery is successful, additional funding can be found to support the manufacture of the finished garments, which will provide much needed additional employment for local people. One of the challenges in the early stages of the project has been developing an organisational structure for the co-operative, so that the economic advantages of combining their leather production is achieved, while still maintaining a degree of autonomy for the producers to make and sell their own leather. After discussions with the producers, a compromise was achieved by proposing a legally registered co-operative made up of one representative from each of the producers, together with an accountant and chairman to oversee the operation. This co-operative will be responsible for the production of all the leather up until the wet-blue stage, with all direct costs being allocated according to individual production levels. The producers will still be responsible for the purchase of their own raw skins, which is an area they wanted to retain control of. Having initially marked their skins in the raw, after the combined wet-blue operation, they can retan, dye, and fatliquor their own skins to their individual requirements, thus maintaining a degree of flexibility in the type of leather they produce. The tannery has been designed to allow each of the producers to use their own separate drum for this latter processing, together with separate storage areas for both their raw skins and individual chemicals used. Separate offices have also been provided to ensure a degree of privacy in their transactions. It is hoped that when production starts, these producers, who have been used to running independent operations, will begin to see the economic benefits which come from combining their production, particularly when larger quantities of production chemicals can be ordered at wholesale prices, instead of purchasing at what is effectively a retail price, as at present. This will also help the planned marketing of their leather to international markets in the future, as they will be producing larger quantities of consistently good quality leather. All other equipment for the tannery will be supplied by the project for the producers to share. This will include: paddles for soaking, a liming and tanning drum, fleshing machine and setting out machine. A shaving machine will also be purchased, so that they no longer have to have their leather contract shaved, resulting in a considerable saving. One of the major advantages for the tanners will be the drying room, which will be installed in the tannery. At present, all drying is done outside, with the inevitable problems which occur during bad weather, especially in winter. This will also apply to the wool recovery, much of which is discarded in the winter, as they are unable to dry it.There are also plans to install an effluent treatment plant next to the tannery. Lime liquors will be drained separately into a holding tank, where air will be diffused through the waste liquor to remove all traces of sodium sulfide. This waste will then be pumped into one of two balancing tanks, together with the wastewater from all the other tannery operations. The PH of this tank will be adjusted before being pumped into a settling tank, with the addition of coagulants and flocculants to ensure a good precipitation of the solids. The solids, in the form of a slurry, will then be drained into drying beds and the clear supernatant drained off, to be reused both in processing and to irrigate non-edible crops such as cotton, for which the area is renowned. Initially Oxfam's project will make a difference to the lives of up to 150 people and the increase in the producers' income will mean that their children will be able to attend full-time school and afford proper health care. The producers will be provided with significantly improved facilities, allowing increased capacity and year round production. Additional employment will be provided to other displaced people and thousands of dollars will be channelled into the local economy. The effluent will be treated instead of polluting the local environment and the money used to finance the project paid back so that others may benefit. Oxfam hopes this project will become a model for future ventures in Azerbaijan and that it will be used as an example of how ordinary people can take control of their lives in order to bring about long-term change. R J Sanderson, HND Leather Technology Richard has worked in the leather industry for the last 28 years as technical director for Sawyer of Nappa in the USA and in sales and marketing for Munzing Chemie in Germany before setting up his own leather trading company in the UK. With experience setting up joint venture tanneries in Hungary, Korea and India, he is using his experience to help with this Azerbaijan project. K G Murphy FSLTC, HND Leather Technology Kim has had a twenty four year career in the leather industry at Connolly Leather, spanning all aspects of production and management inclusive of liming through to cutting and the supply of both hides and cut parts, as well as considerable experience with effluent and environmental issues. Currently he is a self employed consultant working in and out of the leather industry on management, environment issues and advising on leather production and effluent treatment to a variety of clients including Bellway Homes, Oxfam and Waltham Tannery.