Successful Beijing congress

Some 300 leather technologists and scientists attended, of which some 80 were from overseas. There were 43 oral presentations and over 80 visual presentations covering many aspects of leather technology. The presentations were in the categories of fundamental research, clean technology, environmental protection and recycling, innovative technologies, as well as the normal leather industry topics of quality standards, new leather chemicals and design of leathergoods. There was something for everyone, from research scientists at universities to the technologists from tanneries, with interesting presentations on new research into the structure of leather, new practical environmental techniques, through to the design of shoes.
The Congress was opened by IULTCS president, Elton Hurlow, who unfurled the IULTCS congress flag and declared the conference open. During his opening speech Hurlow took the opportunity to present professor Tony Covington with the highest IULTCS award, the IULTCS Merit Award, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to leather science (see page 14). There were also speeches of welcome from the Chinese government officials during the opening ceremony.
The chairperson of CLIA, Zhang Shu Hua, gave an interesting overview of the situation of the leather industry in China and the continuing need for technological and scientific developments. She stressed the development of tannery clusters as the way to proceed forward in the years ahead.
Two special invited lectures were presented at the start of the congress which were: the Heidemann lecture on collagen research, presented by Dr Eleanor Brown of USDA and the Zhang Quan Memorial Lecture, which was dedicated to Professor Zhang Quan, the founder of leather science and technology in China and to the development of modern tanning education in China.
During the closing ceremony the VESLIC Award for the best young presenter at the congress was presented by Dr Alois Puentener, VESLIC president and Professor Zhang of Shaan Xi University, China to Ren Longfang who completed her PhD in June 2009 under the supervision of Professor Wang Xuechuan of Shaan Xi University. Her presentation was on the use of a novel collagen peptide to remove formaldehyde from leather.
The 30th congress finished with the handing over of the congress flag to the host society for the next congress, AQEIC in Spain. The 31st IULTCS Congress will be held September 28-30, 2011, in Valencia, Spain.
The day after the completion of the congress, some delegates visited the Xinji tannery cluster, 300 km south-east of Beijing. In Xinji City a shoe factory, a cattle hide tannery, Dong Ming and a communal wastewater treatment plant were visited.
All who attended the congress appreciated the friendly, good organisation and smooth running of all events.
Elton Hurlow, IULTCS president said in closing the congress: ‘There is one more duty that I need to perform, and that is to acknowledge the current vice president, Dr Bi Shi, who is to take over leadership of the IULTCS as president at the end of this year. I know that he is ably qualified and I am convinced that with the support of the incoming vice president Dr Volkan Candar, and the able and ready assistance of Dr Campbell Page, along with the current IU commission chairs and new executive council structure, that the union is strong and in good hands.’