Almost seven million of Australia's kangaroos are due to be killed this year, after the Australian government gave the green light to the annual cull. It is the largest quota ever, representing 15-20% of Australia's total kangaroo population, and is based on recommendations from scientists.

cattle kills were much lower than expected and, as a consequence, hides were in short supply throughout January which resulted in week by week price rises.

Although the Panamerican Leather Fair has closed its doors, there have been a few glimmers of optimism heard among tanners. One noted that men's and women's belt demand had picked up sharply and a boot show in Denver had been far more successful than most had anticipated. Side leather tanners, however, continued to complain of a lack of interest, regardless of price, although many think that there will be an increase of activity by the end of February.

Clariant have unveiled their new Melio proGrade System said to take leather finishing to a new level. The system is described as a new, efficient upgrading technology for profitable leather articles with a high sales appeal.

Spanish machinery manufacturers, Talleres Jofresa, have developed a novel piece equipment for immersion dyeing of hides and skins. Chrome tanned crust leather is attached to the cylinder of the device while rotating. The hide or skin is then dipped into the bath of concentrated dye before emerging at the front of the cylinder.

Garden State Tanning's Williamsport plant (GST) is completely isolated from the regional (Washington County, Maryland) wastewater collection system and, therefore, the tannery's effluent treatment plant treats 100% of its sanitary and industrial wastewater. On average the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) processes 0.5 MGD and disposes of approximately 900 wet tons of sludge per month.

Ozyüksel Deri have been in operating since 1967. Founders Yüksel Sen, Ali Sen and Ibrahim Tatar had the vision to produce the highest quality leather compared to their competitors. Initially, production capacity stood at two tons per day and the company gradually built up the reputation of being a producer of quality leather in the region.

Dursoy AS (Dursoy Inc) were established by Mahmut A Duruk and Ahmet S Gürsoy in 1981. From the beginning, the company have specialised in the manufacture of fur and doubleface. Dursoy Inc have the capacity to produce 750,000 leathers a year in their 10,000 sq m tannery located in Organised Industry Zone in Tuzla. The company also manufacture 40,000 fur and suede garments annually.

The first Stahl laboratory was opened about two years later in 1998. There are now two laboratories, one in Tuzla and one in Menemen, near Izmir. Tuzla supports the tanneries in Tuzla/Istanbul, Çorlu, Bursa, Güney, Kemalpasa, Ezine and Gerede. The Menemen laboratory supports the tanneries in Menemen/Izmir, Usak and Manisa.

The 11th International Leather Days exhibition was a resounding success, despite a last minute change of plans due to a collapsed roof under the weight of a heavy snow fall the week before. Visitors poured into the exhibition on all three days, but particularly during the last day when queues formed in the corridor linking the two main exhibition halls.

Almost seven million of Australia's kangaroos are due to be killed this year, after the Australian government gave the green light to the annual cull. It is the largest quota ever, representing 15-20% of Australia's total kangaroo population, and is based on recommendations from scientists.

cattle kills were much lower than expected and, as a consequence, hides were in short supply throughout January which resulted in week by week price rises.

Although the Panamerican Leather Fair has closed its doors, there have been a few glimmers of optimism heard among tanners. One noted that men's and women's belt demand had picked up sharply and a boot show in Denver had been far more successful than most had anticipated. Side leather tanners, however, continued to complain of a lack of interest, regardless of price, although many think that there will be an increase of activity by the end of February.

Clariant have unveiled their new Melio proGrade System said to take leather finishing to a new level. The system is described as a new, efficient upgrading technology for profitable leather articles with a high sales appeal.

Spanish machinery manufacturers, Talleres Jofresa, have developed a novel piece equipment for immersion dyeing of hides and skins. Chrome tanned crust leather is attached to the cylinder of the device while rotating. The hide or skin is then dipped into the bath of concentrated dye before emerging at the front of the cylinder.

Garden State Tanning's Williamsport plant (GST) is completely isolated from the regional (Washington County, Maryland) wastewater collection system and, therefore, the tannery's effluent treatment plant treats 100% of its sanitary and industrial wastewater. On average the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) processes 0.5 MGD and disposes of approximately 900 wet tons of sludge per month.

Due to increased legislation geared towards environmental protection and preservation of water quality, tanneries are being forced to implement continuous improvement strategies, including:

Ozyüksel Deri have been in operating since 1967. Founders Yüksel Sen, Ali Sen and Ibrahim Tatar had the vision to produce the highest quality leather compared to their competitors. Initially, production capacity stood at two tons per day and the company gradually built up the reputation of being a producer of quality leather in the region.

Dursoy AS (Dursoy Inc) were established by Mahmut A Duruk and Ahmet S Gürsoy in 1981. From the beginning, the company have specialised in the manufacture of fur and doubleface. Dursoy Inc have the capacity to produce 750,000 leathers a year in their 10,000 sq m tannery located in Organised Industry Zone in Tuzla. The company also manufacture 40,000 fur and suede garments annually.

The first Stahl laboratory was opened about two years later in 1998. There are now two laboratories, one in Tuzla and one in Menemen, near Izmir. Tuzla supports the tanneries in Tuzla/Istanbul, Çorlu, Bursa, Güney, Kemalpasa, Ezine and Gerede. The Menemen laboratory supports the tanneries in Menemen/Izmir, Usak and Manisa.

The 11th International Leather Days exhibition was a resounding success, despite a last minute change of plans due to a collapsed roof under the weight of a heavy snow fall the week before. Visitors poured into the exhibition on all three days, but particularly during the last day when queues formed in the corridor linking the two main exhibition halls.

The changes in modern leather processing to meet environmental regulations and higher demands in the performance properties of leather result in a need for better processes and products used in leather manufacture. One area in need of improved performance is the poor wetfastness of deep colours, such as jet-blacks. We all know the staining of socks in leather shoes with dark linings and the poor washfastness of deep black clothing leathers.

The leather trade depends on the supply of its raw materials from abattoirs. Abattoirs come in all shapes and sizes from the ultra modern refrigerating works in New Zealand to the throat cutting of an animal somewhere in the bush. I feel that the most important factor when a butcher slaughters an animal is hygiene as the health of the consumer is at stake, but from a commercial point of view, we also want a properly flayed hide.

The 57th International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather and Allied Trades will be held at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, Lincolnshire, from Wednesday June 19 to Friday June 21, 2002.

TFL have published their latest forecast of fashion colours for leather for the autumn/winter season, 2003/4. The forecast, which is produced in association with Italian designers Carmen Rimoldi and Sergio Belloni, comes 18 months in advance of the retail season.

Brenntag, the subsidiary of Germany-based Stinnes, have signed a European distribution agreement with biotechnology company Genencor. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see Brenntag become the exclusive distributor across Europe for Genencor's enzyme products.

The overlapping of the two parts of the Asia Pacific Leather Fair, April 8-12, 2002, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, means that Raw Materials and Manufacturing, 9-12 (Tuesday to Friday) will be located as follows:

The annual meeting of the recently merged Spanish tanners associations, CEC-FECUR, will be held in Barcelona, June 14-16.

Federal investigators have sifted through the burnt remains of a Colorado lambskin processing plant, trying to determine if it was arson that destroyed the facility.

Most exhibitors expressed satisfaction about the quality of visitors at the 21st edition of Pielespaña in Barcelona in January. Exhibitors included tanners (22%), leather garment manufacturers (48%), tannery machinery suppliers (4%), leather products accessory (8%) and leathergoods manufacturers (5%).

Presidency Kid Leather Limited (PKL), better known for production of high quality goatskin leather, have opened their new cow calf leather plant. The official ceremony took place on January 31 at the tannery complex in Kannivakkam, approximately a one hour drive from Chennai.

Brazilian exports of bovine hides increased by 16% in 2001, both in volume (number of hides) and turnover (in US$), according to data provided by Secex, the Department of Foreign Trade, and processed by AICSul, the Association of the Tanning Industry of Southern Brazil. A total of 17.2 million hides were exported amounting to US$863 million. Figures for 2000 were 14.8 million hides and US$744 million.

Cotance tell us that Tanweek will be an open conference in Bologna, Italy, during Lineapelle (November 5-7, 2002). European leather experts will reveal how scientific progress and clean technologies have turned their ancient trade into a pioneering biotech industry.

DuPont Apparel & Textile Science have appointed Din Leather (Pvt) Ltd as their first Leather with Lycra Licensee in the Asia Pacific region. Chief executive of DuPont Pakistan, Asif Ikram, said that with Lycra the unique natural qualities of leather are achieved which makes it possible for garments to conform to the silhouette, while offering uninhibited comfort and freedom of movement.

Argentina has been crippled over the past few months by an economic crisis that has toppled the government and led to rioting in the streets. Businesses in the country have had to deal with rapidly changing market conditions including a currency devaluation and control of foreign exchange under a dual rate system.

Irving Tanning Company (Irving Tanning) and Irving Schweizer Asia Ltd, to be known as ISA Limited, a division of Tan Tec (ISA), have announced that they have reached an agreement in principle for the termination and settlement of Irving Tanning's share holding interests in and commercial relationships with ISA.

This edition of the Panamerican Leather Fair was always going to be small. The show had been shrinking in recent years along with the North American leather industry. The terrorist attacks last year resulted in a number of further cancellations and the organisers have had to admit defeat and regroup.

The city of Whitehall and Genesco Inc have reached an agreement that will hopefully end a series of lawsuits over the cleanup of White Lake's Tannery Bay, located near a contaminated industrial site (see Leather International, December 2001). The deal paves the way for springtime dredging of the bay with the clean-up scheduled be completed by the autumn.

The Siriopet tannery owned by the British Sirio Leather Group Ltd, part of East Hides Group, produced output worth US$3 million in 2001. The tannery is located in Petropavlovsk in the centre of the North Kazakhstan region. Executive director, Dushant Kumar, said that the British parent company had bought Kazakhstan's oldest Petropavlovsk tannery (150 years old) in July 2000 after the tannery had been idle for five years.

First reported in Leather International last December, page 6, TFL have completed the acquisition of Italian leather finishing chemical makers, Novaria srl.

FURTHER to my comments last month with regard to the various exhibitions being held around the world, in this month's issue we include reports on Pielespaña in Barcelona, Leather Days in Istanbul, the Panamerican Leather Fair in Miami Beach and the Indian International Leather Fair in Chennai.

Further indications that the tanning sector is cautiously picking up were evident at the latest Indian International Leather Fair held in Chennai.

The Madras High Court has dismissed writ petitions filed by tanneries in the Vellore district challenging the order to pay Rs26.82 crore due to the environmental pollution. The 325 skin and hide tanners filed petitions challenging the apportionment of the compensation ordered initially on March 7, 2001 (see Leather International, June 2001).

The changes in modern leather processing to meet environmental regulations and higher demands in the performance properties of leather result in a need for better processes and products used in leather manufacture. One area in need of improved performance is the poor wetfastness of deep colours, such as jet-blacks. We all know the staining of socks in leather shoes with dark linings and the poor washfastness of deep black clothing leathers.

The leather trade depends on the supply of its raw materials from abattoirs. Abattoirs come in all shapes and sizes from the ultra modern refrigerating works in New Zealand to the throat cutting of an animal somewhere in the bush. I feel that the most important factor when a butcher slaughters an animal is hygiene as the health of the consumer is at stake, but from a commercial point of view, we also want a properly flayed hide.

The 57th International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather and Allied Trades will be held at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, Lincolnshire, from Wednesday June 19 to Friday June 21, 2002.

TFL have published their latest forecast of fashion colours for leather for the autumn/winter season, 2003/4. The forecast, which is produced in association with Italian designers Carmen Rimoldi and Sergio Belloni, comes 18 months in advance of the retail season.

Brenntag, the subsidiary of Germany-based Stinnes, have signed a European distribution agreement with biotechnology company Genencor. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see Brenntag become the exclusive distributor across Europe for Genencor's enzyme products.

The overlapping of the two parts of the Asia Pacific Leather Fair, April 8-12, 2002, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, means that Raw Materials and Manufacturing, 9-12 (Tuesday to Friday) will be located as follows:

The annual meeting of the recently merged Spanish tanners associations, CEC-FECUR, will be held in Barcelona, June 14-16.

Federal investigators have sifted through the burnt remains of a Colorado lambskin processing plant, trying to determine if it was arson that destroyed the facility.

Most exhibitors expressed satisfaction about the quality of visitors at the 21st edition of Pielespaña in Barcelona in January. Exhibitors included tanners (22%), leather garment manufacturers (48%), tannery machinery suppliers (4%), leather products accessory (8%) and leathergoods manufacturers (5%).

Presidency Kid Leather Limited (PKL), better known for production of high quality goatskin leather, have opened their new cow calf leather plant. The official ceremony took place on January 31 at the tannery complex in Kannivakkam, approximately a one hour drive from Chennai.

Brazilian exports of bovine hides increased by 16% in 2001, both in volume (number of hides) and turnover (in US$), according to data provided by Secex, the Department of Foreign Trade, and processed by AICSul, the Association of the Tanning Industry of Southern Brazil. A total of 17.2 million hides were exported amounting to US$863 million. Figures for 2000 were 14.8 million hides and US$744 million.

Cotance tell us that Tanweek will be an open conference in Bologna, Italy, during Lineapelle (November 5-7, 2002). European leather experts will reveal how scientific progress and clean technologies have turned their ancient trade into a pioneering biotech industry.

DuPont Apparel & Textile Science have appointed Din Leather (Pvt) Ltd as their first Leather with Lycra Licensee in the Asia Pacific region. Chief executive of DuPont Pakistan, Asif Ikram, said that with Lycra the unique natural qualities of leather are achieved which makes it possible for garments to conform to the silhouette, while offering uninhibited comfort and freedom of movement.

Argentina has been crippled over the past few months by an economic crisis that has toppled the government and led to rioting in the streets. Businesses in the country have had to deal with rapidly changing market conditions including a currency devaluation and control of foreign exchange under a dual rate system.

Irving Tanning Company (Irving Tanning) and Irving Schweizer Asia Ltd, to be known as ISA Limited, a division of Tan Tec (ISA), have announced that they have reached an agreement in principle for the termination and settlement of Irving Tanning's share holding interests in and commercial relationships with ISA.

This edition of the Panamerican Leather Fair was always going to be small. The show had been shrinking in recent years along with the North American leather industry. The terrorist attacks last year resulted in a number of further cancellations and the organisers have had to admit defeat and regroup.

The city of Whitehall and Genesco Inc have reached an agreement that will hopefully end a series of lawsuits over the cleanup of White Lake's Tannery Bay, located near a contaminated industrial site (see Leather International, December 2001). The deal paves the way for springtime dredging of the bay with the clean-up scheduled be completed by the autumn.

The Siriopet tannery owned by the British Sirio Leather Group Ltd, part of East Hides Group, produced output worth US$3 million in 2001. The tannery is located in Petropavlovsk in the centre of the North Kazakhstan region. Executive director, Dushant Kumar, said that the British parent company had bought Kazakhstan's oldest Petropavlovsk tannery (150 years old) in July 2000 after the tannery had been idle for five years.

First reported in Leather International last December, page 6, TFL have completed the acquisition of Italian leather finishing chemical makers, Novaria srl.

FURTHER to my comments last month with regard to the various exhibitions being held around the world, in this month's issue we include reports on Pielespaña in Barcelona, Leather Days in Istanbul, the Panamerican Leather Fair in Miami Beach and the Indian International Leather Fair in Chennai.

Further indications that the tanning sector is cautiously picking up were evident at the latest Indian International Leather Fair held in Chennai.

The Madras High Court has dismissed writ petitions filed by tanneries in the Vellore district challenging the order to pay Rs26.82 crore due to the environmental pollution. The 325 skin and hide tanners filed petitions challenging the apportionment of the compensation ordered initially on March 7, 2001 (see Leather International, June 2001).