The Leather Research Laboratory has scheduled the first Leather Orientation Course of the year for March 24-25 at the University of Cincinnati. The Leather Orientation Course is designed specifically for the leather product manufacturing and end-user industries. Professionals involved in leather purchasing, product design, and quality control will benefit, together with chemical companies and newer tannery employees.

Bayer Wuxi Leather Chemical Company (BWLCC) has recently become the first company in the People's Republic of China to be named a 'State Environmentally Friendly Enterprise' by the country's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

The government of the Russian republic of Bashkortostan has announced that it is to retain its 53% stake in the local Sterlitamak Leather-Footwear Combine, according to the Interfax news agency. The Bashkortostan government recently announced that it will be selling nearly all its stakes in local light industry companies at auctions during 2004.

Statistics Norway reports that Norway exported raw hides and skins worth US$66 million in 2003, a year-on-year fall of 23.9%.

Mongolia's National Statistics Office reports that the production of leather footwear in Mongolia fell by 51.9% in 2003 compared with the previous year, according to the Montsame news agency. In comparison, overall industrial output in Mongolia in 2003 increased by 2% year-on-year.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that Hungary exported leather and leather products worth US$97.2 million in the first eleven months of 2003, a year-on-year increase of 24.1%. Hungarian imports of the same types of commodities were 3.5% higher year-on-year at US$312 million.

Argentinean leather goods manufacturers exhibiting at the Asia Pacific Leather Fair last October are having positive results deriving from their participation at the event. The balance includes closed deals and promising contacts. And, according to CIMA, the Argentine Chamber of Leather Goods and Related Products - many buyers have promised to visit the leathergoods fair to be held in Buenos Aires from February 8-10.

The latest Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis - Leather Goods Retailers has revealed that a cataclysmic £20 million of profit is being wasted in the UK Leather Goods Retailers industry every year, due to blatant underperformance and a failure by company leaders to focus on the bottom line. A quick glance in the latest publication from Plimsoll Publishing Ltd reveals:

At the end of 2003, Geoffrey Mawer Leathers moved to new premises. The new address is 9 Whitegates Field, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 3PS, UK. The new telephone number is +44 (0) 116 281 0300 and the new fax number is +44 (0) 116 281 3700. The email address remains the same: karenharriman.lhtbi@btopenworld.com

Forestal Mimosa Limited have upgraded their telephone system and the main phone and fax numbers have changed as follows:

The Corium Club ar planning a Special Event

FEDEX Securities Ltd have, on behalf of Bambolli Holdings Pvt Ltd, made an open offer to the public shareholders of Andhra Pradesh Tanneries Ltd to pay cash for shares representing 20.04% of paid-up capital. Andhra Pradesh Tanneries are based in Nellimerla in Vizianagaram district.

Following a meeting of the AFLAI (African Federation of Leather and Allied Industries) committee at Tanning Tech, held in Bologna in last October, the committee gave its full backing to the next edition of the Meet In Africa event. The fourth edition of Meet in Africa, the biennial African leather and allied industries show, will take place from 6 to 9 October 2004 in Addis Ababa - Ethiopia.

T¨ürkiye's State Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Türkiye in the first ten months of 2003 was 22.7% lower than in the same period the previous year. In comparison, the annual increase in Turkish manufacturing output was 9.5%.

Slovakia's State Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in the Slovak Republic in the first ten months of 2003 was 3.7% higher than in the same period the previous year. In comparison, overall manufacturing output in Slovakia was 8.1% higher year-on-year.

Statistics Norway reports that Norway exported raw hides and skins worth US$59.2 million in the first eleven months of this year, a year-on-year fall of 26.7%.

A report on the Lithuanian economy in the first half of 2003 has revealed that the leather industry was the only economic sector in Lithuania to see a year-on-year fall in production volumes, according to the LETA news agency.

The Czech Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in the Czech Republic in the first ten months of 2003 was 21.5% lower than in the same period in 2002. In comparison, overall manufacturing output in the Czech Republic was 5.5% higher year-on-year.

Croatia's Bureau of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in Croatia in the first eleven months of 2003 was 9.3% lower than in the same period the previous year. In comparison, overall industrial output in Croatia in the January to November 2003 period was 4.3% higher year-on-year.

When passing the testimony over to Giovanni Gaia during the Assomac general assembly held at the end of June, Giuseppe Barrera, the retiring president, defined the year 2003 as being an annus horribilus for the western hide/footwear/leathergoods industry. Unfortunately, he was right, and the same went for the technology sector.

The World Ostrich Association (WOA) has a new, more dynamic web site: http://www.world-ostrich.org

The British School of Leather Technology (BSLT) is beginning 2004 with the search for a new leader.

Exports figures for the first nine months of 2003 show that total exports rose by over 30% to just under US$689 million, up from $511 millions in the same period of 2002. Exports to former USSR countries accounted for 58.8%, followed by other European countries with a 44.5% rise (in particular, exports to Bulgaria rose by 251% percent, and Romania 104%), North African countries with a 26.1% increase (exports to Morocco rose by 240.5% and Egypt 126.4%), other OECD countries with a 15.7% rise (exports to Japan rose by 70.7%), as well as EU countries with a 14% increase (exports to France rose by 20%, UK 39.7% and Portugal 37.9%).

The 23rd Pielespaña Internacional, International Leather Fashion Exhibition, organised by Fira de Barcelona, which will be held in Hall 1 of the Montjuïc exhibition centre from January 30 to February 2, 2004, will feature a special young creators' group fashion show, the aim of which is to promote future professionals dedicated to the design and manufacture of suede, nappa and doubleface garments. With this is mind, the exhibition has organised a 'Young Talents' contest, open to students at national and foreign universities whose academic programme includes the design and manufacture of suede, nappa and doubleface garments as a subject. Participation has been confirmed by Esdi - Escuela Superior de Diseño from Sabadell (Barcelona); Escola de Disseny, from Palma de Mallorca; Northampton University, United Kingdom; and the London College of Fashion.

Many luggage and leather companies have recently discovered that the £20 billion promotions, incentives and business gifts market offers a vast range of customers with significant budgets. The promotions and incentives industry is booming as many more companies discover how effectively leathergoods motivate and reward staff and customers.

Bayer's second 'Trend Articles and Fashion' book is almost complete. The leather experts at Bayer Chemicals AG, Leverkusen, are not waiting to be overtaken by the latest trends - they are setting their own! This year they have already developed two leather trend books to show tanneries which types of leather are going to be 'en vogue' in the coming season.

The latest incidence data from the European Commission reveals that the UK's BSE risk categorisation is now moderate. The data places the UK in the same risk category as most other EU member states, despite still having a significantly higher number of BSE incidents than other EU members.

The immediate future of Namibian beef and mutton exports to the EU is uncertain, after European inspectors found the country was not meeting EU export requirements. European inspectors discovered that some slaughtering procedures required by the EU were not being undertaken. Among the problems listed was that trucks taking animals to slaughter were not being sterilised after unloading, a requirement by the EU due to FMD concerns.

Fashion Access - Handbags, Travelware, Footwear, Leather Garments and Fashion Accessories, the new name for APLF Fashion and Finished Products, has been well received by the industry as the region's premier event for lifestyle and fashion accessories.

Formaldehyde or methanal is a highly volatile, noxious molecule which is omnipresent in our environment due to biological and synthetic production.

Suffice it to say, most US/Mexican cattle hide traders are only too happy, in fact quite eager, to see the 2003 trading year finally come to a close. Indeed it has been a difficult year and this can be attributed to various reasons.

The announcement that Michell had decided to lose its plant in Portlaw in the Republic of Ireland came as a surprise to all of us in the hide business here in Ireland when we first heard it.

In mid-November, the dollar weakened again which does not help the leather industry in Europe. But 70% of the world's leather is made in Asia and currencies will not bother the majority of players there. No clear improvement in leather orders or in finished leather prices is more of an issue for the Asians.

As producers of highly differentiated industrial, fine and spciality chemicals, Bayer Chemicals AG are continuously on the lookout for new raw material suppliers who can meet their strict demands in terms of price, quality and reliability.

Uganda exports 88% of raw hides and skins and then buys them back processed, according to Amzad Ali, Leather Industries Uganda, one of the country's two tanners. He added: 'Ugandan exporters are cutting themselves out of the most lucrative part of the animal skin chain.'

Ireland imported raw hides and skins worth €3.9 million in the first eight months of 2003. This compares with €3.6 million in the same period the previous year, according to Ireland's Central Statistics Office.

The Kenya Tanners Association are claiming that under-declaration and poor invoicing of the country's exports of hides and skins has amounted to a loss of Sh90 billion (US$1.18 billion) over the past 15 years. Joseph Maigwa, chairman of the KTA, claims that the practice has been perpetuated by a cartel involving industry and senior government officials.

The Bangladesh leather industry is calling for more financial backing so that the local industry can benefit from the increase in hides available during the Qurbani Eid festival.

Asian tanners were forced to buy US raw materials after many had held-out hoping for prices to fall. Interest from Chinese and South Korean buyers and a 10% fall in the slaughter figures compared with last year, kept prices across most US selections stable. Heavy Texas and branded steers in particular.

In the last issue of Leather, we commented that the American trade was focused on the projected lower kills facing the industry in November and December, if not somewhat beyond. Industry sources proved accurate in their prediction as slaughter in November averaged about 10%, or 50-70,000 head per week below the same time frame of 2001 and 2002.

Leather International provides a worldwide selection of raw materials prices for the leather industry. Although we update these on a regular basis, they are only intended as a guide since market fluctuations occur constantly.

Swiss drum and tannery automation specialists, Hüni, have upgraded and completely redesigned their Microtan LT software system. It is now more powerful and faster. They have ramped-up the master computer and the new version is completely Linux and windows software compatible.

Bauce have upgraded their throughfeed sammying and setting out machine. The Stenpress MVC-4 is available with two or three cylinders depending on leather type. Using the MVC-4 model offers higher surface increases and improved drying quality.

Pajusco Tecnologie presented their newest tanning drum technology at Tanning Tech in October. The X Drum is a new system that is incorporated into any existing Pajusco drum, including liming, tanning and dyeing drums, which means that the upgrade can be installed quickly and efficiently. The new system saves on chemicals, water and time and, although the drum size remains the same, the load can be increased by up to 30%.

Vallero International's new Compact Drum is 25% smaller than vessels with a similar capacity. The Compact Drum has the motor and drive system incorporated into the main structure and makes it ideal for tanneries where space is a premium. The wooden drum can be used for all wet-end operations and can also be adapted for dry drumming. The transmission wheels are guided on metal rails each side of the drum cylinder, reducing the axial space. The transmission system is held up by special supports and by a shaft mounted gear reducer, making the drum quieter when in operation.

Selin have formed a partnership agreement with Incas - logistics and monitoring systems - with the aim of developing one of their applications for use in tanneries. The tannery providing the necessary working conditions is Enka Tannery where integrated solutions will be sought for monitoring and logistics.

French felt manufacturers, Dollfus & Muller, have introduced a sammying felt which has a greater water permeability and is easier to clean.

The Bergi Group, one of the world's leading innovators of tannery machinery, have created a spray finishing cabinet, which is completely 'dry' inside. Ecotiss has a filtering system that is completely dry and does not require any flow of water.

German automation system manufacturers Prosys Weida launched a new powder dyestuff and chemical dosing system at Tanning Tech.

Thema have evolved their continuous conveying and drying tunnel. The TH009 is able to dry crust leathers along a chain of five drying chambers. The patented system, known as thermo regulation, is able to check the humidity of the leather, rather than the air around the leather, and dry accordingly.

Olcina have been in business for 125 years this year and the company are still controlled by the Olcina family. At Tanning Tech this year, the company presented a refined version of their Total Explorer wireless control system. In addition, they also extended their range of successful Cangilones drum lines.

Instartronic from Rollmac is both a syncro and reverse action rollercoater designed to be used to finish all types of soft leathers such as sheepskin garment. Models are available with working widths of 1800 and 2200mm. Rollmac's leather machinery division is now in collaboration with Gemata.

Feltre highlighted their latest hide and side conveying and stacking system at Tanning Tech. The machine has been specifically designed to sort wet-blue leathers.

A high performance drying tunnel, type TSM/T, has been designed recently by Fratelli Carlessi and proposed in two working widths: 3,000 and 3,400mm. The tunnel can be supplied for heating systems working with steam, hot water, diathermic oil and also gas (TSM/M-Gas).

Gozzini 1906 have constructed a new spray finishing cabin specifically designed to finish all types of leather, especially full upholstery hides. The new machine known as Galileo 03 is a more rounded shape than conventional units. The main advantage is that it reduces chemical waste.

Austrian textile manufacturer, Huyck, exhibited at Tanning Tech for the first time in October. The company have been involved in the leather sector for some time and have developed a range of felts for tannery machinery. They used the exhibition to launch their new MU368A8 felt to be used on ironing and embossing machines.

GER Electtronica, the Italian measuring machinery specialists, have created a new piece of equipment for wet-blue measurement and selection. Area is measured using pin wheels fitted with sensors. As well as area, Selevision can measure the thickness of each wet-blue piece across the whole hide instantly.

Gemata SpA have announced the launch of their new spray gun. Called Spraygun HLVLP, the gun can work in two different ways:

French machinery makers, Turner, have produced a new 'dust free' buffing machine called Fulminosa. The machine is available with four working widths from 1500 to 3200mm.

Tanning Tech was the official launch of Bergi's Supercoat RS 3400 rollercoater. With a working width of 3.4m, the machine is particularly aimed at processors of furniture and automotive upholstery leather.

Drymagic is a new polypropylene milling drum for both drying and milling leather. The machine has been built by Italprogetti and is their first drum that works with wet or dry leathers in the same vessel.

The Poletto name has re-emerged following the closure and subsequent break-up of the Poletto Group in 2002. The new company Poletto Technology have new owners and were exhibiting at Tanning Tech for the first time.

Rizzi 1857 have created a sammying and setting-out machine that operates automatically. The RDPA machine is fitted with photocells above the main front roller and operates parallel along the backbone of the hide down to the belly.

Mosconi are famous for building top quality splitting and shaving machines with excellent precision and reliability. A new machine launch is a rare event and visitors to this year's show witnessed the launch of Aster.

The ranks of the European Glove Association (EGA) have been swelled with the addition of nine new members during October/November 2003.

The Bayer Group plans to take a total of about €2.2 billion in asset impairment charges in the fourth quarter of 2003. The charges are related to the decision to strategically realign the portfolio, the planned stock-exchange listing of NewCo and changes in the operating conditions for the future Bayer MaterialScience subgroup. The impact of these special items on EBIT is expected to be about €2 billion, while the non-operating result should be diminished by some €200 million.

This October's edition of Lineapelle previewed colours for autumn/winter 2004/05. And this year, autumn/winter colours really did mean autumn/winter colours. Browns, reds, oranges and all the other warm and striking colours nature reveals as summer turns to winter, stretched across the Trend Selection area as far as the eye could see. Only occasionally could a splash of more eye-catching colours be seen, such as greens and pinks, and even then the tones were still very subtle and natural.

In January 2004, Boehme will be represented together with their agency Alfred Paluka at the Deri Günleri and the Istanbul Leather Fair, as well. With a multitude of samples, Boehme will demonstrate their outstanding competency in soft, light garment leathers and doubleface skins. Furthermore, they will present samples out of the other important leather fields such as the shoe, upholstery and automotive sectors. Highlights for the production of shoe upper leathers will be their new products Cutapol RPR, Macrol AGC and Tannit TAL.

Italian leather chemical makers ReAl Color introduced a basifying agent, several new fatliquors and two retanning agents at Tanning Tech. A brief description of each is given below.

Chimec SpA, part of the Gruppo Chimico Dalton, launched several new products at Tanning Tech, including several new syntans.

Turkish leather chemical producers, Sarchem, have launched a new range of acrylic resins for all leather types.

Société Commerciale Raoul-Duval & Cie, SCRD, are specialists in vegetable tanning extracts, gambier, tara, myrobolam chestnut, sumac and mimosa. At Tanning Tech, they launched the new Retan GPG which is a modified pyrocatechic, gambier-based product.

Spanish leather chemical makers, Cromogenia Units, introduced three new retanning agents and two new fatliquors at Tanning Tech. A brief outline of each of the new products is given below.

Aquatop PU 4520 Matt from Rotta is a new aqueous, modified polyurethane dispersion with a matting agent coat that lends leathers a warm and soft touch. The touch is long lasting as it is caused by the pu itself rather than by additional feel modifiers. Aquatop PU 4520 Matt is recommended for upholstery leather.

Italian chemical manufacturers Figli di Guido Lapi have developed two new products, the first a set of synthetic fatliquors for vegetable tanned articles. The range, known as Idrosin FK3/PT/PL 151, provides a soft feel and a full and fine grain. The advantages include a leather where the firmness and looseness are not altered and it has excellent dyeability that leads to perfect finishing. The product range also ensures a complete lack of fatliquor stains on the leather surface. In the final fatliquoring process, the resistance in the bath of pH levels is also improved. The products can be used on articles for white leather alongside synthetic and vegetable tanning agents such as tara. The new range has been added to FGL's already wide selection of fish oil, lanolin and tallow fatliqours.

Silvateam have developed a new series of products and leathers, paying special attention to the requirement of the market for natural feel and ecological products which are chrome free. At Tanning Tech, Silvateam were showing a series of leather produced with their latest wet-white technology as well as a collection of lightweight supersoft leathers.

Tanac, the Brazilian vegetable extract specialists, have designed a modified vegetable extract with special physical and chemical properties. It is aimed at manufacturers of all kinds of upholstery leather. Macrospec TP is a retanning agent that offers fast and deep penetration into the leather while maintaining vegetable extract characteristics.

At Tanning Tech, Zschimmer & Schwarz were presenting three new products among their comprehensive range. Prinol F-GB is a combination fatliquoring agent of polymeric, synthetic and softeners for automotive leather. Advantages are that it is fish oil free and has low emission values. Leathers fatliquored with Prinol F-GB are characterised by:

Italian leather finishing chemical makers, Syn-Bios, have introduced a range of heat sensitive pigment colours that change shade when mildly heated. The Syn-Therma series was demonstrated on the company's stand during Tanning Tech.

Indofil Chemicals were the first Indian company to exhibit at Tanning Tech. At the show, the company launched three new resin binders, a polyurethane binder and a tanning auxiliary on the international market. The details of each new item are given below:

Clariant's Leather Business Unit have launched their new fashion poster for 2004. It features eye-catching ideas for fashion trends in leather to their worldwide customer base.

Italian leather chemical manufacturers, Alpa, have produced a number of compounds across the whole leather making process. The new innovations include a beamhouse auxiliary, a retan, an acrylic binder, two finishing waxes and an anti-cracking agent. A brief description of each of the new products is given below.

Slovenia's Statistical Office reports that Slovenia exported raw hides and skins worth US$13.6 million in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year fall of 15.5%. Slovenian hides and skins imports were 23% lower year-on-year at US$12.1 million.

Slovakia's Statistical Office reports that the Slovak Republic exported raw hides and skins, and leather and leather products, worth US$96 million in the first nine months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 8.4%. Slovakian imports of the same types of commodities were 7.1% higher year-on-year at US$176 million.

Serbia and Montenegro's Federal Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Serbia and Montenegro in the first half of this year was 21% lower than in the same period in 2002. In comparison, overall industrial output in the country in the January to June period was 2% lower year-on-year.

Mongolia's National Statistics Office reports that the production of leather footwear in Mongolia in the first ten months of 2003 was 60.3% lower than in the same period in 2002. In comparison, overall industrial output in Mongolia in the January to October period was 0.6% higher year-on-year.

Irish IT company E-Blana and Lithuania's State Food and Veterinary Service have signed an agreement under which E-Blana will install the Eurovet livestock identification system in Lithuania, according to Baltic Business News. The system will help Lithuania to monitor and control infectious diseases in livestock. It will comprise a database including information on 2.5 million livestock and 250,000 livestock farms. Funding worth e1.5 million for the implementation of the project has been provided by the European Union's Phare programme.

Latvia's Central Statistical Bureau reports that Latvia exported raw hides and leather worth US$17.2 million in the first nine months of this year, compared with US$9.61 million in the same period in 2002. Latvian imports of the same types of commodities in the January to September period were worth US$19.58 million, as against US$10.35 million in the same nine-month period in 2002.

Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Israel exported raw hides and skins worth US$5.4 million in the first nine months of this year, compared with US$4.9 million in the same period in 2002. Israeli hides and skins imports were worth US$1.2 million, against US$1.5 million in the same period last year.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that Ireland imported raw hides and skins worth e3.9 million in the first eight months of 2003, compared with e3.6 million in the same period the previous year. Irish exports of the same types of commodities were worth e57 million, compared with e62 million in the January to August period in 2002.

Iran's Agricultural Jihad Ministry reports that Iran exported 'pickled hides' worth US$35.1 million in the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21 - September 20, 2003), according to the IRNA news agency. Pickled hides accounted for 1.4% of total Iranian non-oil exports during the period.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Hungary in the first nine months of this year was 21.7% per cent lower than in the same period in 2002. Total sales of these commodities by producers in the same period were 21.1% lower year-on-year, including a fall in sales of 20.9% on the domestic market and 21.2% lower sales on export markets.

Fur and leather factory for Vitebsk

Estonia's Statistical Office reports that the number of cattle in Estonia as of September 30 was 259,500, compared with 271,200 as at the same date in 2002.

Cypriot offshore company Risolaco Limited are reported to have purchased a 17% stake in the Stumbras leather producer in Lithuania in late November, according to the LETA news agency. The stake was purchased from Viniaus Kapitalo Vystymo. The largest single shareholder in Stumbras, with a 39% stake, is the Lithuanian company Visuotine Sekme.