Introduction

Recently, the climate surrounding restricted substances has grown quite confusing for many suppliers and manufacturers of leathergoods. What is the difference between statutory and non-statutory requirements? Which substances are harmful and which are not?

It is accepted in the leather industry that there are three basic types of leather finishes: aniline, semi-aniline and pigmented finished. But what is the difference between these leather types? If you ask the manufacturers or the users of leather, invariably you will get the same answer for aniline and pigmented finishes from all of them, but almost certainly there will be some confusion over what semi-aniline really is.

The main obstacles to relocating tanneries from Hazaribagh to the Savar cluster are tanners' demands for compensation and the lack of a donor agency to finance the construction of a CETP. These two matters need to be resolved urgently and effectively.M Fakhrul Alam reports

In response to the need for further improvements in the performance, safety and environmental impact of fungicidal agents, Zenith have developed a new fungicide specifically for application in the leather industry.

Spanish company Quimser is increasingly present in the world market, developing high performance products and providing very good value at competitive prices. The company state that their objective is the satisfaction of tanners.

The demand for pull-up leathers both for fashion and outdoor shoes is ever-increasing. Very high water resistance coupled with pull-up effects ranging from very strong to almost none have to be achieved.

Since the company's beginnings Equitan have produced a stamp suitable for use on wet-blue and limed hides. In accordance with customer requirements, the stamping device has now been improved for use on raw hides. 

Pulcra tell us that their expertise provides multifunctional products for the soaking to beamhouse process steps. Perdol BSM, Perdol BSM/N are special biodegradable complex active esters and emulsifiers with fast and efficient soaking performance, enabling high penetration, wetting, cleaning and degreasing activities without antibacterial activity.

With the quality of the end product always in mind, the owners of Thema System, Antonello Sani and Marco Fogli, have designed and produced equipment for the finishing of patent leather. They drew on twenty-years of experience in the design process.

Kills in Ireland were above average in July and around 30,000 cattle per week. This larger than normal supply of hides combined with the reduced demand from Italy to put pressure on prices.

According to two USDA cattle reports there are fewer cattle on US feedlots than a year ago but more heifers than expected are being held for beef cow replacement.

Presently hairsheep, goatskins and pigskins are favourites. Hide sales are going through very difficult times, although the US seems the exception. Nothing stops hide export sales there.Some foresee a change in the consumption pattern as end customers change their priorities.

The 4th Freiberg Collagen Symposium, which took place at the Freiberg based Research Institute of Leather and Plastic Sheeting, drew more than 100 guests from twelve European nations to the institute. There was an impressive lecture programme at the two-day convention in September which began life in 1997.

The fourth ims Auto Interiors Conference is scheduled to be held in Cologne, Germany, on November 20, 2008, and the afternoon session of the conference will be focusing on the increasing use of leather in automotive applications. 

Following extensive and highly successful trials in various part of the world over the last eighteen months, Stahl is now ready to release the new "Beautymaker" leather finish concept for use worldwide.

LANXESS AG are raising their prices worldwide for leather chemicals effective October 1, 2008. The increases, which vary according to region, are in the single and double digit percentage range, depending on the product. The Leather business unit sees itself forced to pass on to the market the increased costs of raw materials, energy and transport, which differ significantly from one product to the next.

Under the motto ‘one team - one goal' distributors of leather chemicals from around the world met together from September 22-24, 2008, having accepted the BASF invitation to an international distributor meeting of the leather chemicals unit.

A draft cabinet resolution on the state programme for the development of Ukraine's livestock sector for the period until 2016 envisages that by the end of 2015 there will be 4.4 million cattle in Ukraine, according to the Interfax news agency.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that Ireland exported leather and leather products worth E9.7 million in the first half of this year, compared with E16 million in the same period in 2007.

Poland's Central Statistics Office reports that the average gross monthly wage in the Polish leather industry in the first eight months of this year was US$802, an increase of 9.4% compared with the same period in 2007. 

Vietnam is targeting leather, leather products and footwear exports worth US$4.7 billion this year, an increase of 15% compared with exports in 2007, according to the Vietnamese News Agency.

Mongolia's National Statistics Office reports that Mongolian raw and processed hides and skins exports in the first eight months of this year were US$1.7 million higher than in the same period in 2007.

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in Croatia in the first eight months of this year was 13.1% higher than in the same period in 2007. In comparison, industrial output in Croatia was 2.8% higher year-on-year.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that there were 5.9 million head of cattle in Ukraine on September 1 this year, a decrease of 9.1% compared with the number on the same date in 2007.

Given current pricing competition and current consumption patterns, Belarus believes it would be profitable to export cattle hides to the South Korean market, according to the Belta news agency. Belarusian officials visited Seoul for business talks in mid-September.

Romania's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Romania in July was 6.4% higher than in June. In comparison, industrial output in Romania in July was 1.4% lower month-on-month.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Federal Office of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in Bosnia and Herzegovina in August was 13% lower than in July and 10.9% higher than in August 2007.

Poland's Central Statistical Office reports that Poland produced 3,732 tons of ‘leather, of bovine or of equine animals, without hair' in the first half of this year, a year-on-year decrease of 11%.

Macao imported 857,480 kilos of raw hides and skins, and leather, worth $1.65 million in the first half of this year, compared with imports of 1.02 million kilos worth $4.90 million in the same period in 2007, according to the Macao Statistics and Census Service.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Hungary in the first seven months of this year was 15.7% higher than in the same period in 2007.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that Ukraine exported leather and leather products worth US$244 million in the first seven months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 9.8%.

USDA have raised their beef export forecasts for both 2008 and 2009 due to strengthening exports to Asia. In their monthly World Supply and Demand Report, USDA forecast beef exports in 2008 at 1.841 billion lb, up from 1.725 billion, and raised their 2009 export forecast to 2.06 billion from 1.915 billion.

Statistics South Africa reports that leather and leather products' manufacturers in South Africa recorded sales worth US$322 million in the first seven months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 9.3%.

The Statistical Office of the Bosnian Serb Republic reports that the number of people employed in the Republic's leather industry in the first seven months of this year was 9.8% higher than in the same period in 2007.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that there were 702,000 head of cattle in Hungary on August 1 this year, as compared with 695,000 head on April 1 and 716,000 head on August 1, 2007.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ireland in July was 9% lower than in the same month in 2007.

Slovakia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Slovakia in the first seven months of this year was 20.7% lower than in the same period in 2007.

The Czech Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in the Czech Republic in the first seven months of this year was 2.7% lower than in the same period last year.

Jordan's Department of Statistics reports that Jordan exported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$4.87 million in the first half of this year, compared with US$3.61 million in the same period in 2007.

Spain's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Spain in July was 0.2% than in the same month last year. Industrial output in Spain in July was 3% lower year-on-year.

Slovakia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Slovakia in the first seven months of this year was 20.7% lower than in the same period in 2007.

The Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that Uzbekistan and Vietnam can increase their co-operation in the leather industry, according to UzReport. An official from the Chamber said that Uzbekistan offers attractive tax incentives to foreign investors.

Effective October 1, 2008, Buckman Laboratories Inc, representing the US domestic operations, will incorporate the activities of their leather technologies group within the scope of the performance chemicals division.

On September 1 Smit & Zoon officially opened their speciality chemicals production facility in China (about 300 km west of Shanghai). Smit Nanjing Leather Chemicals Company Co Ltd (SNLCC) are located in the North suburb of Nanjing at the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park (NCIP).

DyStar, a leading supplier to the textile and leather industries, are exhibiting for the first time at this year's Première Vision, the largest international trade show for the apparel sector, in Paris, France, from September 23-26, 2008.

Macedonia's State Statistical Office reports that the average gross monthly wage in the Macedonian leather industry in the first half of this year was US$275, 51.7% higher than in the same period last year.

Macedonia's State Statistical Office has reported that the production of leather and leather products in Macedonia in the first seven months of this year was 8.1% lower than in the same period in 2007.

Statistics Georgia reports that Georgia exported 2,774 tons of raw hides and skins worth US$2.96 million in 2007.

Poland's Central Statistics Office reports that the weight of cattle slaughtered in Poland in the first seven months of this year was 3.3% higher than in the same period in 2007. 

Mongolia's National Statistics Office reports that Mongolian raw and processed hides and skins exports in the first seven months of this year were US$2.2 million higher than in the same period in 2007.

Kosovo's Statistics Office reports that Kosovo exported raw hides and skins worth E6.5 million in 2007, compared with E7.2 million in 2006 and E6.1 million in 2005.

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that 58,445 head of cattle of 11,886 tonnes ‘net weight' were slaughtered in commercial slaughterhouses in Croatia in the second quarter of this year.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that Ireland exported leather and leather products worth E8.8 million in the first five months of this year, compared with E13.0 million in the same period in 2007.

Drums, cannons and fireworks signalled the grand opening of ECCO's Xiamen tannery in the Tong'an Chengnan Industrial Zone on Saturday, September 6. Local dignitaries from the municipal government and district authorities attended along with top representatives of the ECCO group and a great many overseas guests.