On October 1, 2009, Dr Markus Eckert assumed global responsibility for the leather chemicals business of speciality chemicals group LANXESS. The current head of the corporate development group function will succeed Dr Bernhard Wehling who is to begin working part-time from this date.
PhD chemist Markus Eckert joined the Bayer Group in 1999 as a laboratory manager and project manager in the research & development section of the fine chemicals business unit.

Common problems in beamhouse processing are discussed by Amanda Michel of Leather Wise

Following on from the article, ‘Soil resistant leather comes of age’ by Dietrich Tegtmeyer, Tillmann Hassel, Juergen Reiners, Stefan Wildbrett and Michael Franken of LANXESS, published in Leather International, April 09, page 22, the authors provide an update on the advantages of anti-soiling products for the tanner and consumer

The De Vere Slaley Hall resort near Hexham, Northumberland, UK provided the location for the 64th International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather & Allied Trades tournament.

Mark W Hamilton has been elected vice president of global supply chain for Buckman Laboratories, based in Memphis, TN, USA.

Tony Covington, Emeritus Professor of Leather Science, British School of Leather Technology (BSLT), The University of Northampton, has published his first book entitled ‘Tanning Chemistry: The Science of Leather’ on June 30 by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The publication encompasses the chemistries and mechanisms of tanning, together with the latest thinking on the fundamental principles of collagen stabilisation. It is the only current text on tanning science.

The British School of Leather Technology (BSLT), part of the University of Northampton, held their annual student prize giving ceremony at the Leathersellers’ Hall in London on June 9. At the ceremony students were awarded with prizes relating to academic studies over the past academic year. The ceremony also highlights BSLT’s international flavour with most students attending the courses from outside the UK.

Dutch leather chemical makers, Smit & Zoon compare traditional fatliquor compositions with a new range of polymer softeners. High bath exhaustion, reduced looseness and softer leathers result

Further comment from Elton Hurlow, president of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) following on from the guest column on page 5

Work carried out and authored by Wolfram Scholz,1 Manuel Mena,2 Aquiles Bermudez,2 Juan Lopera2 and Ricardo Robinson2

The drive towards eco products is as topical as ever, with many suppliers of leather, retailers and brands keen to provide an eco-offering either directly or at least with some assurance of the green credentials of the product life cycle. This article, supplied by BLC – Leather Technology Centre looks at the use of chromium in tanning as part of the product life cycle

By Amanda Michel of Leather Wise
This is the last in a series of articles that have discussed the composition of the hides and skins that we use for making leather and what the implications are of that composition for the tanner. In this article inter-fibrilliary matter is discussed

Prices on all selections advanced since our last report. Producers kept selling into already very far forward sold positions forcing buyers to pay more if they wanted to secure product.
Packer offerings were less than plentiful in June due to their over-sold position. Buyer interest was good, but generally several dollars below established prices.

Most hide producers, meat packers and abattoirs in the Americas and in Europe want more money for their raw
material. The reason is not an increase in global demand for leather but rather some new emerging competition between buyers, low kills in a number of countries, a few better economic novelties but above all, as many believe, by speculation. Speculation by those who believe they have a valid reason but also by people considered outsiders who are only in for the quick buck.

There has been a flurry of interest in hides from China during the last few weeks that is not replicated in other markets. This interest has been for hides for prompt shipment and there is fascinating speculation as to what is behind it.

Federally Inspected Slaughter in the four week period ended June 20, 2009, amounted to an average weekly kill of 655,500 (658,500 in our previous report). This was down 5.3% on the previous year  when the weekly kill averaged out at 673,000 (down 6% compared with a month earlier).
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in US feedlots with a capacity of 1,000+ head of cattle totalled 10.4 million on June 1, 2009. This was 4% down on June 1, 2008.

The 2007 International Leather Forum (ILF), which took place in Paris, was unprecedented as it brought together in one room representatives of the complete leather value-chain – hide dealers, tanners, chemical and equipment suppliers, media, industry organisations and retail brands. The leaders of industry were there to discuss industry needs in a positive way. Many thought this debate useful as it helped get issues on the table. It also allowed perspective, as representatives of different parts of the supply chain gave their viewpoint and listened to others. There is a need to continue this debate by all actors within the value-chain.

Many retailers seem to be permanently on sale at the moment. They drift from mid season to end of season and I’ve even seen new season sales! A sign of the recessionary times that we live in I suppose.

Some things sound so easy when they are discussed theoretically, but when it comes to their execution complications pile up.

During a global teleconference the IULTCS Executive Committee unanimously appointed Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer as the new head of the IULTCS Research Commission (IUR). Dr Tegtmeyer takes over from Dr Volkan Candar who helped found the commission in 2006.

Professor in Leather Science, Tony Covington, will be giving his inaugural lecture on Thursday evening, July 9 entitled: ‘Thirty odd years in leather... a suitable career for a proper scientist?'.