ICHSLTA members gathered for the 87th annual AGM in Hong Kong on 31 March 2016.
Elections were held this year, with outgoing president Nick Winters replaced by Stephen Sothmann, president of the US Hide, Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA), elected as new president for a two-year term.
Victor Topper of Australian Hide Skin and Leather Exporters Association (AHSLEA) and Mr Su Chaoying, president of the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) were elected as vice-presidents.
The group is also pleased to welcome New Zealand Animal By-Products Exporter's Association as a new member.
Various topics were discussed during the AGM, including AQSIQ's (China Quarantine Body) requirements regarding the import of all non-edible animal by-products in China, including hides and skins, Decree Number 159.
According to the regulation, the animal health control systems of each exporting country will be audited by AQSIQ, and once the system is approved, a list of accepted producer/processor establishments will be created by the national government of each exporting country. Once fully implemented, only those establishments included on the list will be authorised to export these products to China.
The annual meeting ended with a presentation by Joe Gibson of the Gibson Bass Stamper, an identification tool for the hides industry.
