Life is like a curate’s egg and so can trade shows. Short periods of quiet interspersed with manic periods of business. Certainly this characterises the second day. Overall slightly lower traffic passed the stands but significantly there appeared to be more new and potentially important customers. All the chemical companies were busy with new products being well received.

The sustainability theme was retained with most chemical companies having redirected their focus this way, although as we saw yesterday certain ones have built it strongly into their culture and are moving the industry forward in thinking as well as in processing.

The day maintained a positive view to the future with tanners being reminded that the more they take charge of their own destiny, listen to their customers and watch the market the better it will be. 

OEKO-TEX launches Leather Standard Certification

In answer to the demand from consumers and suppliers for safe leather garments and accessories, the OEKO-TEX Association launched in January this year the LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX , a certification for leather and leather articles at all levels of production. Certified products offer manufacturers, brands, retailers and consumers a high and effective product safety with regard to harmful chemical substances. Introducing the new standard at a seminar held at the All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE) today, Marc Sidler, TESTEX Swiss Textile Testing Chief Marketing Officer, said the certification alleviates suppliers and consumers concerns about product safety issues.

How to turn waste into money

German chemical company Lanxess is introducing the X-Biomer INSITU, a D-I-Y machine that can recycle leather shavings and turn them into retanning agents. The whole system can fit in a 20 feet container and can turn one ton of shavings into three tons of X-Biomer liquid every four hours. The 2.5 million Euros German government supported project is being tested at the moment. The revolutionary business concept consists is leasing the system to large tanneries which in turn, will pay Lanxess royalties. Chinese tanneries are potential customers, according to Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer, Lanxess’ Vice President, Business Unit Leather.

Vietnamese leather buyers visiting ACLE

The organisers of the ACLE have invited a delegation of about 20 Vietnamese companies from all sectors to visit the fair and source leathers, materials and machinery. Vietnam needs to import around 70 per cent of the leather it requires to feed it growing manufacturing process. Tac Tran, Chairman of Tuan Viet Shoes, said he was looking for creative materials to answer the growing demand form his main customer, the Italian brand Superga. After touring the exhibition today, Vice-President of the Hanoi Leather and Footwear Association, Minh Thu Tran, said she learnt about new technologies and materials and found some tools and some accessories for ladies shoes while Le Van Thanh, Chairman of the sports shoes manufacturing company DongLuc Group, said he was confident he would place orders with some suppliers.