Nordic get-together

The Nordic Leather Council held a meeting at the Maritim Fjordhotel in Flekkefjord, Norway, on May 31 and June 1, 2007, to discuss issues concerning the tanning sector in their region. Twenty-two delegates attended from Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway. In the evening after the first day of meetings, delegates had the opportunity to socialise at a drinks reception on the water-side veranda of the hotel, basked in glorious sunshine. This was followed by a very pleasant dinner where the chairman, Torbjorn Lundin of Tarnsjo Garveri, Sweden, thanked everyone for attending. After an early start the next day, delegates visited the nearby tannery Aarenes Lrfabrikk AS, where a guided tour was conducted by managing director, Andreas Moeller. He explained how his company was hoping to harness the power from the water that flows through the tannery by installing a turbine to generate electricity for his tannery. After returning to the hotel, Amanda Michel of Leather Wise Ltd gave a presentation about parasites and the damage that they cause to leather. Delegates reported that they have observed a significant increase in parasitic damage to their leather in recent years.