The executive committee of the IULTCS has announced that the 2009 winner of the prestigious IULTCS Merit Award for Excellence in the Leather Industry is Professor Tony Covington (GRIC, PhD, CSci, CChem, EurChem, FRSC, FSLTC), Emeritus Professor of Leather Science at the British School of Leather Technology (BSLT) of the University of Northampton, UK.

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Mark Colyer

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Tel.+44 208 269 77813.

Wet Blue International was founded in Buenos Aires,Argentina in 2004.

There is much inaccurate information in circulation regarding the use of chromium salts and their associated safety for the tanning of leather.

Approximately 80% of global leather production is tanned with safe chromium III salts. It is a highly effective tanning agent producing a leather with a flexible range of properties making it suitable for many end uses.

Clariant welcome visitors to their stand (0110-0112 & 0131-0133 in hall 11.2) at the forthcoming 2009 Guangzhou Leather Fair. The 19^th Guangzhou Shoes & Leather exhibition takes place from June 2-4 at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Area B, in Guangzhou, where you can be inspired with a new collection of leathers, based on Clariant's spring-summer 2010 colour and fashion trends.

BLC Leather Technology Centre will provide practical support and information relating to safety, sustainability and leather technology, the topics of the conference, which will take place from April 27-30 and May 4-7 at ABQTIC's auditorium in Estancia Velha/RS, Brazil.

The Chinese Leather Industry Association reports that leather garment exports in the first two months of the year came to 1.7 million pieces worth US$88 million.

An official update of the upcoming Footwear Materials, Manufacturing and Technology Exhibition (fMMT&T) organised by APLF Ltd took place on April 2 during the APLF in Hong Kong. The aim is boost India's growing leather and footwear industries on a domestic and global stage.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ukraine in the first quarter of this year was 21% lower than in the same period in 2008.

Slovenia's Statistics Office reports that 9,271 head of cattle of a total dressed carcase weight of 2,608 tonnes were slaughtered in slaughterhouses in Slovenia in February, respectively 9.7% fewer and 10.7% lower than in the same month in 2008.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Hungary in the first two months of this year was 33.5% lower than in the same period in 2008.

Romania's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Romania in the first two months of this year was 23.2% lower than in the same period in 2008.

Turkey's State Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Turkey in February was 15.1% lower than in the same month last year.

Slovenia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Slovenia in the first two months of this year was 39.1% lower than in the same period in 2008.

Bulgaria's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Bulgaria in February was 2.2% higher than in January and 31.9% lower than in February 2008.

Albania's Statistics Institute reports that Albania imported leather and leather products worth US$8.9 million in the first two months of this year, compared with imports worth US$10.7 million in the same period in 2008.

Ireland's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ireland in February was 33.3% lower than in the same month in 2008.

The Bosnian Serb Republic's Institute of Statistics reports that the number of cattle in the Republic on December 31, 2008, was 226,593, 3.8% down on the same date in 2007.

Statistics Georgia reports that Georgia exported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$210,900 in the first two months of this year.

Spain's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Spain in February was 21.8% lower than in February 2008.

Russia will invest US$577 million in its beef cattle industry by 2013, including US$135 million this year, according to the Interfax news agency.

Kosovo's Statistical Office reports that Kosovo exported leather and leather products worth E146,000 in February, compared with E697,000 in the same month in 2008.

Italian tannery machinery maker, Gemata, are to host customer open days at the company's headquarters (factory 2) in Trissino, Italy on April 18 and 19 (this weekend).

The British School of Leather Technology (BSLT) located in Northampton, UK began their centenary celebrations with a fashion show and drinks reception for the industry guests, Corium Club members, staff and former students during the APLF in Hong Kong last month.

In conjunction with BSLT University of Northampton, Paul Evans of German leather chemical producer, Trumpler recently organised a four day practical seminar for MSc & BSc students.

Ireland's Central Statistical Office reports that Ireland exported raw hides and skins worth E69.3 million in 2008, compared with E93.8 million in the same period in 2007. Irish imports of the same types of commodities in 2008 were worth E900,000, as against E2.2 million in 2007.

Macedonia's State Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Macedonia in February was 21.3% higher than in January and 4.1% lower than in February 2008.

Israel's Central Statistics Bureau reports that Israel imported leather and leather products worth US$18.2 million in the first two months of this year, compared with imports worth US$21 million in the same period in 2008.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that sales of leather and leather products by manufacturers in Ukraine in the first two months of this year were worth US$23 million, compared with sales worth US$31 million in the same period in 2008.

Statistics Serbia reports that Serbia exported leather and leather products worth E26.0 million in the first two months of this year, compared with E27.2 million in the same period in 2008.

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Croatia exported leather and leather products worth US$43 million in the first two months of this year, a year-on-year decrease of 30.7%.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that Hungary exported leather and leather products worth E6.7 million in January, a year-on-year decrease of 45.2%.

Turkey's State Statistics Institute reports that Turkey imported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$40.8 million in the first two months of this year, a year-on-year decrease of 57.5%.

According to Meatingplace.com, the Canadian government is urging the WTO to initiate consultations on South Korea's refusal to lift a ban on Canadian beef imports. ‘We are disappointed to have to launch this action, as we had hoped to resolve our differences through negotiation', International Trade Minister Stockwell Day said in a news release.

Meatingplace.com say US beef output is now expected to be slightly higher in 2009 than predicted, according to USDA's latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report.

Furniture and footwear available on the market in several countries have been identified as the cause of damage to the health of consumers. According to clinical tests the health damage was caused by the chemical dimethylfumarate (DMF), a biocide preventing moulds that may deteriorate leather furniture or footwear during storage or transport in a humid climate.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Federal Statistics Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Bosnia and Herzegovina in February was 19.3% higher than in January and 9.3% lower than in February 2008.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that Ukraine imported raw leather, leather and leather products worth US$7.95 million in January, a year-on-year decrease of 26.6%. Exports of the same types of commodities in January were worth US$10.9 million, a year-on-year decrease of 45.2%.

Romania's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Romania in January was 32.6% higher than in December and 18% lower than in the same month in 2007. In comparison, industrial production in Romania in January was 2% lower month-on-month and 17.7% lower year-on-year.

Uzbekistan's State Statistics Committee reports that there were 8.02 million head of cattle in Uzbekistan on January 1 this year, 7.6% more than on the same date in 2008. In terms of region, the Samarkand region had the most cattle with 1.10 million on January 1 this year, followed by the Kashkadarya region with 886,000, and the Bukhara region, 764,000.

The Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports that there were 6.01 million head of ‘large horned livestock' in Kazakhstan at the end of 2008, compared with 5.84 million at the end of 2007 and 5.67 million at the end of 2006.

The Bosnian Serb Republic's Institute of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in the Republic in February was 12% higher than in January and 18.9% lower than in February 2008.

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in Croatia in the first two months of this year was 37.9% lower than in the same period in 2008.

The Philippines National Statistics Office reports that the value of leather and leather goods production in the Philippines in January was 17.8% lower than in December and 38% lower than in January 2008.

The Accent glove manufacturer in the Grodno region has recently started to use high-quality leather in various colours made in Italy, according to the BelTA news agency.

Statistics Serbia reports that the average gross monthly wage in Serbia's leather industry in February was US$307, compared with the average wage in Serbia of US$618.

The annual UK Fellmongers Association dinner will take place at the Old Swan hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire on Monday, June 15^th. Tickets, which include a three-course meal, are £32.50. A drinks reception will take place in the hotel prior to the meal. There will also be an opportunity to play golf prior to the dinner.

Stahl's colourful fashion colour forecast for autumn/winter 2010/2011 should brighten these two seasons, especially for those living in the Northern Hemisphere, where, once the leaves have fallen, it can be a pretty colourless time of the year. The forecast comes in two forms, an eye-catching poster and a more detailed booklet.

According to the Austrian Times, the Styrian firm Wollsdorf Leather (Wollsdorf Leder) announced on March 31 that it would lay off 76 of its 720 employees at its plants in Wollsdorf and Weiz in response to the recession.

The government of China has published various circulars since December 2005 to make adjustments to its import/export tax system for hides and skins, semi-finished and finished leather. Updated information has been released by the CLIA (China Leather Industry Association). The latest set of changes came into effect from March 2 for the adjustment of the collection of customs duty and vat. The new changes are as follows:

The presence of the chemical dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in consumer products such as leather sofas, has been blamed for causing damage to health. The European Commission has now produced legislation that effectively bans DMF from the European market.