In the third instalment of the Cotance seminar series called ‘Objective 2025 – A future for European Leather’, following those in Bucharest and Paris, Alcanena, in central-west Portugal was the venue to discuss trade issues. After an evening of lavish food and a fado performance, Cotance, together with its social partner, the trade union IndustriALL, hosted a one-day conference at the Centro Tecnológico das Industrias do Couro (CTIC) on 27 October.
This was a particularly appropriate place to hold the seminar as Alcanena is the leather cluster of Portugal and the town’s origins date to the Arab occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, when leather tanning was developed and maintained for centuries, most famously in the 19th century. Still, today it is home to many leather tanning industries.
Presentations from keynote speakers addressed the business outlook for the leather sector for raw materials up to retailing of leather products. Over 70 participants and guests from Portugal and abroad were in attendance, clearly evidencing the interest in the event.
These are the days
APIC president Nuno Carvalho expressed his satisfaction for having successfully integrated the Cotance-IndustriAll Seminar for the development of the Portuguese ‘Leather Days’ that showcased the beating heart of the county’s leather industry to the world and its contribution to the future of the European leather sector.
Guests also heard from Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, secretary-general, Cotance, and Nuno Carvalho, who was recently elected president of APIC, the Portuguese Leather Trade Association. Alcino Martinho, director CTIC, concluded the day with a brief panel discussion and invited all participants to the otherworldly art space of Joao Carvalho just outside the city centre, where the culture of leather in artistic sculpture was on display.
The next edition of Objective 2025, with keynotes from Tony Covington of the University of Northampton, Mike Tomkin of Stahl, Federico Brugnoli of Spin 260° and Luc Triangle from IndustriAll, will take place in Glasgow on 10 December and the theme with revolve around environmental issues. The following day, a tour of the Scottish Leather Group tanneries is scheduled. The date of the final conference has yet to be scheduled, but it will take place in Brussels in February 2016.
