Since becoming aware of LGR’s insolvency, and together with the members of its responsible body, the Verband der deutschen Lederindustrie (VDL), the TEGEWA-Verband der Chemischen Hilfsmittelindustrie, the Federal State Baden-Württemberg and the City of Reutlingen as well as the VGCT Verein für Gerberei-Chemie und –Technik, the future plans have been discussed which will lead to the transfer important functions of the LGR into FILK. In particular, development activities and professional training for the leather industry.
The management of the Research Institute of Leather and Plastic Sheeting (FILK) Freiberg around the Director, Professor Michael Stoll have now decided to integrate training programmes and development projects into their business operations in Freiberg thus ensuring a consistent transfer. Starting with a two day crash course on ‘Automotive/Upholstery Leather’, which was scheduled for the autumn of 2011 by LGR, will now take place November 2-3 in Freiberg.
The course a ‘Compact Knowledge Leather’ for employees of the leather processing industry and leather retailers will follow in the spring of 2012. Furthermore FILK will hold the annual convention of leather technicians between April 24-26, 2012.
Further cross-material education offers are in planning stage. Existing course content shall be combined with new topics such as coatings, material composites, synthetic leather and coated textiles. These materials have areas of applications similar to leather and often are processed together. The need for cross-material training is considered a high priority by FILK.
