All articles by Ky Nikitha
Ky Nikitha
View from the EU
The performance of the European calf market, particularly in Italy and France, constitutes a welcome piece of good news for the beleaguered international tanning industry. Andrea Guolo crunches the numbers, and analyses key investment and acquisition trends.
Fair winds
Inspiration, sustainability, emotional intelligence, future innovations – just some of the themes of the 97th edition of the ever-popular Lineapelle trade fair, which attracted more than 19,000 unique visitors representing 10,500 companies to Fieramilano Rho in Milan on 2–4 October.
On the horizon
Leather chemicals manufacturer Stahl is set to launch a new beamhouse and tanning portfolio. Known as Stahl BeTan, it further underlines the group’s ‘responsible chemistry’ ethos at the dawn of a new era of sustainability, as beamhouse global technical manager David Sabaté explains to Ross Davies.
Wave of the future
Jinwei Zhang and Wuyong Chen, leather technicians from Sichuan University, and Carmen Gaidau from Bucharest’s National Research & Development Institute for Textiles and Leather (INCDTP), discuss chrome tanning and leather properties under microwave irradiation.
A Cr conundrum
Based on a presentation given at Lineapelle in October, Dr William Wise, senior lecturer in leather technology at the University of Northampton, addresses some lingering concerns about chromium (VI) in light of new proposed EU legislation.
View from the US
The US hide market was steady throughout the autumn months. As of mid-November, packers were still holding on to their well-sold positions on the popular steer selections. While prices were steady, there was no room to move them upward as customers remained resistant to any increases. Despite no real upside to the market, no downturn was anticipated either.
Forward momentum
Not even the ongoing trade war between the US and China, weakened demand and low prices could sully the atmosphere within the exhibition halls at this year’s ACLE. A mix of resolve and realism should see the industry right, as Ross Davies reports.
French connection
The major industries supplying materials and services to the global fashion industry gathered
once again at Paris-Nord Villepinte for Première Vision Paris to discuss market challenges and
opportunities, and award exceptional achievement in the leather sector.
A raw deal
M Fakhrul Alam, author of ‘The Science of Leather Manufacture’, reveals why the raw hides and skins industry in Bangladesh continues to suffer following Qurbani 2019.
The missing link
Volker Rabe, Rene Graupner-von Wolf and Martin Kleban from the Leather Business Unit at Lanxess discuss minimising emissions of automotive leather, a major topic they addressed at the last IULTCS Congress in Dresden in June.