Bangladesh: industrial park for tanneries

With the attendance of the Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, the Savar Tannery Industrial Park near Dhaka was inaugurated on 15th February in Bangladesh. The government purchased 200 acres on which to build the installations and the oblective is to relocate tanneries there from Hazaribagh. The total cost of the project is US$48 million of which 43% was put up by the government and the rest came from loans facilitated to the businessmen concerned. There are plans to build a common effluent treatment plant at at cost of US$1.3 million. Under the terms of the project, the government will supply basic services such as water, gas and electric power.
Turkey: leather sector out of synch with the local economy

In 2004 the leather sector, which is a fundamental part of the Turkish economy, did not live up to expectations. Industrialists place the blame squarely on the price of raw materials and internal costs which has made them uncompetitive at international level. These costs are the result of the increase in interest rates, the exchange rate and high taxes. On 12th January 2005, the Moscow Turkish Trade Center opoened its doors in the Russian capital. The Center is located just five minutes from the Kremlin and 100 meters from the Novokuznetskaya metro station, one of the busiest in the city.

Colombia: tanneries at risk

The Colombian tannery sector is running into difficulties since the government is clamping down on environmental issues and the treatment of industrial waste. The result has been that some 60 tanneries operating within greater Bogotá and which dump the effluent into the Bogotá river itself are now faced with the possibility of having to shut up shop. 70% of leather produced in Colombia is exported as wet blue, which limits the capacity of the industry in terms of it becoming more profitable, which would allow them make the necessary investments.

Argentina: protection for footwear

The Argentinean government has extended to 31st December 2007 the measure which established the Right of Specific Minimum Imports (DIEM) which is in fact levied at 35% on products from WTO member states. Commenting on this measure, the President of the Argentinean Footwear Association, Alberto Sellaro, stated that the measure “aims to harmonize the price of high performance products with international brand names manufactured in South East Asia”.



Good results at Timberland

Profits at Timberland rose by 14% in the fourth quarter reaching US$45 million. These results were attributed to the volume of business transacted on a world wide basis. Sales increased by 5.2% in the US and income from Europe and Asia by 19.3%.

P.L , service and history

Pedro Lievendag, the founder of P.L S.A , has had a long career in the leather industry covering all its stages of manufacture - from raw to tanned, and from finished to footwear. His “adventure” started in 1952 in the Elias Moos company. After almost 20 years working and travelling throughout the world, he created “Lago berg” in 1970, as the first broker for Argentinean and South American leather. Later on, in 1990, after being with Sadesa for several years, he founded the company of which he is currently president, together with his partner Ariel Piuzzi. P.L. S.A is based in Buenos Aires and is dedicated to trading in skins and leather at all stages of production, practically on a wrold wide basis. According to Pedro, “we look for the product our clients need, at the best price and of the best quality. We can afford to be objective since we do not own any sort of industry or brand and we have a solid background in what leather is suitable depending on the type of footwear or handbag, for example. We also seek out markets for our tannery clients, or we locate suppliers of raw materials for any stage in the production chain”.
Cognis in Ecuador

Marco Buestán, a well known figure with long experience in the Ecuadorean leather industry, has resigned his post at the Tungurahua tannery and joined forces with Juan Felipe Madrigal from Colombia to found Anexión Color Cia Ltd and represent Cognis in Ecuador. The new company is based in the city of Ambato and is now officially registered and is looking forward to playing a key role in the local industry. At the official launch of Anexión Color Cia Ltd, the company met with customers with the objective of seeing in the new year and reaffirm the presence of Cognis in Ecuador. Backing up this initiative was José Luis Torres, Commercial Manager of the Leather Department from Cognis Barcelona, and responsible for Latin American sales.
The Sauer report

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New director at Nike

Nike has contracted the former executive of Target, Michelle Moorhead as director of strategic global planning. Moorhead will replace Curt Timing and will report to Mark Parker and Charlie Denson. Moorhead has wide experience in several areas dealing with market focusing and strategic marketing
Good quarter for Puma

Puma announced that profits for the third quarter 2004 increased by 50% to US$47.4 million, thanks to a 30% rise in footwear sales, which touched on US$225.5 million. Overall sales grew by 20% to US$349.7 million.

Adidas is still optimistic

Although orders have gone down in recent times, the Adidas-Salomon A.G sporting goods company is forecasting that sales in 2005 will increase by at least one digit. A company executive said that their hopes were pinned mainly on the second half of the year and stated that Europe, which is its most important market, was currently going through “difficult times”.
Pony teams up with Snoop Dog

Pony International has announced that it is teaming up with the pop and entertainment star Snoop Dog to develop and manufacture a line of footwear which will be called Snoop Dog Doggy Biscuit. The new collection will be launched on to the market in March 2005 and will include varying shoe designs as well as sports shoes, both for casual wear and for playing basket ball.
New golf glove

Hillerich & Bradsby has presented its new Bionic Golf Glove, which will help improve performance when practising this sport. The design was made by Dr. Jim Kleinert, a hand and orthopedic surgeon who created it based on leather. The company stated that the product will have great durability and will be especially beneficial for people suffering from arthritis.



Welwyn Tool associated with Rolls Royce

The British company Welwyn Tool Co. Ltd. has been contracted by Rolls Royce Motor Cars Ltd to supply certain specialized tools needed in the production process for luxury vehicles with leather seating. The agreement will run for two years.
GST moves closer to Mexico

GST AutoLeather - a supplier of leather for cars from the US, has signed a setter of intent in a long term agreement with the Mexican company, Cueros Industrializados del Bajio S.A., based in León, Guanajuato State. The project is for the Mexican company to provide various services such as tanning and at the same time cooperate in developing new technologies.
Wider distribution at UK Hide

The British supplier of leather, UK Hide Ltd, which mainly works with companies in the automotive sector, has authorized the distributor, Connolly Leather, to sell its products in Great Britain, Europe and the United States. The leather from this company is used mainly in models from Jaguar, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce.
Livingston acquires another company

Livingston Furniture, an upholstery company with more than 40 years in the market, has bought the assets of Cumberland Chair, a US based enterprise. The amount involved in the purchase was not made public.
New executive at Southwood Furniture

Tom Zaliagiris, an industry veteran who was president of the upholstery company Bentley Churchill, has joined Southwood Furniture as sales and marketing director.
BACK ISSUES

  

Le Cuir à Paris will show Summer Fashions 2006

On 9th and 10th March 2005 the well regarded fair, Le Cuir à Paris, will take place in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles in the French capital. Of the 132 exhibitors taking part in this edition, 7 will be present for the first time and will come from Argentina, Greece, Italy, Pakistan and Turkey. The Parisian selection brings together manufacturers of leather, raw materials, components and services for high end products. The most noticable products on show are finished leathers for leather goods and footwear, whilst exotic leathers will be less in evidence this year. The colours and trends for Spring-Summer 2006 will be presented by the French Bureau de Style Chaussure Maroquinerie Cuir on the 9th March at 11 :30am. The doors will be open from 09:30am till 07:30pm on Wednesday 9th March and from 09:30am to 05:30pm on Thursday 10th March.


  

Everyone is looking forward to APLF 2005

The latest developments in materials, manufacturing and technology in the leather industry will be at the top of the list when the APLF (Asia Pacific Leather Fair) once again opens its doors from 6th to 9th April 2005 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Practically all the exhibitors which participated in 2004 have reconfirmed their presence as well as 32 national pavilions from 19 countries and regions including, Argentina, Brazil, Mainland China, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and the USA.
An important new feature which will be introduced at this edition will be an educative programme called APLF Forum - Manufacturing Technology Enhancement. Its objective is to provide information on the latest technological developments and improve productivity and efficiency at the same time. Other special events will be The Best of APLF Awards and the APLF Trend Forum, which aim to recognize the best products in various categories and to make information available on the latest trends in colours, style and materials.

 


Couromoda and the WSA join forces

Couromoda and the Western Shoe Association (WSA) signed a cooperation agreement aimed at increasing the amount of business transacted in the footwear and leather goods sector. The WSA is the largest distributors’ association in the US and organizes the WSA Shoe Show in Las Vegas. On the other hand, Couromoda is one of the most important fairs in Brazil. The strategy is to facilitate access for Brazilian footwear manufacturers to a US based fair and widen the number of US importers who will visit Couromoda 2006 which is due to take place in Sao Paolo in January 2006.



 CONFERENCES - Third forum on upholstery leather

 “The present and future of the upholstery industry in Asia” is the theme which will occupy the minds of the professionals who will take part in the 3rd Upholstery Leather Conference. Some of the leading upholstery leather tanneries and furniture manufacturers have already confirmed their attendance and the topics they will cover. This latest edition will take place in the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre on 5th Abril 2005, one day before the opening of the Asia Pacific Leather Fair.

According to the organizers, the number of exhibitors and participants has already exceeded expectations when compared with the number of participants from previous years. Some companies present are Richina Pacific, Kasen Industrial Group and the Mastrotto Group. Countries represented up to press are China, Argentina, Switzerland, Sweden, Pakistan, Great Britain, Singapore, Scotland, Denmark, USA, India, Italy and Belgium, but this number of companies and nations present could well increase as the events nears.

All the conference themes will be announced shortly before the event which is being organized by Leather International, thesauerreport.com and Rizzi Pellami. The sponsors are the Asia Pacific Leather Fair Ltd (APLF) Basf and Fenice. More information is available on the web page www.thesauerreport.com



Second World Footwear Congress

On 14th and 15th April the second edition of the World Footwear Congress will take place and as the first one, will be based in the Résidence Palace Théatre in Brussels, Belgium. This event is organized by the European Footwear Confederation.