Change at IULTCS

Julian Osgood…Goal is to promote the IULTCS.
I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of a recent change at IULTCS. The International Union of Liaison and Communication Commission (IUL) Chairman, Dr Christine Anscombe, after many years of dedicated service to the Society, has decided to take a step back from the role. The IULTCS committee has appointed me, Julian Osgood, as the new IUL Chairman. I will endeavour to continue the excellent work Christine has done for the society. I have had the pleasure to meet many of you in the past, but for the benefit of those who do not know me, the following is a brief résumé:
Julian Osgood. BSc, FSLTC
I studied Leather Technology at the British School of Leather Technology in Northampton in the 1980s and have worked in the industry, all over the world, ever since. Currently I am working as a consultant for ATC Tannery Chemicals, France, but I actually live in Portugal. I have presented papers at many leather industry congresses and conferences over the years and written articles for some of our industry’s magazines.
I am proud to now have the opportunity to work with the IULTCS and I will do my best to help the society to improve its ability to serve the industry.
My responsibilities as IUL Chairman are defined as follows:
- Establishing and maintaining a network of global contacts within the leather industry that have a legitimate interest in and an authoritative platform to express opinions on issues affecting the industry.
- Establishing and maintaining external media contacts for events or issues that may require an industry response.
- Pro-actively establishing and maintaining agreed “positions” on possible issues that may arise within or relating to the leather industry.
- Providing liaison services with the international leather media on activities and events that occur within the IULTCS.
- Improving the utilization of the IULTCS website, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Vermont sale completedJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA – After 39 years, former owner Mandy Owen has sold her shares in Vermont Leathercraft Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd to Creek Lab (Pty) Ltd, and officially handed over the business to Prashant Bhaga.In a message on LinkedIn, she wrote: “I would like to thank my husband, Graham, for his invaluable contributio ...moreComrades Expo 2026Durban, KZN, SA – The exhibitor list at the Comrades Expo, from 11-13 June, has shown an evolution in the types of companies exhibiting. Just 1 running footwear supplier, Ikhambi Distribution, promoting its Hoka brand, was there.Technical sock suppliers, however, were well represented, with Balega, Falke, Sox Footwear and The Hirst ...morePalm Footwear: ‘One family’Palm Footwear was founded in July 1966 by Kasie Pattundeen, with 18 staff, making slippers.60 years later, with over 800 staff, it is among the biggest employers in the SA footwear industry and among the biggest manufacturers by volume.It remains a family business, headed by Rajeev and Kiran Pattundeen, with their children, Srishti and Rt ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- David Buirski retires (but we’re sure to hear more from him)David Buirski, the former South African who edited World Leather from 1993 to 2005, and who continued his involvement with the publication and its offshoots until recently, has finally retired because “having turned 90 last December, I guess it was the sensible thing to do. Thirty-three years could be considered a long time.&rd ...moreSARLEN – the journey so farSARLEN was guided by a model policy framework for the leather value chain, adopted by all member states in 2023. It was supported by Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (German Cooperation), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with the SADC Secretariat as the principal sponsor.The building blocks are ass ...moreSA’s 2025 automotive leather exports: Down on 2024, but still good, on the face of itFigures from NAAMSA’s Automotive Trade Manual 2026 Automotive components – exports by product Component category 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 % of total export value Ran ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Protecting the workforce: The critical role of PPEPersonal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised in a work-environment as part of a larger prevention plan, because on its own protection is limited and may even provide a false sense of protection.An occupational disease prevention plan must be an actionable approach that identifies workplace health hazards, evaluates exposure, and i ...moreSelecting the correct protective clothing for a hazardous chemical environmentIn South Africa’s diverse industrial landscape, from mining operations in Rustenburg to petrochemical plants in Secunda and manufacturing hubs in Durban, workers are regularly exposed to hazardous chemical environments that demand more than just basic safety measures.The selection of appropriate protective clothing is not only ...moreChina-made firefighting equipment now needs verification of conformity with SANS standardsPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Firefighting equipment is among the 25 product categories published on 01 April by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for a mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Programme.The system will require certain goods shipped from China to be tested and certified before they enter the ...more






