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
- ‘Growth in online gambling may be big factor in siphoning off disposable income’East London, E. Cape, SA – Trading conditions are constrained and steady. We need to focus on good quality products at reasonable prices / value. We are optimistic about the direction of the overall economy in RSA.As a wise man once said regarding growing a business: “Sometimes you have to move slowly to be able to move fast.& ...moreCity of Cape Town backs AllFashion Sourcing as it seeks to grow CTFL sectorCape Town, W. Cape, SA – AllFashion Sourcing Cape Town 2026 returns to Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC 2) from 14–16 July 2026, marking a significant milestone as the City of Cape Town joins as a key partner in advancing Africa’s fashion, textile and apparel sector.This partnership signals a shared visio ...moreThe Chinese sports brand taking on Nike and AdidasChinese sportswear brand Anta counts Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu among its brand ambassadorsChina's economy was just starting to open up in the late 1980s when a determined high school dropout made his way to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes.Ding Shizhong had them made in a relative's factory and now he was going to sell them. The mo ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- African leather businesses holding LWG and SLF ratingsAs African leather manufacturers strive to grow their exports, the number which have qualified for ratings by the Leather Working Group (LWG) and the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) is growing.By country, LWG lists the following:Algeria: Sarl Tannerie Ain FakrounBurkina Faso: Mona Industry SARL.Egypt: El Montaza Tannery, Piel Color C ...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 ...more‘ESG is a global requirement’Deborah Taylor, Sustainable Leather FoundationShe spoke about the SLF’s role in supporting harmonisation and minimising duplication of effort across the leather value chain, its education and training, development of robust and credible standards, and advocacy of the leather industry.She quoted the first definition of sustainability ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Occupational noise-induced hearing loss ‘is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world’Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world*. 16% of all disabling hearing loss in adults is due to noise exposure.It’s also expensive. According to one study, it costs US$242 million in annual compensation in the USA. In the UK, the typical cost per claim in the is £ ...morePremier Workwear: Engineered protection for Africa’s industrial workforceIn high-risk industrial environments, protective clothing is far more than a uniform requirement — it is a critical component of workplace safety, operational reliability and regulatory compliance. For procurement professionals, safety managers and operational leaders, selecting the right supplier means finding a partner capable of ...moreProtecting 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 ...more







