The Predator: A new concept in splitting

Back view of the Predator. Used in line with a through-feed fleshing or samming machine, it doesn’t require operators.

Front view of the Predator.
Arzignano, Vicenza, Italy – Alpe Spak’s new through-feed splitting machine system, the Predator, has been designed to reduce the number of specialised operators, improve worker safety, and improve the quality of the leather.
It operates with a patented concept to split in green, lime and now also wet blue.
It was developed from the need to solve both the problem of having specialised operators, and to improve the safety of operators exposed to the danger of cutting and crushing when loading the hides.
It has retained the system of an articulated roller which acts on the rubber roller and an upper transport roller, but the whole has been wrapped in special belt sleeves.
Moreover, the belts have eliminated the problem of marking of the hides caused by the transport rollers, and the lowering of thickness caused by the various trims that were blocking the articulated roller.
To complete the system, the machine can work, in line, with a through-feed fleshing machine, or samming machine in the case of wet blue, achieving a possible 24-hour, continuous production capacity of between 400 and 480 hides per hour, with two fleshing machine or samming machine operators, only 1 supervisor and no operators on the splitting machine itself, but with an in line trimming table where hides can be trimmed before splitting. The system can be tailor-made to the client’s needs.
The “optional” in-line system includes a long feeding conveyor as follows:
Long connecting special conveyor dimension 2800x4000 (standard measure)
Activated by pneumatic pistons and moving on rails.
Complete with an independent electrical panel placed on fixed bases.
This conveyor can eventually be tailor-made, in case of special hide dimensions or space availability.
The conveyor is an important part of the machine not only for the feeding operation but because its retractile movement allows for the easier opening and maintenance of the splitting machine.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Nike claims ‘mental benefits’ from new styles, observers take wait-and-see approachNike makes big technical claims for a category of non-sport footwear (their description: pre-game and post-game) launched in January.Certainly not the first footwear to incorporate underfoot pressure points, ‘Nike Mind Technology’ is 2 shoes – a mule and a sneaker (in different colour options) – which Nike says lit ...moreNew generation nonwoven components lead the way towards biodegradable shoesCompostable and biodegradable footwear is becoming a reality.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated version of its poster, 'Biodegradable Polymers in Various Environments', and project manager Kristijan Mršić told Shoes & Views that several of ...more2026 Comrades shoe count: Asics stays top, Adidas up, Nike slides into 4th placeMarathon shoe counts are among the few footwear statistics available in SA. The Sweat Shop’s Jax Snyman has extracted this year’s Comrades Marathon figures for comparison with last year.His assessment: “Asics up. Adidas properly up. New Balance steady although now 3rd largest. Nike down and drop in rankings to 4th. Sauco ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Luxury or notWe hear from all sides that the leather industry is not doing too well and the conflict in the Middle East is definitely not improving the situation. The present wars have a huge impact on inflation and hence on the buying power of consumers with negative consequences for the luxury industry whose shares we have seen tumbling at the vario ...moreFifteen million sheep in the UK to share among shearersAccording to the UK government, its sheep population decreased over the past year by 1.7% but that still leaves a flock of over 30 million. For comparison, the domestic flock in South Africa numbers about 21 million and New Zealand has some 23 million. Australia, with more than 70 million, has a wool clip of approximately 325,000 tonnes. ...moreNigeria’s Leather Industry: Not a clear pictureNigeria is widely accepted as having a very large livestock population, but a relatively small tanning industry, much of it concentrated in Kano, producing high grade goat- and sheepskin crust which is exported for finishing elsewhere for use in garments.Recent articles cast some doubt on this, so are Nigeria’s hides and skins: M ...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 £ ...moreCONSIDERING A PPE MATRIXWhat Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do we need to have on site to reduce and manage the workplace and environmental exposure risks to our employees?Safety and mining legislation place the responsibility on employers to ensure that they provide and maintain working environments that are safe and without risk to the health on employees ...moreMore precise fire extinguishing from the air using simulation and sensor dataWildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense worldwide. Fires often become infernos due to heat, drought and wind, especially in the summer. The problem is compounded by the climate crisis. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM and the startup CAURUS Technologies GmbH are responding to this growi ...more







