TRADE FAIR CALENDAR

A series on successful South African footwear and leather goods exporters. Sponsored by the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC).A South African delegation returned to Japan’s Fashion World Tokyo trade fair from 10-12 October, for the first time post-covid. Described as ‘Japan’s largest international fashion ...more

This year’s crowded calendar of September fairs in Milan – Micam, Mipel, The One Milano, Lineapelle and Simac Tanning Tech – also included the 21st UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress. Across them all, innovation and sustainability were the dominant themes. In the background, the Ukraine war, the changing role of China, and fragile economies, impact sales. At Simac Tanning Tech, exhibitors supplying the tanning industry mostly said the fair went better than they had expected, while those supplying footwear and leather goods manufacturers were less sure. ...more

23 August 2023 – TikTok, the popular short-video app owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., is rapidly growing its TikTok Shop feature in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, where it has found success as a livestreamed marketplace for in-app shopping. The platform’s success in this region is crucial, as it faces potenti ...more

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (08 September 2023) – The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, has welcomed the latest figures released by Statistics South Africa on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2023, showing that the agricultural sector was once again one of the biggest contr ...more

Legal battles can be very drawn-out affairs, so the reptile exotic leather lobby globally is very relieved that a landmark victory in March this year in California, in a case between the states of Louisiana and California, “is all wrapped up and done, and there are NO APPEALS IN COURT! 🎉”, wrote Christy Plott, director of A ...more

In SA, Spraytech has concentrated on installing new technology – spray guns and economisers – on existing spray lines, sales manager Cristiano Dalla Valle said.“We’ve been developing low pressure systems, which first and foremost reduce wastage, and which also reduce maintenance,” he said. “Over the pas ...more

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (05 September 2023) – Recent media coverage on the Samancor Chrome Ltd v Willemse dispute may have created a false impression that breathalyser results alone cannot be used to dismiss an employee, without corroboration from a blood alcohol test. Such media coverage is incorrect and misleading. Breathalyser ...more

Durban, KZN, SA – Medical mask manufacturer Handel Street Medical is gearing up to manufacture 4-ply technology masks made from zinc-embedded polyamide polymer matrix supplied by our technology partner, Ascend Performance Materials.Production, at a rate of 20 000 masks/day, will begin in September 2023 and will be available to ...more

The second in a new series by Leighton Bennett, Benrisk Consulting, 083 325 4182, benrisk@mweb.co.za.  As a now practicing SACPCMP Pr.CHSA and a SHE and Risk Management Consultant, who entered into the OHS discipline field in 1978, I interface with health and safety practitioners in all sectors of SA’s industries and busin ...more