S&V African Leather Magazine Vol11 No3 March 2017
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Sector Reports
Feedlots
SA agriculture needs to unite to fight antimicrobial resistance, says Minister.
Slaughter drops more than expected, reports Karan Beef’s Arnold Pretorius.
Hides & skins
Hide prices where they should be, says CPC’s Benjy Lapiner.
Small increase in sheepskin supply, demand steady, says African Hide Trading’s Steven Broughton.
Merino
Exports only way forward, but raw material prices too high, says African Merino Trading’s Simo Simov.
Ostrich
SCOT Doing an about-face on China, says Frik Kriek.
Production must match demand, says Mosstrich MD Francois de Wet.
Ostrich industry needs a different business model, says OPSA’s Saag Jonker.
Footwear
Demand down, supply down further, says Midland Leather’s Rudie Nieuwoudt.
Game
Wildlife Ranching SA ‘commits to transformation’, says Adri Kitshoff-Botha.
Leather Research Institute
DTI ‘has created the environment to support an LRI’, assessment finds.
Opinion – The role of masking agents in pickling
From columnist H. Procter.
Technology
Clean processing technology and sustainable production in the tanning industry Reducing Salt in Tannery Wastewater – Part 10, from Dr Clive Jackson-Moss.
Some hide and leather specifications
Compiled by the ISTT.
Companies
Ecco Leather launches translucent leather.
Pension fund head joins Zambeef board.
Fairs and Congresses
ACLE to coincide with World Leather Congress.
Chinese crackdown on polluting industries ‘will be good for exports’.
Designers return to leather as prices drop.
The ‘Leather Revolution’ – how the industry will respond.
Textiles
China refines its cotton policy – report from ICAC.
Advertisers in this Issue
DyStar Boehme Africa (2), Exotic Leather SA (12), ISTT (11), Lanxess (4), Mimosa Extract Co (10), Rolfes Chemicals (OFC), SCOT (6), Tholanizikhumba Trading (7).
- Exports only way forward, but raw material prices remain too high
Bronkhorstspruit, SA – Last year was our worst year since we first opened in 2003. Our normal turnover would be about R30 million per year. In 2015 that dropped to R10 million, and last year to under R1 million. Essentially the export market is closed to us for several reasons:* Russia doesn’t have the money.* Turkey still imp ...moreDoing an about-face on China
An interview with South Cape Ostrich Tanning (SCOT) marketing director Frik Kriek. Ostrich has to find new markets – and there are some. Potential markets often have tariff barriers. Customers call for new looks, but buy the tried and trusted finishes ...moreProduction must match demand
An interview with Mosstrich MD Francois de Wet. Ostrich is a small global player with a unique niche. Pressure to slaughter younger, but there are problems. European demand for fresh Meat is softer than expected ...moreOstrich industry needs a different business model
An interview with Saag Jonker, founder of Ostrich Products South Africa (OPSA) as part of the Saag Jonker Group of Companies. The ostrich industry needs greater unity. Farmers need a greater share. Let’s be more realistic about grading ...moreSA needs to aim at agreeing to implement strategies that will ensure that AMR is limited and reduced.Presentation by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, at the Red Meat Industry Workshop on March 16 ...moreSlaughter drops more than expectedJohannesburg, SA – The reduction in cattle slaughter seems to be more than the 8% I predicted in January.For February and March the reduction was 20%.My forecast for April is to be down by 13% and I would think that May will also be down by the same percentage.From June onwards I would think that the situation would return to about ...moreHide prices where they should be.Port Elizabeth, SA – The volatility of the Rand is always a factor. When it was at R12.30 to the Dollar, we were definitely paying too much for hides. At R13,20, hide prices are back where they should be.Hides are less price sensitive than skins for us because there is a big local market with the automotive industry whereas all skin ...moreWRSA commits to transformationThe Wildlife Ranching industry is committed to play a leading role in the transformation of South Africa's agriculture industry. WRSA is committed to work with government to turn million hectares of land into black-owned game reserves that will contribute meaningfully to South Africa's transformation and conservation goals. &nbs ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- The showroom pair is not the orderA shoe on a showroom table is wonderfully persuasive. A buyer can flex the forefoot, press the heel counter, check the stitching, compare the two shoes and turn the pair over to examine the sole. Colour, finish and hand feel are all there to judge.The purchase order may then reduce that pair to a short line: one style number, one colour d ...moreA perspective: Perhaps it was an eye-opener for industry players to hear each otherLooking back over the workshop, BMA consultant Justin Snelling wrote: “In terms of our reflections of the workshop, we covered a lot of territory. Perhaps though what was most encouraging was the breadth of participation from different segments of the sector and their willingness, or even excitement, to contribute. We don’t ta ...moreObituary: Joe McGinley, Conshu (14/04/1936-20/05/2026) He ran an empire, but kept a human touch
Somerset West, W. Cape, SA – Joseph Pascal McGinley, the former Conshu director who died in May, a month after his 90th birthday, was a larger-than-life character who was renowned during his career in SA for his kindness, and who lived life to the full.Born in Letterkenny, Donegal, Ireland, to Joseph and Madeline McGinley, both doct ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- When communication moves faster than truth: Why credible, evidence-based information matters more than ever.We have never had more information at our fingertips. We have also never had to work quite so hard to determine which information we should trust. Communication today moves at extraordinary speed. Social media platforms, digital news, corporate communications, industry reports and, increasingly, artificial intelligence allow information t ...moreLuxury 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 ...more‘FMD is here to stay – we have to learn to live with it and manage it’
Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – FMD is no longer a series of isolated outbreaks; it has become a national systemic risk, and we need to shift our mindset from emergency response to living with and managing FMD responsibly. The pressure is already showing in the numbers. Our latest figures show cattle slaughter down 12% and sheep slaughter d ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- CONSIDERING A PPE MATRIX
What 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 ...moreObituary: Colin Battle, agent (17/04/1957-27/07/2026): Our sales trips were a whole life experience
Dearest Lee, Greg & Sammy,I send my sincerest condolences & wishes of long and healthy lives to all of you, after the passing of your beloved Colin. I’ve no doubt that once the pain of losing an adored husband and father starts to subside, you will be left the glorious memories of your lives together with a most wonderful an ...moreProtecting the workforce: The critical role of PPE
Personal 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
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