S&V African Leather Magazine Vol14 No5 May 2020
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IN THIS ISSUE:
3 Sam Setter's Pills
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
3 Restarting Production
- Alan D. Jackson: Customers still have stock, says Morgan Naidoo.
- Bader: Business is hard to find, writes Robert O'Connell.
- Mossop Leather: Big opportunities for local manufacturing, writes Gert Kruger.
- Fusion Leather/African Gameskin: Extraordinary ideas, writes Denzil Spolander.
- SATTA: No foreign hunters this year, but awaiting easing of regulations, says Pieter Swart.
10 Exotics
- Zambia's crocodile farmers poised to upscale investments, writes Gillian Langmead.
11 An Eclectic View
- Columnist H. Proctor writes about chromium and the circular bioeconomy, and what can be done about it.
12 Technology
- Sustainable leather production - part 26: Clean technology in the dyehouse, by Dr Clive Jackson-Moss of the ISTT.
14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
15 Notice Board
- Debbie Archer leaves ISTT.
- Buckman board elects 3 new directors.
16 Training Courses
- UNIDO offers free online leather-related courses.
17 Trade
- South African hides, skins and leather trade statistics for March.
Advertisers in this Issue
APLF (9), Cape Karoo International Ltd (6), ISTT (5), Lanxess (2), Mimosa (7), Rolfes Leather Division (4),SHALC (OFC).
In The Next Issue
- A look at the global fish skin tanning industry.
- Mossop Leather: Big opportunities for local manufacturing
Wellington, W Cape, SA - One has to acknowledge that the remainder of 2020 will be very tough. Liquidity in the industry will be the largest challenge we face and all of us have to act responsibly to our customers and suppliers in this regard. There is vast uncertainty about the medium term future and shoe manufacturers ...moreSATTA: No foreign hunters this year, but awaiting easing of regulations
Rayton, Gauteng, SA - The hunting and taxidermy sectors are awaiting the easing of restrictions on the transport of trophies and game skins across provincial boundaries, and on a broader definition of allowed hunting, before they can resume commercially viable operations. "There are so many apparent contradictions in the rules," ...moreZambia’s crocodile farmers poised to upscale investment
Lusaka, Zambia – Zambia’s crocodile farmers are poised to upscale investment, production and exports of skins following government’s intervention to suspend the 10% export duty on the industry. The removal of the 10% duty on crocodile skins has made some positive impact on the viability of the crocodile business, says th ...moreChromium and CBE
Chromium and the circular bioeconomy. Why does chromium not do so well in a circular bioeconomy? Can chromium build up in the biosphere and give us problems with plant-stunting? Can chromium be recycled more easily in a technosphere circular economy? Why don’t we recycle it more? ...moreClean Technology in the Dyehouse - Sustainable Leather Production – Part 26
The previous 25 articles in this series have discussed the different clean technology options that are available to the tanner in the beamhouse and tanyard. This article will focus on the clean technology that is available in the dyehouse that can help the tanner reduce the environmental impact of the dyehouse processes. Many of the clean ...moreBuckman board elects 3 new directors
Memphis, Tenn., USA (May 18, 2020) – Bulab Holdings, Inc., in its 75th year of business, has announced that 3 new members have been elected by its shareholders to join its board of directors: Robert Buckman (Memphis), Jacqueline Welch (Washington, D.C. Metro) and Gregg Sutherland (Denver). James Shepherd of Vancouver, Canada retired ...moreAlan D. Jackson: Customers still have stockDurban, KZN, SA - Morgan Naidoo, member of leather indent agent Alan D. Jackson, which has principals in Brazil, India and Pakistan, said most of his customers still had stocks of leather. He said the global drop in hide prices had seen the prices for Brazilian leather drop from US$2.45-2.50/ft² to $2.10, "which is a significant ...moreBader: Business is hard to findPretoria, Gauteng, SA - Unfortunately orders on the automotive side are nonexistent, and with Brazilian TR1s being offered at 0.35US$/ft², even export orders on wet blues are hard to come by and to compete with. The majority of the wet blue plants were wet salting during the lockdown phase with the prospect of being able to pro ...moreFusion Leather/African Gameskin: Extraordinary ideas and opportunitiesCape Town, W Cape, SA - Lockdown has in some crazy way been a hugely inspirational period for the Fusion Leather and African Gameskin team. The challenge of new and unknown, sparks energy in my team and leads to extraordinary thinking. We are in regular contact with our customers, carving a path for the near future, along with an 18 ...moreUNIDO offers free online leather-related coursesVienna, Austria - The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), through its ITC SME Trade Academy, is offering 2 free online courses. In a circular, industrial development officer Ivan Kral wrote: As in many countries social life and productive activities are on very low level, I would like to draw your attention to ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Can India’s Uttar Pradesh become the next global footwear hub?The state of Uttar Pradesh has approved a new footwear policy aimed at building a smooth chain that goes from design to delivery — covering ideas, production, training, and exports. The plan focuses on traditional hubs like Agra and Kanpur while pushing investment into less-developed regions such as&nbs ...moreKnock out the knockoffs: Protecting your brand against imitationsCounterfeiting is no longer confined to imitation designer goods sold in back-alley markets. It has become a widespread and organised trade that threatens fair competition and the rights of legitimate businesses. At its simplest, counterfeiting means the deliberate manufacture and sale of goods calculated to resemble genuine branded produ ...moreObituary: Miles O’Brien – Sportshoe, Jordan Shoes (08/02/1950-26/10/2025) Some See the Crescent, He Saw the Whole of the Moon
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Miles O’Brien went to Progress College in Rondebosch and studied marketing at Cape Technikon. His first job was at Standard Bank in Plumstead for a short period of time, then onto the City Tramways for 10 years.Sportshoe was owned by Benny Stoltzman (who also owned Vogue Shoes) who had the agency for A ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Hunting industry contributes R44 billion to SA economy, study says, and taxidermists contribute R500m-R750m of that
Under the headline “South Africa’s secret R44 billion weapon”, Daily Investor on 16 July publicised a study which claims that South Africa’s hunting tourism sector contributes over R44 billion and 95 000 jobs to the country.It quoted North-West University (NWU) Professors Peet van der Merwe and Andrea Saayman ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourDevelopment aid: What happened in Ethiopia demonstrates that plans by governments, UNIDO and NGOs that don’t take into account economic realities will failWhat follows is just an example of many similar situations in the whole spectrum of development aid for the leather industry in a variety of countries and in Africa in particular. ...moreNew Mossop sales manager: ‘I can’t see leather being replaced in our lifetime’
Wellington, W. Cape, SA – Samantha O’Neill has been appointed sales manager of Mossop Western Leathers (Pty) Ltd, responsible for local and international customers.With a background mainly in textiles, she said she nonetheless had a longstanding personal interest in leather.“I find my transition from the fashion industry ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- SELECTING JOB TASK PPEThe issue of ‘Selecting Job Task Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE)’ seems a simple undertaking, but at many levels, it is a fairly complex issue, because for each type of PPE there are usually various product variants available for the different risks and exposures related to specific job task work occurrences and events.To ...moreThe Competency Dilemma: Determining Competency for Construction Health and Safety and Designations Outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014)
IntroductionThere are substantial ambiguities and debates about the definition of a “Competent Person” when assigning legal appointments and responsibilities for supervision, oversight, and management of key tasks. These are outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of (1993). Va ...moreFidelity acquires SSG Holdings to grow to nearly 70 000 staff over more than 250 locationsJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (17 September 2025) – Fidelity Services Group has acquired a majority shareholding in SSG Holdings, following all requisite regulatory approvals. The acquisition will expand Fidelity’s footprint to more than 256 locations and grow its workforce to approximately 69 200 employees across Southern Africa. ...more
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