S&V African Leather Magazine Vol18 No3 March 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
02 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
04 Upfront
- After 47 years and some change, Exotan/Cape Karoo International’s Jerome Ingenhoes retires.
- Drought leads to shortage of elephant hides for exotic leather tanners in Zimbabwe, writes Johnny Kleynhans.
05 An Eclectic View
- Apprentices, not graduates. The future of training in the leather industry has changed with the closure of the University of Northampton’s Institute for Creative Leather Technologies, writes H. Procter.
- SA-based former Nene College graduates Granville Steyn and Ali Hakimi mourn the passing of an era.
08 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- Deforestation is the number risk topic facing our industry, writes the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.
- Sustainability issues will be core focus for new Leather & Hide Council of America president Kerry Brozyna.
- Leather and other ‘natural’ materials unite to promote their image through a design competition.
13 Technology
- Upgrading vacuum dryers on a budget – Turato Ricambi’s Paolo Turato explains the benefits of the Italian company’s new developments, Raptor and Velocis.
14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
15 Agriculture
- Farming for the future with modernised systems, by Schneider Electric’s Clive Roberts.
16 Trade Statistics
- SA hides, skins, and leather trade statistics for January 2024, issued by SARS.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (03), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (07), Mimosa (OFC), Rolfes Leather Division (09), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (02), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (10), Sustainable Leather Foundation (04).
The Next Issue
- The April issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 13 April. The deadline for contributions is 02 April.
- Jerome Ingenhoes Retirement
Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA – Jerome Ingenhoes, one of the best-known personalities in the world ostrich industry, sent this WhatsApp message earlier this month: “After 17,261 days work, at last pension! Cheers.” We hope he will write about his time in the industry for a forthcoming issue. ...moreApprentices, not graduates
Some time has passed now since the world has heard that Nene College (aka the University of Northampton's Institute for Creative Leather Technologies, ICLT) is to close. This is an unmitigated disaster, and the industry is thinking of the staff (past and present) who have poured their hearts and souls into that department who are now due ...moreDeforestation is the number one risk topic facing our industry
Traceability is the key, and the danger is that noncompliance will lead to brands moving further away from leather as a material choice because it’s too challenging to source ...moreLeather and other ‘natural’ materials unite to promote their image through design competition
The Leather & Hide Council of America, along with U.S. associations representing wool, timber, cotton, hemp and mohair, have started a design competition to promote the ‘natural’ materials promoted by the sponsors. Deadline for entries is 31 May.rnrnFrom an African and South African perspective, it’s not easily accessible because it is only open to “students in higher education or designers who have graduated in the past year”, and it specifically bars exotic leathers including the crocodile and ostrich leather which are among this region’s strengths. rnrn ...moreRaptor and Velocis – upgrading vacuum dryers on a budget
Turato Ricambi 1968 Srl specialises in producing spare parts, upgrades and boosters for vacuum dryers made by other machinery manufacturers. It claims to prolong the life of vacuum dryers and enhance their performance, both at a much lower cost than investing in new equipment. Here, director Paulo Turato explains the benefits of its latest products, Raptor and Velocis. ...moreFarming for the future with modernised systems
According to a new report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Tracking progress on food and agriculture-related SDG indicators 2023,15 years since the establishment of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, agriculture-related targets have stagnated or regressed. Furthermore, major Pan-European manufactu ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills' For readers who need some wry medicinal humourThe leather industry is unfairly targeted by the green lobby, says Sam Setter, but the industry should do more to help itself."I mean, how stupid are we???!!! Various organisations that claim to represent the leather industry aim, in their words, to save the earth, forcing responsibilities upon this industry that it doesn’t hav ...moreDrought leads to elephant hide shortageBulawayo, Zimbabwe – For a couple of reasons, the consultancy Legacy Exotic Leather Specialists (LELS) hasn’t progressed since it opened in January.The first is getting through the licensing bureaucracy, the more serious is the prevailing shortage of raw elephant hide.We will however continue with consultancy and age ...moreReaction from local former studentsGranville Steyn, Leather Business Manager, DyStar Africa (Pty) LtdPietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – I started as a lab assistant way back in 1980 at The Western Tanning Company, in Wellington under Messrs. Gerald Tutt and Alan Sykes, just to mention a couple. In the meantime, Chris Black was already studying at Nene College, and on his re ...moreSustainability issues will be core focus for new L&HCA presidentWashington DC, U.S. (20 February 2024) – The Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA) has appointed Kerry Brozyna as Acting President, effective June 2024. He brings significant experience in brands, manufacturing and international supply chain management as he moves from Wolverine Worldwide (WWW), where he served as Vice P ...moreSA hides, skins, and leather trade statistics for January 2024Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (29 February 2024) – Source: SARS. https://www.sars.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/Docs/TradeStats/2024/Jan4125/Media-Release-January-2024.pdfIncluding Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (139 726 231)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.67Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (139&nb ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- We could make sports shoes then, and I’m sure we could make them now
Retired shoemaker Brian Zyster shares more of his memories of ‘the good old days’ of footwear manufacturing in South Africa ...moreObituary: Vic Jablowski, BUSM, Protech V (03/09/1953-11/12/2025): One of those who survived BU’s closure
Durban, KZN, SA – My dad – was AMAZING.Born in 1953, he married Evelyn in 1979. My sister, Luanne Hough, was born in 1980, and I followed in 1983.A family man who made sure he supported his family in the most wonderful ways; he was also a loyal company man who worked most of his life for British United Shoe Machinery.But when ...moreHow FootJoy’s superbly crafted shoes influenced my life
An Informative & Nostalgic Letter written in April 2025 to two executives at Acushnet (USA) – A leading golf corporation which includes FootJoy Shoes.RE: FootJoy & II recall the very first pair of FootJoy golf shoes my late father bought for me in July 1976. This wasn’t my first interaction with the brand that I had al ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- SARLEN aims for business and regulatory advocacy for the leather value chain across SADC
The formation of the Southern African Regional Leather Network (SARLEN) is a process to formalise a voice for commercial, entrepreneurial and developmental associations in the leather value chain (LVC) for the region.The leather value chain has been recognised in SADC as a key entrepreneurial opportunity that can adjust to the scale of th ...moreSARLEN: Defining what needs to be doneThe SARLEN webinar on 12 June 2026 featured 3 main speakers. The entire presentation can be seen here: : https://drive.google.com/file/d/14xBkPMTqsln-YuqkCXsm_vsazDwNqL83/view?usp=sharing ...moreRwanda’s planned leather park movedRwanda’s planned tannery park has been moved from Bugesera District to Gicumbi District, according to several reports. It’s expected to be completed by 2029. The project was first announced in 2024. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- China-made firefighting equipment now needs verification of conformity with SANS standardsPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Firefighting equipment is among the 25 product categories published on 01 April by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for a mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Programme.The system will require certain goods shipped from China to be tested and certified before they enter the ...moreNew OHS regulations coming into force later this year mean PPE needs to be reviewed, too
In March 2025, the Physical Agents Regulations (and their guidelines) and the Noise Exposure Regulations (and their guidelines) of the OHSAct were published, with an 18-month time-period promulgation date to September 2026, allowing employers time to upgrade their Health & Safety requirements to comply with the new published regulatio ...moreMaking fall protection practical
Working at height is, by its nature, potentially dangerous. But only potentially. Properly planned and executed, working at height is safe. However, accidents and injuries are common.Part of the problem is that many – most – businesses do fall protection plans as tick box exercises. Industry can help by planning correctly, whi ...more
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