Lanxess ‘in situ’ shavings recycling technology goes on show in Hannover
24/04/2017
A system called ReeL (from ‘resource-efficient manufacturing of leather chemicals’) consists of manufacturing equipment for recycling shavings during the leather manufacturing process. It can be used on-site at tanneries, allowing leather manufacturers to produce retanning agents on their own using these shavings and organic biomass. Using equipment and materials from Lanxess will make it possible for tanners to make their own retanning agents from the X-Biomer range that Lanxess launched in 2014.
Lanxess has suggested that it may be possible for tanners to lease this equipment from the chemicals manufacturer. According to Lanxess’s calculations, a medium-sized tannery can produce between one and two tonnes of shavings a day. Using the leased equipment, a tanner could manufacture a substantial volume of retanning agents.
The ReeL production plant went on display at the Modular Production exhibition at Hannover Messe (April 24-28). Lanxess developed the technology in cooperation with the Leverkusen-based research institute INVITE. German tanner Heller-Leder will begin tests of the system in mid-2017.
“The goal of the project is to be able to offer X-Biomer to the tanner at a cost comparable to that of procuring commercially available X-Biomer retanning agents,” said Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer, who is managing the project. “The lack of logistics outlay should offset the higher production costs. In addition, the project will most certainly be beneficial in terms of sustainability.”
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