Brazilian leather chemicals company, Cleveland do Brasil S/A, claims to have developed a new product that will revolutionise the way leather is treated. Bioflex is a product that is a solution of carboxylic acids and propionic derivates that can be used to treat hides and skins all along the tanning process from deliming to dyeing.

According to Engineer Tulio Fulgini, technical director of Cleveland, the product rationalises the tanning process as we known it, reducing process times and eliminating the use of "traditionally necessary" chemical products that are hazardous to human health and the environment. Bioflex was developed in a joint project between Cleveland and the Leather Technology Centre-Senai, of Estancia velha/RS.

The product is already being tested at Curtume Caxiense Ltda, a tannery located in Caxias do Sul/RS which has recently finished switching over to the new method, with outstanding results. Evaluating Bioflex, Jose Martini, managing director of Curtume Caxiense, says: "It seems unbelievable that a single product can offer so many advantages. The savings are huge and on the environmental front, we can now go for our ISO 14000 certification".