BLC Annual Seminar for Leather 2002
Following last year’s successful event BLC hosted its now annual event in Northampton at the end of October. There were 64 delegates from 13 countries who listened to 23 presentations from 20 lecturers. These covered a wide range of topics of interest to tanners and users of leather, from current regulations to current research. The keynote speakers were from outside the industry but provided organisational information to look at the way the industry runs its business and the essential
encouragement to all involved for change.
The leather subject matter was covered in five sections were raw material and beamhouse, tanning, post- tanning, leather performance and environmental management.
A feature of many of the projects reported was that they combined the work of research and academic bodies with industrial partners, ensuring that the work was both practical and rigorous. One large project, still in progress, involves no less than 18 contractors, three subcontractors, and eight
countries co-operating on a euro 10 million budget and lasting four years. Even smaller projects involve often at least one tannery. By a combination of membrane technology and biological treatment at least one tannery process has been carried out with no waste. Less chemicals are used, and the water is recycled, so the running costs are largely financed by the savings made in effluent charges and chemicals used. Inspired by consideration of waste elimination, the co-operating tannery made better use of its machinery, reduced downtime and increased productivity. There was something of practical importance for all participants.
