UK technology centre SATRA has been commissioned by Timberland to assist in its global initiative to improve the quality and consistency of raw materials used in the company's footwear products. The UK technology centre has been chosen to ensure that tanneries worldwide serving Timberland have laboratory facilities to enable them to assess leathers against a set of stringent physical and chemical requirements.

SATRA says its staff will travel the globe to provide training and equipment for laboratories in leather suppliers contracted to Timberland. These laboratories will then be audited and, as they achieve the required level, will be accredited by SATRA.

This project follows on from Timberland's earlier collaboration with SATRA in training and accrediting quality control personnel in its leather supply companies to use the unique SATRASumm five-point leather grading system.

Rick Latouch, Timberland's leather specialist, says: "Our previous work on the leather grading project proved to us that SATRA has the capability to make this new quality initiative a success and be beneficial to our supply base as well as our end-customer."

"This is an exciting development and represents one of the most comprehensive programmes within the tanning sector yet undertaken by SATRA," adds  Phil Shaw, the centre's resourcing specialist.

The global laboratory accreditation project for leather suppliers is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2005. Timberland and SATRA then expect to team up to establish accredited laboratories and testing procedures for Timberland-contracted footwear manufacturing companies and suppliers of non-leather materials and components.

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