Stahl recently hosted a combined training and problem solving session at the Stahl Peabody application laboratories, USA, which was organised to introduce new product technology and to try to overcome some of the everyday problems faced by customers in tannery finishing production lines.

Visitors representing some of the remaining US tanners that operate in high quality footwear, leathergoods, furniture and aircraft market segments were invited to bring their crust leathers on which some of the new high performance products developed by Stahl were applied. The new technology included a new generation of crosslinkers and top coat polymers designed to offer ease of application and optimum performance with a minimal number of applications. Techniques and products designed for finishing waterproof leather were also demonstrated alongside some new fashion effects prepared for the autumn/winter 2006/7 season.

Application difficulties were discussed and trouble-shooting trials were made in order to provide suggestions as to how to resolve these.

The week-long meeting was closed with an input session run by Stahl’s head of R&D in Peabody, Jerry Levy, who explained why the products were developed and the nature of their interactions when formulated to make a finish