Lanxess will exhibit a comprehensive range of products for leather production, focusing on new developments in the X-Grade and X-Tra finishing systems, fatliquoring agents and dyestuffs at the Fimec international leather fair to be held in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, April 5-8.

The X-Tra system comprises numerous specialties such as waxes, oils, polyurethanes and caseins for the finishing of modern leathers that have to meet very high demands. These new products not only enable leather manufacturers to obtain the effects required by the latest fashion trends, but also give upper leathers with excellent physical fastness properties.

The X-Grade system represents a new generation of finishing products that conceal small and medium-sized hide defects such as pinholes and scratches. As a result, a higher area yield is obtained. The new, licensed technology, based on microcapsules, also leads to considerably more uniform print retention, giving the surface structure a very natural appearance. The X-Grade system uses special microcapsules which expand on exposure to high temperatures when the finish is plated or embossed. This then produces the desired filling effect.

The company will also exhibit fatliquoring agents from Atlas Refinery Inc., Newark, USA, for use in the retannage and finishing of all types of leather. Atlas, a well-known supplier of fatliquoring agents, and Lanxess signed a sales cooperation agreement in the middle of July 2005 under the terms of which Lanxess markets all Atlas’ leather chemicals in the leather industry and offers Atlas its worldwide technical service.