Netherlands-based Stahl recently ran a ‘Leather Finishing Week’ at the British School of Leather Technology, Northampton, UK, which, according to the organisers, was a great success.

Wolfgang Schmälzle, from Stahl Europe, who designed the course, added a new competitive element this year in order to help in evaluating the skills of the participants. Based on a mix of theoretical and practical input the course provided BSLT’s overseas students with the basics of leather finishing, during which the students’ skills in achieving a correct colour match were tested to provide a ‘good-natured’ competitive element, with a prize awarded for the most accurate interpretation of the final shade.

All students were presented with a Certificate of Attendance at the close of the course and some were invited to attend additional training at the Stahl Europe Application Laboratories in Waalwijk, Netherlands, in order to expand their experience in both wet end and leather finishing applications.

Prior to the leather finishing course, Jacques Daamen, Stahl Europe’s Wet End Products sales manager for Northern Europe hosted another event at BSLT, during which he offered an overview of his experience and skills in the retanning and preparation of specialised leathers such as automotive wet white and wet blue, waterproof and shoe upper. Using the knowledge gained during this course, students then devised their own formulations and carried out small scale practical trials on various leathers from the BSLT tannery, in preparation for the leather finishing course.