IBTec inaugurates new lab
27/11/2008
The Brazilian Institute for Leather, Footwear and Allied Trades Technology (IBTeC) has inaugurated its new restricted substance test laboratory.
The facility which features state-of-the-art technology required an investment of $570,000 and carries the name of Renato Kunst, one of the most active entepreneurs in the Brazilian leather and footwear sector.
The new lab can detect the presence and concentration of elements such as nickel, cadmium, lead, antimony, arsenic, copper, magnesium, calcium and chrome in different materials. "The use of these substances is restricted in many countries, especially in the European Union and rules have become more stringent in the last five years, forcing Brazilian companies wishing to export their goods to the EU and other regions to use the services of laboratories in other countries," said Rui Guerreiro, president of IBTeC. "Now, our companies will be able to perform all the necessary tests in our new facility," he added.
At the beginning, the tests shall focus on the needs of the footwear industry but will gradually expand to other sectors such as the automotive, pharmaceutical and toy industries to show if the level of restricted substances in goods may damage human health or the environment.
The laboratory is the result of the joint investment by the Study and Research Finance Company, a branch of the Ministry for Science and Technology (Finep), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), IBTeC and shoe factories Calçados Malu, Henrich Calçados, Calçados beira Rio and Calçados Wirth.
The laboratory is the result of the joint investment by the Study and Research Finance Company, a branch of the Ministry for Science and Technology (Finep), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), IBTeC and shoe factories Calçados Malu, Henrich Calçados, Calçados beira Rio and Calçados Wirth.
Share this story:
