COTANCE Round Table“The REACh Challenge & Innovation in the European

Leather Industry”

European Leather IndustryPreparedness for REACh

Filipe CrispimGERIC / CTIC

October 2008

1. Pre-registration

At this stage, tanners are developing the following steps:

-Pressuring EU chemicals suppliers in order to give guarantees regarding substances registration according to REACh;

-Proceeding to pre-registration of substances present in chemical products imported from outside EU.

1. Pre-registration

Main chemicals directly imported from outside EU by European tanneries:

- Basic chromium sulphate – mainly from Turkey;- Vegetable extracts – mainly from Argentina (Quebracho) and Brasil (Mimosa);- Dyes, which usually don’t exceed 1 tonne per year.

2. Imported hides, skins and leather

Wet-Blue and Crust imported from outside EU is increasing day by day. Several companies are abandoning beamhouse stages and starting the industrial process from wet-blue and crust from outside EU origin, where the use of substances like the following are not restricted:- Azodyes;- Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCP’s);- Nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylate.

A more exigent control of this raw materials has to be implemented.

3. Convergence of REACh and market

REACh could be a driving force impelling tanners to search for technological alternatives which correspond to the market tendency.

Market recent evolution:

Chrome tanning

Wet-white (eco-tanning)

Aluminium, zirconium, …;Glutaraldehyde;Syntans;Other polymers

Natural tanning(vegetable extractsand other natural

polymers)

Registration exemption

4. Innovation / R&D

InnovationR&D

LeatherTechnological

Centers

ChemicalSuppliers

Tanneries

5. Tanneries weak and strong points

Weak points:• Many companies of low dimension;• Forced new European tanning industry structure –

increasing of wet-blue and crust imports;• Chromium sulphate imports;• Distance to chemicals suppliers – peripheral countries

Strong points:• An industry of high specialities consumption;• Market tendencies are compatible with REACh

philosophy.