Abstract

Views put forward by 15 Research Directors based in OECD, Centrally Planned and Developing Countries have been collated to form the present review. Priorities in research objectives differed for each group, e.g. OECD Directors emphasising cost reduction, in Centrally Planned countries improved performance was top priority and in Developing Countries the introduction of clean technology was considered most important. When routes to achieving these goals are considered, there is considerable overlap and differences between groups that are insignificant compared to differences within groups. Key targets are perceived as:

1 Increasing the supply of full grain aniline leathers
2 Improving water resistance
3 More consistent attainment of easy care properties in garment leather
4 Finishes which-do not incorporate solvents; can be bonded to shoe soles without roughing; give scuff resistance to aniline leathers
5 Reducing dependence on chromium as the primary tanning agent
6 Utilisation of biotechnology-particularly enzymes
7 Use of robotics and development of straight-through machinery
8 Computer applications in-process control; organisation of workflow; selection and grading
9 Industrial restructuring to produce “simply tanned” at source
10 Enhancing value added

To meet these ends, training systems for industry entrants will need substantial reviews.