Editorial

Editorial nº 81

Editorial

A few days ago, glancing through a book I read some time ago, I found a thought from Antoine de Saint Exupery, author of “The Prince”, that moved me: “The greatness of a job is perhaps to get people together.” The effect that this sentence had on me, is probably because, as president of AAQTIC, I’m constantly thinking on new ways, new strategies to integrate community partners and engage them in the activities we organize, trying to reach as many people working in the leather industry in our country and, ambitiously, in Latin America.
From inland in our country, we receive sometimes messages reproaching our not organizing training activities and workshops at locations away from Buenos Aires.
It hurts not to be able to offer at present, other options than training courses provided remotely via Internet.
The reality is that AAQTIC economic resources are modest, and do not allow us to meet the expenses such activities outside our headquarters involve.
Furthermore, it is also an important matter that very few partners are actively involved in organizing and implementing proposed activities.
So, I think what we need to develop a real “TEAMWORK” strategy.
Teamwork develops a special synergy.
Human beings get better results if we support them on critical or difficult moments, and we share their moments of achievement and success.
If we join together and stand by those who go in our same direction, the effort will be less and perhaps we will achieve results that until recently seemed unattainable to us.
I call on all AAQTIC partners:
• Those who joined prior Executive Committee and for various reasons have moved away.
• Those who are spectators of what happens at AAQTIC but do not dare to become protagonists.
• New members.
Come to our Association, in person, by email or by telephone, send us your ideas, suggestions, or offer some of your time to integrate some of the committees, several of which today are unipersonal.
Recall that:
Go towards the goal together is to  START
Working together is to  PROGRESS
Staying together is to  SUCCEED

Lic. Patricia Casey - Presidente

Leather Value Chain

The expression “leather value chain” is frequently used in several fields, but is not always ascribed the same meaning.
It certainly comprises tanning downstream industries, such as footwear or manufacture producers.
But it certainly must include the source of leather raw materials: cold storage and livestock farming.
In the latest years, our magazine has been trying to include information about the different links of the value chain in response to suggestions and requests from our readers and friends.
As to manufactures, we can mention the articles about Trends from several sources, which introduce topics such as fashion and the end demand for leather articles.
Another important example, closer to the technical aspect, is the Round Tables organized at AAQTIC’s head office and at EXPOCAIPIC in 2009 and 2010 about the requirements of footwear leather. Members of the board of the Scientific Research Committee (CIC), the Footwear Chamber and its center for technical education (CEFOTECA) provided their assistance in these events.
As to raw materials, articles on slaughtering and the price of leather have become a constant in the last couple of years.
This issue No. 81 focuses on topics related to footwear and manufactures from a leather viewpoint.
We introduce two works presented at the 2009 IULTCS China Congress. They are works prepared in city centers of China, which is somewhat uncommon if we take into account the origin of the technical works we usually publish in our magazine.
One of these works studies the hygienic and comfort properties of footwear leather. The other article deals with standards for leather bags.
These topics are accompanied by General Interest articles: Institutes, Statistics, a special article including opinions on high fashion and luxury given by icons such as Ferragamo, Rossetti and Massaro in the latest congress held in Rio de Janeiro.
We also introduce abstracts of interesting and recent papers that are not usually disseminated in our publications: the design of the value chain and a complementation study of the footwear industry in the district of La Matanza in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the province of Fermo-Macerata in Italy.
We also continue “consulting specialists”. On this occasion, we consult about the influence of European legislation on registration and evaluation of the REACH chemical products in the activities of Argentine leather shoe and manufacture producers. This issue is expected to reach shoe manufacturers through different channels.
Our next issues will continue dealing with these topics, with articles about the 2020 Plan of the leather value chain, footwear and bags and studies on footwear comfort, among others.
Last but not least, this will be my last Editorial as the Director of Tecnología del Cuero. I would like to thank all of those who have given me their support in this task and wish the best of luck to my successors.

Claudio Salvador - Director