Editorial

Editorial nº 82

Editorial

This edition of Leather Technology will reach you whilst the XVIII Congress of the Latin American Federation of Leather Chemists and Technicians is being performed
in Montevideo, Uruguay.
It is a special time that we, chemists and technicians of the American leather industry, expect every three years to share research and innovative work that can be applied to our daily activities, experiences gathered since the last time we met in Rio.
We will also have the opportunity to discuss current issues involving the tanning sector in this part of the world in terms of competitiveness and environmental care.
We will discuss how to address our major challenges: minimize the impact that tanning activity has on the environment by using clean technologies available, the use of renewable energies and a reasonable utilization, viable from an economical point of view, of the waste generated by the tanning industry.
The ambit of the FLAQTIC Congress will be the most suitable to ask how it fits the American tanning industry in the new international scenario.
I think the Chemists and Technicians of the Latin American Leather Industry have ahead an important task to accomplish for which we must strengthen the relationship between associations, improve communication among chemists and technicians from all countries with Leather Industry, using the social networks intensively.
I think the secret to contribute to the development of the leather industry is now to look into each of the countries and also to our neighbours, identifying our strengths and weaknesses to share and thus build us equals.
As IULTCS’s Vice-President, I invite all Latin American colleagues to join and participate actively in the committees that work within the institution. Unfortunately very few Latin American Chemists and Technicians are involved on these activities.
Perhaps the distance that separates us from Europe and Asia and the difficulty of dealing with travel expenses involved, are the determining factors, but it is possible to participate from the distance, making use of the possibilities offered by modern communication tools of which, may be, we are not taking advantage properly.
Once I read, “the future is unpredictable, but you can create it.”
Perhaps this is the right time to ask us what we, Latin American Leather Industry Chemists and Technicians want for the future of our business and, having clear ideas, plan global activities integrating regional working committees to address the current problems and challenges being protagonists of our reality.

Lic. Patricia Casey - Presidente

Letter from the editor

Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, said: “Creativity is the result of hard and systematic work.” It was difficult to find a thought to summarize properly the work Claudio Salvador did during more than five years as Director of “Leather Technology”, AAQTIC publication.
During his period, “Leather Technology “ started being managed as a real company (it is not by coincidence that I choose Peter‘s Drucker phrase to refer to his work !!).
Leather Technology evolved from a simple technical publication, to an attractive and updated magazine because of its contents and aesthetics.
Claudio added new sections, as leather market statistics and divulged the activities of research and development centers related to the global leather industry.
How can we forget the reports that allowed us to discover the history of the tanneries that existed in the City of Buenos Aires? The task he undertook following an idea of our beloved and always remembered Arnaldo Luppi, accompanied by two unconditional partners, Dolores d’Avis and Jorge Vergara, who undertook photographic safaris through our city on weekends.
Claudio called AAQTIC prominent members to join the Magazine Committee and together, they achieved a result that makes AAQTIC feel proud of it.
Last May, Claudio resigned to the Direction of Leather Technology.
We send Claudio Salvador the deepest appreciation of AAQTIC Direction Board and my personal gratitude, as AAQTIC’s President for the excellent work he did.
He left us a high level journal, duly organized, honoring AAQTIC and the challenge and commitment to continue on the path he marked us.

Lic. Patricia Casey - Presidente