TANNET - A Concerted Action for the
European Leather Industry
TANNET stands for Tanning and Network, an
initiative lauched in April 1998 aiming at pooling scientific and technical expertise for
the benefit of the European leather industry and supporting thus its economic development
and its environmental sustainability.
TANNET II, a continuation project by the same partnership, started in
September 2000.
The objectives of the concerted action are:
· To set up a Network of public and private actors concerned with the economic and
environmental performance of the leather industry at European scale where sectoral
operators can find expert advice, guidance and responses to technological issues.
· To elaborate a strategy for environmental research and technological development
based on the tanning industry´s needs
The European leather industry consists of approximately 3000
tanneries employing directly some 50,000 people. It embraces primarily small and
medium-sized tanneries all over Europe although a majority of them are located in the
South of Europe.
The network will bring together tanners, their representatives, their suppliers and
leather manufacturers as well as academia and public authorities. Throughout the duration
of the project, the research needs of industry will be identified so as to build up a full
fledged R&D strategy which should allow operators to remain at the forefront of
innovation, quality and environmental performance. In this context, 3 work-shops, to be
held in Italy (Bologna; Lineapelle), Spain (Igualada) and the UK (Northampton) will
concentrate on specific sectoral items.
Under the leadership of the Danish Technological Institute (DTI)
and COTANCE, the partnership includes the leather research centres of
UK (BLC), France (CTC), Spain (AIICA),Greece (ELKEDE), Germany (LGR),
Portugal (CTIC) and Italy (SSIP) which is also represented by the Italian
leather association (UNIC). These bodies will act as decentralised national
focal points nurturing an ambitious network which will maintain an ongoing
dialogue with private and public actors with a direct interest in the
leather sector.
Invitation
to become a corresponding member in the Network
You will receive the following advantages by joining this network (free of charge):
· Obtain all written material produced in the concerted
action
· Possibility to comment all documents and thereby influence the European
strategy for future environmental research
· Participate in the three workshops
· Get contacts with industry and researchers within the European leather
sector
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