METHODS FOR IMPROVED PROCESS-CONTROL IN THE LEATHER INDUSTRY

Recent years have seen vast improvements in process control within the tanning industry. These improvements extend back down the supply chai n to the farm and forward to the leather user, These changes stem from a better awareness of economic requirements and changes in market dem ands. There is a trend for industry in general to work or conform to q uality standards. These include such management systems as Total Quali ty Management (TQM), ISO 9000 and to a lesser extend 'just in time' ma nagement. Whether you believe in these types of systems, or even in th e philosophy behind them, it is likely that they are in operation with in the supply chain in which you function. Whatever the case, the leat her industry is rapidly evolving from what has traditionally been cons idered a dirty, low tech industry to one which is dynamic and environm entally aware. The industry is utilizing the latest management methods and production techniques. As the demand for still tighter controls o ver processing increases, so must the technology used to monitor the p rocesses improve. BLC is operating a number of projects which aim to d evelop instruments or methods for better process control. These includ e the use of an 'electronic nose' for the early detection of raw-stock putrefaction, a device for monitoring pH and temperature within a clo sed vessel, and methods for improving the consistency and quality of w et blue grading. This paper discusses approaches being investigated at BLC to improve process control and hence serve as valuable tools for the leather sector.