Focussing on sustainable leather solutions, Lanxess’ innovations include retanning agents from the Tanigan range that feature reduced residual monomer content, a new retanning agent from the Levotan X-Biomer range based on renewable raw materials, the innovative ReeL container concept for tanneries and water-based dyes from the new Levaderm WB range for leather finishing. “The new products are part of our ‘Sustainable Leather Management’ initiative, which we developed to expand and improve our product portfolio for sustainable leather production,” says Luis López-Remón, Head of the Leather Business Unit (LEA), Lanxess.
Heavily involved in developing advanced leather chemicals, Lanxess has created a class of retanning agents based on renewable raw materials. The range is available for all key stages of the retanning process, and the manufacturer has now added the new Levotan X-Biomer RX liquid. Due to its outstanding selective filling characteristics, it is particularly well suited for use as a resin retanning agent for automobile leather. All products in the Levotan X-Biomer range are free of formaldehyde, zero VOC and neutral smell.
X-Biomer insitu
Another sustainable approach in addition to “X-Biomer chemistry” is the “X-Biomer in situ” concept, in which leather by-products are not taken to large-scale industrial facilities far away from the tanneries to be processed into retanning agents. Instead, this is done, for the first time, in the actual tanneries where the by-products are generated, and which are completely recycled without excess or residues, significantly reducing tannery waste and emissions.
Three new retanning agents (Tanigan LM EXP 4102, Tanigan LM LIQ EXP 4108, and Tanigan UL EXP 4103) are being introduced at ACLE, and are the result of systematically implementing an optimised production process, leading to a lower amount of residual monomers in the end product. According to the manufacturer, chrome leather retanned with these agents has an exceptionally full, soft feel, and a fine grain.
Lanxess will also be presenting the Levaderm WB range to the public for the first time. This range consists of water-based dyes in the colour shades yellow, orange, red, bordeaux, blue, navy blue, green, light brown, medium brown, black brown, grey and black. The manufacturer says these solvent-free products are perfect for spray, and throughfeed dyeing applications as well as for effect coats and top coats. They are characterised by high yield, brilliant colours, outstanding consistency in coloration and excellent fastness properties.
Lanxess’ Liquid Purification Technologies (LPT) business unit, which supplies the industry with high performance products for effective water treatment, will also be represented on the stand at the ACLE, which takes place August 30 – September 1 in Shanghai. “Our technology enables the discharge limit values for chromium (III) and chromium (VI) to be met in a cost-effective, reliable way. Water consumption can also be significantly reduced. Moreover, our products soften the water and reduce the TDS content, which indicates the level of total dissolved solids in the water,” says Dr Shintaro Tsuzuki, Head of Technical Marketing for ion exchange resins at LPT.
Lanxess at ACLE: Hall 2, Stand E03
