US tanning association (LIA) and that of tanning raw material traders (USHSLA) formalised the merger into a new unitary subject. From January 1st, 2020, LHCA (Leather and Hide Council of America) will become operational, while Stephen Sothmann, current president of USHSLA, will be in charge of guiding operations. John Wittenborn, after 15 as LIA chairman, will retire. The merger, announced in the autumn of 2018, was approved by unanimous vote by the boards of both the associations on September 23rd.
The comment
“The merger represents a critical step forward. A light demand on the global market and the problems on international markets require a representative body capable of taking significant initiatives – comments Sothmann -. The commitment of LHCA is to build a solid future and give voice to the entire leather value chain, both in the United States and abroad”.
Promotional campaign
USHSLA, meanwhile, also announced the launch of Choose Real Leather communication campaign to disseminate the qualities and versatility of leather products to the public, on the web (in the picture, the website homepage) and on social media.
