Marking again a new record in number of participants, the 7th Freiberg Leather Days ended on 14th of June. Around 240 delegates from 22 countries were attending the two-day technical conference, which VGCT and FILK have organised in Freiberg. There were a concentration of delegates representing companies along the automotive leather supply chain. A number of footwear and leather goods tanners as well as several German and European leather chemical makers were also present.
The venue "Alte Mensa" was offering enough space for the numerous international participants. The 21 international lectures were very well attended until the end of the event.
Before the technical lectures started: Stefan Schaden, who is working at Wollsdorf-Leder Schmidt & Co. Ges. m.b.H.), was awarded with the VGCT Promotional Award as the best of the year of apprentice in 2018 to become a specialist for leather production and tanning equipment.
The VGCT-Promotional Award is honoured with a medal and was awarded to Dr Thomas Schröer as appreciation of his extraordinary strong commitment to the raw material, leather and leather processing industry, as well as a recognition of his longstanding and active work to strengthen the industry.
The ambitious programme included presentations on basic leather research, new technologies in all process stages of leather manufacturing, the mechanical processing and functionalisation, as well as ecological developments and sustainability as a permanent task of the industry. One focus this year was on automation and Industry 4.0, which was widely discussed afterwards.
In the evening of the first conference day at the social dinner the possibility was given to meet friends and get new contacts and continue the scientific and technical exchange with colleagues.
The already 8th Freiberg Leather Days will take place on June 27 and 28, 2019 in Dresden at the same time with the XXXV IULTCS. The organizers are already looking forward to their guests from Europe and all over the world.
![Stefan Schaden (Wollsdorf-Leder) receives the VGCT Promotional Award from Dr. Beate Haaser and Martin Heise (both Board VGCT) ©](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/f/csm_Award_Stefan_Schaden_e9072bbd72.jpg)
Stefan Schaden (Wollsdorf-Leder) receives the VGCT Promotional Award from Dr. Beate Haaser and Martin Heise (both Board VGCT) ©
![Dr Thomas Schröer receives the VGCT annual prize from Dr. Beate Haaser and Martin Heise (both Board VGCT)](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/7/csm_Award_Thomas_Schr%C3%B6er_a36dffbd86.jpg)
Dr Thomas Schröer receives the VGCT annual prize from Dr. Beate Haaser and Martin Heise (both Board VGCT)
![The participants listened carefully to the talk of Dr Will Wise from ICLT Northampton (GB)](/fileadmin/_processed_/6/1/csm_Will_Wise_Full_Auditorium_f5cce431c8.jpg)
The participants listened carefully to the talk of Dr Will Wise from ICLT Northampton (GB)
![The gallery and the hall of the conference venue "Alte Mensa" were always well populated](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/a/csm_IMG_5297_a0ed69f564.jpg)
The gallery and the hall of the conference venue "Alte Mensa" were always well populated
![On the evening of the first day of the conference, it was a festive social dinner at the Ballhaus Tivoli in Freiberg.](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/a/csm_IMG_5514_a3572af9e3.jpg)
On the evening of the first day of the conference, it was a festive social dinner at the Ballhaus Tivoli in Freiberg.
![Claudia Franz, Martin Heise and Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer (organizing team of the IULTCS 2019) presented their activities to the IULTCS, the world congress of the tanners, leather technicians and chemists, which will take place 2019 in Dresden](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/f/csm_IMG_5428_71449ee8d3.jpg)
Claudia Franz, Martin Heise and Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer (organizing team of the IULTCS 2019) presented their activities to the IULTCS, the world congress of the tanners, leather technicians and chemists, which will take place 2019 in Dresden