Enhanced leather extension
A thermo-mechanical procedure at the industrial scale with better temperature control and more stretching intensity for the treatment of hides has been developed. This procedure can be applied to any leather drying process that has the capacity for an increase in stable leather surface. This is quality is determined not in how weight it has when purchased by the tanners but rather by the surface of the final product. This procedure has important benefits such as the ability to save time in the extension process, save energy and reduce workers that will, in the long run, also save cost. In spite of the cost benefits, this type of application is best suited for large tanneries given the cost of the plant. However, any industrial tannery currently using a leather extension method would be suitable as potential users. The most likely candidates are those in furniture and automotive leather given the large surface area and located in Europe, North and South America, South Africa and the Far East.
