Sense the Difference. With Clariant at All China Leather Fair (ACLE) 2011

Shanghai, China, August 17, 2011 – Global leading specialty chemical company Clariant will join ACLE China Leather Exhibition with a new and enlarged booth under the motto: "Sense the Difference". Not only the booth looks different — exciting innovations, eye-catching leathers and multimedia tools will also be highlighted during the 3-day show being held in Shanghai New International Expo Center from September 6-8, 2011.

Efficiency without sacrificing ecology

Leveraging on the company's leading chemical technology and expertise, Clariant has been providing tanners with maximum added value and process simplicity right from wet-end through to finishing. The followings are products to be featured at the exhibition focusing on improving performance and boosting manufacturing efficiency.

New Aqualen® topcoat systems for all requirements

Melio® 09-W-66

A polymeric based dull soft PU's for topcoats that is normally used to impart the now highly fashionable "wet feel". It is generally used in conjunction with other topcoat products to attain the required attributes. Besides "wet feel", the other main characteristics of Melio® 09-W-66 are excellent jet ness on dark shades and good physical properties.

Aqualen® Top GC-2033

This product is a very soft, glossy polyurethane topcoat which can either be used as a single binder or in combinations with other binders to achieve different gloss levels or aesthetics. It retains leather softness on ageing and features unique silky/stoppy feel.

Aqualen® Top IL

To support the market's drive for greater environmental care and trouble-free embossing and milling, Clariant's new aqueous Aqualen® Top IL provides an easy and effective intermediate lacquer for base coated leathers without the use of solvents.

Performing similarly to commonly-used emulsion lacquers in terms of plate release milling behavior, Aqualen® Top IL only needs to be diluted with water before it is ready to be used as a substitute for intermediate coats based on nitro cellulose emulsion lacquers.

Aquabase Technique – to cover hide defects

Major developments in Clariant Melio® Aquabase Upgrading Range will be showcased in this show. Melio® Aquabase M-90 for spatula applications as well as Melio® Aquabase HF for the use on roller coating machines are designed to cover deep defects in leather and which makes them indiscernible after finishing.

New feel additives for high performance and special touch

Melio® WF-5238 / Melio® WF-5267

Two new developments complement Clariant's already outstanding aqueous topcoat systems. Melio® WF-5238, a highly concentrated silicone with a luxurious smooth feel which also improves physical properties of aqueous topcoats, and Melio® WF-5267 is an aqueous feel agent for aqueous top coats. It imparts a soft wet touch and is mainly used for furniture and shoe upper Nappa leathers to enrich the feel.

New polymers from Clariant

Melio® 03-R-163 – Universal Adhesion Polymere

Melio® 03-R-163 is an aqueous modified polyurethane dispersion, especially developed to achieve high adhesion values on difficult leather surfaces. Besides its high adhesion promoting character Melio® 03-R-163 has also a very good water resistance and does not load the grain. Furthermore it does not influence in a negative way the water resistance of water proof leathers, which is of high importance especially for the shoe upper sector.

Easy compact system for box leather with aqueous patent topcoat

Melio® Promul C-83 – Versatile & High Performance College Compact

Melio® Promul C-83 has been especially developed as a single binder component with strong upgrading for corrected grain shoe upper articles, like "college", brush-off, patent leather etc. It can also be used in base coats for a wide range of other corrected grain articles for shoe upper and fancy leather.

Melio® 09-T-42 – Aqueous Patent as its Best

Melio® 09-T-42, an aqueous NMP-free aliphatic PU-dispersion, is especially developed for aqueous patent leather imitation top coat. Besides its brilliant and high gloss Melio 09-T-42 maintains to a high degree the softness of the leather. Melio 09-T-42 has a nice feel and very good flow out properties.

EasyWhite Tan to set new industry standard

Granofin® Easy F-90 Liquid

With this outstanding technology, the tanning process becomes leaner, cleaner and safer than ever before. The use of salt during tanning is no longer necessary. Clariant's Granofin® Easy F-90 Liquid provides a more environmentally friendly and safer tanning process and will have major benefits for tanners, especially those producing leather upholstery for the automotive sector but also for other sectors, such as footwear.

EasyWhite Tan is a totally new concept in chrome-free tanning; using Granofin® Easy F-90 Liquid, an organic compound that is metal free, as well as aldehyde free, formaldehyde free and phenol free, its self-reactive hybrid performance means that the usual basification process in tanning and the earlier pickle stage, are completely eliminated.

High performance water-repellent fatliquor

Dermaphob® WA-71 Liquid

Another highlight in the wet end range is the new waterproofing agent Dermaphob® WA-71, specially developed for high-performance waterproof shoe uppers. The product is highly effective, even with very low offers of application.

Fashion outlook for Autumn/Winter2012-13

Interpreting fashion themes into reality is always a challenge, often made more difficult when applied to such a unique and varied substrate as leather. For Autumn-Winter 2012-2013, Clariant predicts a fashion outlook full of contrasts and greater extremes supporting its customers with their new exciting leather collection, accompanied by the latest color card and trend booklet. .

Clariant's innovations can be seen on booth D11, hall E6 in Shanghai New International Expo Center, China from September 6-8, 2011.

Sense the Difference. With exciting innovations from Clariant. (Photo: Clariant)

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+41 61 469 6742
www.clariant.com

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Notes for editors

About Clariant

Clariant is a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. Strong business relationships, commitment to outstanding service and wide-ranging application know-how make Clariant a preferred partner for its customers.

Clariant, which is represented on five continents with over 100 group companies, employs around 16,200 people as of year-end 2010. Head-quartered in Muttenz near Basel, Switzerland, it generated sales of CHF 7.1 billion in 2010. Clariant is organized into 12 Business Units: Additives; Catalysis & Energy; Detergents & Intermediates; Emulsions; Functional Materials; Industrial & Consumer Specialties; Leather Services; Masterbatches; Oil & Mining Services; Paper Specialties; Pigments; and Textile Chemicals.

Clariant is committed to sustainable growth, which is derived from its own innovative strength. Clariant's world-class products and services play a key role in its customers' manufacturing processes and add value to their end products. The company's success is based on the know-how of its people and their ability to identify new customer needs at an early stage and to work together with customers to develop innovative, efficient solutions.

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