PEWAUKEE, WI - Milwaukee-based Prime Leather Finishes Co. has announced it has formed a strategic alliance with 3M Co. to manufacture and market protective coatings for a variety of leather products.  

These new products, designed to protect shoes, furniture and other leather goods from oil, water and other liquid stains, will feature the Scotchgard™ Protector brand and be made available to both the leather goods manufacturer and retail markets.  

The new Prime Leather Finishes formulation will rely on next-generation 3M fluorochemical technology, part of a broad class of materials critical to the development of high-quality, high-performance materials that repel soils and stains effectively.  

The chemical components and building blocks in 3M fluorochemical products have been extensively tested by 3M and reviewed by the EPA. These studies show that the ultimate degradant in 3M’s next-generation fluorochemical has low potential to bioaccumulate, low toxicity and minimal-to-no environmental impact. In short, these materials not only provide performance that customers have come to trust but are environmentally preferred over other materials on the market.  

The Prime Leather Finishes formulas that feature Scotchgard Brand protect leather and leather goods against stains and damage from liquids and have been shown to effectively repel or resist a wide variety of invasive stain agents including WD-40®, cooking oil, Windex®, motor oil, wine, house paint and even diesel fuel, in addition to water.  

“We are extremely excited to work with 3M and an internationally recognized brand name like Scotchgard,” said Prime Leather Finishes President Terry Welch. “Our expertise in leather coatings is a perfect complement to their experience in water and stain repellents. There are huge opportunities for these products within the OEM, consumer aftercare and military markets.”