AWA Annual Release Liner Conference

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands—The annual forum for all concerned in the manufacture and use of release liners, the Global Release Liner Industry Conference & Exhibition, hosted by AWA Conferences & Events, takes place this year in Chicago, Ill., March 31- April 1.

AWA predicts industry growth
Says Corey M Reardon, president and CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates: “The release liner market has experienced a softening in demand over the past couple of years, as a result of the global recession and economic downturn, but demand has been strengthening, driven by a recovery around the globe, and particularly in the developing economies. We expect to see industry growth at an overall rate of about 3.7 percent in 2011, with the markets in the Asia Pacific region and South America still showing the highest growth rates.”

A full conference program
The conference agenda will explore both opportunities and issues in an industry, which, as a whole, provides technical functionality across a variety of markets. Expert presentations, panel discussions, and exclusive AWA market data—including the results of the company’s annual industry survey—will provide the core of the formal program to deliver a comprehensive overview of the current market environment, growth and business development prospects, industry trends, and technology innovation.

Contributions from Ian Murdoch, Director, Global Forest, Paper and Packaging, Austria, for PricewaterhouseCoopers; Yolanda Simonsis, Associate Publisher and Editor of ‘Paper Film and Foil Converter’ magazine; and Todd Williams, Procurement Manager, Decoration and Tubes, North America, for Unilever complement ‘insider’ presentations from industry-leading companies, including, among others, Dow Europe, Henkel, Loparex, Novamelt-Jowat, and tesa.

Release liner recycling
The formal program concludes with a special session devoted to release liner waste, led by Channeled Resources Group’s Calvin Frost, and featuring a checklist of the tools that drive liner recycling (e.g., scorecards, legislation, cost reductions, and corporate sustainability statements); a study of sustainable recycling of polyester release liners; converting release liner into energy; and an open panel discussion on release liner waste and solutions.

Supported by gold sponsors Bluestar Silicones, Dow Corning, Evonik, Huhtamaki, Loparex, and Mondi, and silver sponsors Billerud, Channeled Resources Group, Mitsubishi Polyester Film, and ‘Paper Film and Foil Converter’ magazine, the Global Release Liner Industry Conference 2011 will take place at the Hyatt Rosemont Hotel, Chicago, Ill., 31March-1 April 2011. The program is detailed on the AWA Web site, www.awa-bv.com, where it is also possible to register online.