Global Release Liner Conference to be Held in March

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands—The Global Release Liner Industry Conference, hosted by AWA Conferences & Events, will be held March 4-6 in Miami, Fla. The conference will explore both opportunities and issues in an industry which, as a whole, provides technical functionality across a variety of markets but which, at the same time, attracts continuing focus from the environmental and waste management lobby, particularly in the packaging industry.

Workshops
The formal conference agenda is prefaced by four concurrent workshops, addressing different topics of significance for industry participants: a technical update on silicone release coating; test procedures and equipment for evaluating release liner properties; a business development workshop; and a current status report on the REACH chemical regulation.

Key industry topics
The conference itself opens with a keynote session addressed by Loparex Group's CEO, Michael Apperson, on the state of the industry and its future expectations; on current market status by AWA Alexander Watson Associates' President and CEO, Corey M. Reardon; and on renewability, sustainability, and recycling in the release liner industry by leading world expert Calvin Frost, CEO of Channeled Resources Group. The session concludes with business-focused presentations on entrepreneurial vision from Duncan Wall, President of Fox River Associates Ltd, and on M & A activity from Jonathan White, President of Blaige & Company LLC, specialist investment bankers.

In-depth technical sessions
Delegates can then choose to follow one of two specialist trails covering silicone and release technologies or developments in materials, which drill down into the technical detail with papers from industry-leading companies.

Major end-use markets
The final plenary session of the conference will examine the major market segments for release liner, pressure-sensitive labels, specialty tapes, and medical disposables.

A tabletop exhibition complements the conference sessions, and provides the setting for extensive networking during the two evening cocktail receptions and the conference breaks.

The conference is sponsored by leading industry participants—including Bluestar Silicones, Evonik, Huhtamaki, Loparex, Mondi, and UPM.

Full details of the Global Release Liner Industry Conference 09 program, and online registration, are available at www.awa-bv.com