Ceepackaging

Events

Self Adhesive Tape Industry to meet

Following the enormous success of the first three
seminars, Afera’s 2008 Technical Seminar is expected to attract
the industry’s highest number of attendees at a single event to
date. Open to all tape industry professionals, the 3-day TS is
aimed at updating industry professionals on the cutting-edge
technical issues driving the pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA)
industry.
Afera’s TS programme includes presentations of 22 papers, 25
minutes each, by technical experts from distinguished tape
industry companies, suppliers, universities and organisations, as
well as a 40-minute panel discussion forum following each halfday
session.
By popular demand, environmental topics covering the European
Chemicals Policy, air quality and other EU legislative issues
important to the tape industry highlight the agenda. The
Secretary-General of the European Solvents Industry Group (ESIG),
Belgium, plans to present “VOCs and Solvent-Related Air Quality
Issues”, while M. Roessing of Evonik Goldschmidt GmbH, Germany,
will lecture on “Legislation: Driving Force for New Additive
Development”. Two other environmentally-geared presentations
will cover “REACH and Its Consequences for Tape-Making” (Paul
Verspoor, Sitmae Consultancy, The Netherlands) and “Emissions
Requirements and Their Impact on Adhesives and Self-Adhesive
Products” (H. Schönfeld, Sika Automotive GmbH, Germany).
The remaining 18 topics of the TS focus on the latest technical
advancements in tape development, including innovations in
adhesives properties, processing and applications in order to
promote performance, quality and efficiency, as well as broad and
optimal use, of PSA solutions. To mention a few: “Electrically
Conductive Acrylic PSAs” will be covered by ChemCycle Bitterfeld’s
R. Milker (et al), Germany, while “Wet-Out: The Red Herring of
Adhesion Science” will be presented by Dr. E. Smit of National
Starch & Chemical BV, The Netherlands. A lecture on “State-ofthe-
Art Technology for Colouring Adhesive Masses” will be
delivered by V. Magnolfi of Icap-Sira Chemicals and Polymers SpA,
Italy. Also of particular interest are two lectures covering tapes
used for automotive and medical applications: “Wire Harness
Tapes for a Non-Halogen Automotive Future” (B. Müssig, tesa AG,
Germany) and “Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Products
Coated with PSAs” (J. Sigg, IVF Hartmann AG, Switzerland).
Returning lecturer C. Creton of Laboratoire PCSM-ESPCI, Paris
University, will discuss “Strategies to Enhance Adhesion on
Polyolefin Surfaces.”
The 4 Session Chairmen of the TS are Peter Broschk of tesa AG,
Germany, Ronald Pfaff of tesa AG, Germany, Chrétien Donker of
Eastman Chemical Middelburg BV, The Netherlands, and
Christophe Kuesters of 3M Deutschland GmbH.
Seminar invitees include Afera’s 124 members from 17 European
countries, as well as non-members who are associated with the
European self adhesive tape industry, such as the press,
customers, suppliers and other international counterparts.
Because of the updated, relevant nature of the TS programme,
both returning and first-time participants are expected to attend.
“Afera’s Technical Seminar has become synonymous with the
scientific innovations, cutting edge issues, key industry players
and networking platform which power today’s PSA global market,”
explained Lutz Jacob of ExxonMobil Chemical Europe, TS
Chairman as well as Afera’s Technical Committee Chairman. “The
TS has proven itself as a driving event of the PSA industry: the
lectures are concise, the subject-matter fresh and the participant
pool extremely compelling for any PSA industry professional
looking to succeed in the fast-moving world of tape.”
As well as providing a unique educational opportunity to
participants, the event serves to create and maintain lines of
communication within the industry. Afera has ensured that the 4th
TS provide ample opportunity for networking outside of the
lectures. In addition to 2 cocktail receptions and 3 buffet lunches,
a special conference dinner has been arranged at the Museum
Brasserie in the centre of Brussels on the second evening of the
event.
Afera is open for membership to those involved in the European
self adhesive tape industry, such as manufacturers, suppliers and
national tape organisations. A specific category for non-members
is reserved for “other participants” in Afera’s activities and the use
of its resources. Other Participants include other groups in the
tape family, such as converters (printers, slitters, die cutters and
laminators of self adhesive tape). As the heart of tape industry
expertise, Afera offers the latest on developments through regular
conferences and seminars, an extensive network of industry
players, communication of relevant information through its
magazine, website, and other mediums, focused committees and
working groups addressing important regulatory issues and
research, and full-time logistical support from its head office in
The Hague, the Netherlands.

Afera, the European Association for the Self Adhesive Tape
Industry, is comprised of 124 members from 17 European
countries that represent the scope of expertise of the tape
industry. Aiming to promote the broad interests of the self
adhesive tape industry, Afera actively studies relevant industry
issues, provides platforms for discussion and interaction, and
facilitates contact among its members and all other pertinent
industry bodies at national and international levels. Founded in
Paris in 1958, Afera has operated with its head office in The
Hague, the Netherlands since 1999 under the management of
Lejeune Association Management.