Setting a record for attendance since the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 150 commodity and speciality tape professionals attended the 67th Afera Annual Conference themed ‘Taping Our Future’ in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Afera, the European Adhesive Tape Association, welcomed tape professionals from 15 countries across Europe, Asia and the USA. The three day programme featured 15 seminars and three expert panel discussions – offering a unique, transformative journey into the world of commodity and speciality tapes.
Three separately themed working sessions focused on market data and trends, regulatory affairs and sustainability, as well as current tape applications and technology highlights. The Conference Working Programme was preceded by Afera’s biannual committee and flagship sustainability project (AFSP) meetings.
“You are the key players, inquisitive minds, influencers and innovative leaders from the adhesive tape industry,” commented Evert Smit, Afera president. “This event is more than just networking and knowledge sharing. It’s about co-creating, transparency, changing mindsets and meeting the new generation and ultimately making our technologies and businesses future proof.”
During the conference, Afera also launched its new collaborative tool for calculation of the product carbon footprint (PCF) of adhesives and adhesive tapes, called TACK, which the industry collective developed with the German Adhesives Association (IVK) and sustainability consultant Sphera. The launch coincides with Afera’s official commitment to ensuring that PCFs of adhesive tape products are calculated in an aligned manner and with little effort to meet future legal requirements and requests from the supply chain.
Afera’s 68th Annual Conference will be held on 22nd – 26th September 2025 at the Hyatt Regency in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
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